The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-06
POTS MADE .0F CLAY WERE
 FILLED WITH HUMAN BONES
His Collection of Antiques Contains Articles of Every Kind and Descrip- tlon-Stuffed stinging Snake
 Attracts Attention.
BY cASSlUS M. STANLEY.

Charles Schwend is probably the most persistent eurio collector in Alabama. His collection embraces almost everything
 which is of any value because of unique ness, age or rarity.
 His latest find is what seems to be an ancient Indian burying ground. It is To- cated on the banks of the Cahaba river about twelve miles south of Birmingham. From this spot he has brought to his shop; on Third avenue some specimens of pottery which may prove to be exceed ingly valuable from a historical point of view.
 One of the pots which he unearthed is in almost perfect condition. save for a small crack down one side. The condi- ton in which he found it when he began digging is interesting. In the first place the pot is shaped mucgh ike the modern jardiniere. It is seven inches across the top and at the widest point is about nine inches in diameter
 It is made of clay and has evidently rever gone through any other than a sun baking process, as it is extremely fra. gile. When unearthed it was filled with what seemed to be pipe clay and investi- gation proved that there is none of that particular kind of clay within many miles of the spot where the pot was found
 Layer of Charcoal. Upon removing the pipe clay there was found to be a layer of charcoal immediate ly under it and upon the removal of the charcoal the pot was found to be filled
 with bones. Investigation and examina- ton by competent surgeons has proved the bones were those of a human being,
 They are badly broken up and show the effects of time, but pieces of skull and some teeth point to the inaubitable fact
 that they are the last remains of a hu- man being.
 The finding of this one pot would not
 be so remarkable were it not for the fact that there were numerous others filled in exactly the same manner in the same
 vicinity.
 MT. Schwend was walking along the river bank and noticed where the edge of | one of them had been washed out by the water. Upon digging down he found it to be clay pot of more than two feet in diameter, filled as has just been descrlb- ed. The ground was soft, however that 1t was impossible to get it out whole He
 dug several others up and was able to get
 but one out without breaking it.
 Quaintly Ornamented.. Some of the pots are very quaintly or namented with line. figures and show an attempt at crude form of art With the pots were found numerous stone arrow heads which seems to be proof that the spot is an ancient Indian burying ground and that the tribe using it was attempt ing to supply deceased braves with the rA< <...le etf tf14A e. hunting grounds.
 Mo enc seems able to give any reason for placing, charcoal and pipe clay in the
 pot with the bones, for there Is evidently no record extent that Indians cremated their dead It Is the intention that the discoverer of thes relics to make still further exca- vations in the vicinity where these were found to see If more light cannot be thrown on their history.
 MT. Schwend recently acquired another object that is of more than passing inter est. It is the stuffed skin of "stinging snake" which measures six feet in length. The stinging snake is probably better known to most persons by the name "hoop snake." from the peculiar manner in which it propels itself when going down hill.
 Instead of crawling according to the Biblical injunction, it places its head and tail together, thus forming a hoop, and rolls down inclined places. This particulr specimen came from Lamar county and is a beautiful speci- men. Its back is jet black while the ven- tral portion is of brilliant scarlet inter spersed with mottled gray.
 Immense Sting on Tail.
 The end of the tail bears an immense sting, and during the life time of the rep tile was deadly poison. Many tales are told of the antics played by hoop or stinging snakes Men who have seen Mir Schwend's specimen are spurred on by the sight to tell their experiences. Sev-