The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-09-12


integrate. Mr.. Willoughby found the
ed. Beyond question, the graves of the
Alamoosook region are the oldest in
America.
Most of the graves were located in a
barn yard fanked by two large barns.
1t became quite clear to US that it we
could explore beneath one of the barns,
we should fini undisturbed graves. Per-
mission was obtained from the owner.
We took up the floor and made runner
GUS finds. The removal of buildings in
order that archaeological work may be
done is common in the Old World, but
rare in America.
We did not entirely complete the work
at Mr.. Hartford's, chiefly because the
graves had been disturbed, except under
the barns, and one Of these barns must
needs be removed before the ground be-
meath can be explored.
Locating at Lake Alamoosook; we en-
ployed additional help, and with force
varying from eleven to fourteen men,
explored in dozen different places.
Omitting details, the important sites
were Mr.. Pierce's property (known as the
Emerson place. and Mr.. Mason's land.
Mr.. Pierce's cottage lies on the point of
land overlooking the lake and f1anked by
the Narrimissic river 1t is most beau
tiful location for an Indian encampment
sandy, with sloping shores, and about
fifteen feet above the water in Indian
times.
ANCIENT PAINT FACTORY.
What strikes one as remarkable in the
graves about Alamoosook is the great
ofh ,,r int Mr
Willoughby found considerable of this
and we unearthed literally several bush
els during the ex mination of our more
than one hundred graves. preserved
a generous portion of the brightest paint.
An old letter written in 1923 by Moses
Greenleaf to Rev. DIR. Morse gives the
Indian name of all the places along the
Penobscot from it's mouth to Lake Che
suncook The Olamman stream is given
as the place where paint is found, and
we hope to locate the exact spot later IN
the season.
Both the Pierce, and Mason burial
grounds had been disturbed by previous
excavations, in search of specimens. But
we found number of undisturbed graves
two or three feet below the surface and
of course we made careful observations,
photographs, etc. Up to the present,
we have secured something like four hun
dred good specimens from these graves.
| cannot enter into lengthy discussion
in the columns of the Transcript, but
few observations may not be amiss. We
have done considerable eXcavating,
chiefly because our party is large, en-
aiding US to work rapidly. The territory
already covered would indicate that we
are unearthing pre-Algonquin culture.
For instance, no grooved axes occur IN
the graves. The grooved axes found on
the surface do not exhibit signs of dis
Indignation. Many of the grave speci-
mems are already crumbling, and no sane
person will believe that stone tool will
disintegrate before considerable period
of time. The graves contain prodigious
number of egg-shaped plummets, called
by the local collectors ''slnkers There
are also in these graves the most beauti-
full slate spears, followed and fiuted
gouges.
THE MOST INTERESTING FINDS.
TIE slate spears are not common on
the surface in New England, even in this
region, and are almost unknown in Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut. | might
continue enumerating the puculiarities of
these old graves-how that the stone i'm
plements lie in the brilliant red ochre
and are often colored either a dark red
or bright crimson. Suffice it to say
that Maine has proved to be a unique
and remarkable field, well worth orr
study. Naturally, We have found many
/ objects more or less alike, and intend
to give the Maine Historical Society at
Portland collection to be preserved in
the State.
One Of the most satisfactory things
connected with our expedition has been
| the extreme courtesy and kindness Shown
US by citizens and land owners. | asked
fifteen different persons for permission
to explore, and was not refused in sin
gle instance. Often we dug on grass
! kroils, lawns, or hay fields. On the
Emerson place we cut out the sod in
blocks and put the same back as careful
ly as possible. 1t is unusual to meet
with such hearty and general co-opera
! ton.
While the Maine expedition was work
ing at Alamoosook, | sent several of my
students down to Sargentville, to make
preliminary observations on the region.
While there they found an interesting
burial, which may be of the early colo
NAL period, Or pre-hlstoric-We can
| not determine Wnlcn until our return 10
Andover. They uncovered the skeleton
of young person, fourteen or fifteen
years old. There was large copper
plate, copper beads, and pieces of buck
skin massed about the lower jaw ard
chest. Very few of the bones remained.
There We're some two or three hundred
large white beads, strung on thin buck
skin thongs.
The boys dug numerous pits near
where this burial occurred, but found
nothing more. 1t seems to have been
single grave-not a cemetery. Copper
plates are seldom found in New England,
and the question at once arises-is this
a historic or prehistoric burial?
Our work at Alamoosook has covered
over three weeks, and at present writing
July 16) We are not yet through. We
often run side expeditions, as we have
power boat and two skiffs. 1t requires
all Of these to move our party. Dead
River, tributary of the lake, we have
repeatedly visited, digging on prominent
knobs, but without results.
One of the most interesting places in
this entire region is the United States
Fish Hatchery, conducted by Mr.. C. H.
Atkins. The Government property adj
joins the lake, and Mr.. Atkins has
| hoao II, oh rra for ,,,opx, voorc H.