PRIMITIVE REMAINS IN THE SAGINAW VALLEY, MICH

IGAN.

[BY HARLAN. I. SMITH, SAGINAW, E. S., MICH.]

The Ayres Mound.

The Ayres Mound, as it has been called, was situated on the property of Mr. E. R. Ayres, about 60 feet north of the office of the Ayres Lumber Company, i. e., on lot 43, of the James Riley Reservation in the city of Saginaw, Michigan.

Although not a large mound this was a very typical example of the earth structures in the Saginaw Valley. It was about 34 feet in diameter and 18 inches in height: although there is no doubt that it had once been of a much greater altitude having since been slowly reduced by nature's forces. When first seen by the writer, in 1889, this mound, being covered with grass and flowers, had much the appearance of a neglected flower bed. It was of about the size and shape of the large round beds so common to the lawns of the adjacent premises.

The earth structures and in fact nearly all traces of primitive man in the valley, including village sites and open air work shops, were located near some water course. So it was with the Ayres Mound; it being built on the highest part of the ridge which lies parallel with the eastern bank of the Emerson Bayou at a point 280 feet from the natural bank of that body of water. The bayou, a branch of the Saginaw river having several small tributaries, was in early times a favorite place for hunting and fishing. Even of late years, ducks and similar game have frequented its borders, while its waters teemed with pickerel, bass, and other fine fish. With such attractions it is no wonder that the locality found favor in the eyes of the primitive people.

The part of the ridge, upon which the mound was built, lying between it and the bayou, is of a fine gravel overlying which is a dark sandy loam; while the part where the mound stood, and extending away from the water, is of clay over which the same rich surface soil is found, extending for some distance eastward. The spot is nearly always dry and the rich soil would produce in abundance those agricultural products which the early people of the valley were known to raise.

When the writer first visited this interesting locality the entire ridge was covered by an apparantly primeval forest of oak, elm, maple, walnut and other fine trees. On the nortwest edge of the mound itself stood an oak 7 ft. 4 in. in circumference, showing that the structure was of considerable age.

Mr. Chas. W. Grant, a neighboring resident, was the first to call attention to this mound. Previous to that time it had scarcely been noticed and it is not included in Prof. Cyrus Thomas' "Catalogue of Prehistoric Earthworks" recently issued from the bureau of Ethnology.

Permission to explore the work was granted by Mr. Ayres, the owner of the land upon which it was situated, early in April, 1892. The mound was then photographed. carefully measured and staked out preparatory to beginning the excavations. April 19 the excavation began in earnest. The workmen dug a trench, down to hard-pan, along the western edge of the southern half of the mound. This trench was then carried eastward, taking in the southern half of the work and going down to undisturbed soil; that is, all the soil

and other materials that had been placed by the builders, were removed and carefully examined.

On arriving at the middle of the section it was found that there would not be time to complete the exploration at that visit, so a narrow trench was continued eastward through the center of the mound, in order to get a drowing of a cross section. Having thoroughly explored the southwest quarter of the mound and obtained a knowledge of the structure in cross section, we abanconed the work for that time just before sun down. On returning some months later to complete the exploration, we found that some "relic hunter" had dug over the entire mound. Further work on our part was therefore impossible, and we had to content ourselves with the results of our former exploration of a portion of the structure. So completely was this southwestern quarter of the mound examined that the results cannot fail to be of some scientific interest.

This mound, like many of the mounds we had opened, showed stratification. The first layer, just below the sod, was about 19 inches thick, and composed of a dark sandy muck which could not be distinguished from the surface soil of the surrounding woods. Below this was a layer, varying from 1 to 4 inches in thickness, composed of black soil partly burned and thickly mixed with charcoal particles. Between this layer of black material and the original surface of the clay below was a thin stratum of pure and white ashes. This stratum varied from a mere streak to a layer two inches in thickness. Intermingled in the ashes were some large pieces of charcoal, and below this ash layer was the original clay. It had been burned, almost to the hardness of brick in places. This burned layer of clay was about five inches thick at its maximum, and below it there were no indications of previous disturbance by human agencies. In the ash layer at a point about eight inches west of our center stake was found a single copper bead. This bead was about the size and shape of a small marble and was much corroded. Over eighty copper beads and several copper implements have been found in the immediate vicinity of this mound.

Ten feet west of the center stake and about 14 inches south, we discovered in the black layer a leaf-shaped implement and four feet south of this a fine scraper of chert was thrown out of the surface soil. In the black layer we found many pieces of diabase and other hard rock which showed unmistakable evidence of intense heat, being cracked and checked in every direction. Here too we found large pieces of chert concretions such as are found near Bay Port, Mich., and were so much used by the aborigines of this locality as a raw material from which to fashion their implements. These were all much burned. In the surface layer were found many pieces of this chert which had not been burned and which showed where flakes had been taken off for the manufacture of knives and arrow-points. All the chipped implements found in the mound or near it, were, without a doubt, fashioned from this same concretionary chert. Many scrapers and flake knives were also found in this sur face layer, all showing concentric structure, and undoubtedly made of mater ial from the region of Bay Port.

In the narrow trench, about 19 inches east of the center stake and in the black layer we found two fragments of pottery about one half inch in thickness, and coated with a black layer on what had been the inside of the pot, while the outer part was the color of yellow clay. The material was thickly

mixed with quartz grains; and the outer surface of the dish had been ornamented with slight depressions, made with some sharp instrument, dotted all over the surface at regular intervals of about a quarter of an inch. In the surface layer, near the eastern border of the mound, a fragment of a finely polished celt was found. This had been made of a greenish colored argillite. Such were the results of our exploration of the Ayres mound. From such results alone little can be known of its builders.

Several years ago workmen, while digging for the foundation of a salt block about 300 feet west from the mound and 180 feet from the bank of the bayou, came upon a number of human skeletons. These were at the unusual depth of over four feet, which was possibly due to the accumulation of soil above the old surface. This has been done in the vicinity by the piling up of the light sand by the wind in long dunes. Among these graves were found bear teeth, deer-bones, and culinary refuse in general. From the large number of fishbones found, one might conclude that these people took advantage of the resources of this locality near the bayou and that much of their subsistence was obtained from its waters. It is a remarkable fact that no implements of defense or utensils for domestic use were discovered with the remains; while at the mound only 300 feet distant such objects were found in abundance.

The land of the vicinity is fast being built upon and the enterprise of the city is already encroaching upon the remaining monuments in the neighborhood. It is to be hoped that further exploration may be made before all traces of these early people have been obliterated. Many of the remains of the primitive American peoples, all over our country, have been destroyed not only in carrying out business enterprises, but also, 'tis pity, by ruthless "relic hunters".

It is, therefore, of great importance that in the future careful scientific examination be made of all such remains, that are in danger of destruction, and that the results of such exploration be preserved for future study and comparison. It is from such work only that we may hope to learn of the early American races.

STONE IMAGE OR IDOL.

The interesting relic here to be described is shown in figure 1, front and side views. It belongs to the collection of Dr. R. T. Miller, of South Bend, Ind. It was found by a sixteen-year-old son of Americus Bunch while plowing upon his farm one mile north of Lakeville, St. Joseph Co., Ind., June 20, 1884. The soil from which it was taken was low and marshy, and the image was in an inverted position. It is composed of a dark grey sand stone which is deeply pitted or weather-beaten showing evidence of age.

It is complete or all there ever was of it, excepting what time and the elements have worn away. It is eight and one half inches high.

The meditative and peaceful countenance of this object does not appear to show any Indian characteristics. The high cheek bones are wanting, and the nose although curved, does not show that prominence which distinguishes the Indian race. The face is square and broad, and the head short. It was perhaps made by that "peaceable short headed race" mentioned by Moorehead in

his "Primitive Man in Ohio".

Mr. Tylor in his "Early History of Mankind" regards the presence of idols amongst uncivilized races as denoting not only the entity of a religious idea, but also the cooperation of something like art and imagination. Sir John Lubbuck, in his "Origin of Civilization", says; "The worship of idols characterizes a somewhat higher stage of human development." Col. C. C. Jones in his "Antiquities of the Southern Indians", confidently affirms that the Southern Indians or those of Georgia were not idol worshippers. He seems to recall himself on page 430 of his valuable work, and admits that subsequent investigations prove by the discovered presence of the images themselves, that at some time or other idol-worship of some sort was here practiced. Of all the Southern tribes most addicted to this kind of worship, the Natchez stand preeminent. An old writer, Pere le Petit, says: "The Natchez have a temple

filled with idols. Their idols are images of men and women made of stone and baked clay".

The editor owns a baked clay head of grotesque form, about three inches high, found in Mississippi, probably made by these Indians. Through the face from cheek to cheek is a round perforation one quarter of an inch in diameter. The nose is fantastically turned upward, and the cars are more animal like than human. On top of the head is a perfect circle. They were worshippers of the Sun: their great chief was named after this star, and claimed that from it did he derive his origin. Undoubtedly true, for do we not all owe our beginning to this bright luminary? Think for one moment of the horrors a sudden extinction of our celestial orb would produce. To the untutored and savage mind was the disappearance of the sun a matter of awe. The cold produced in its departure caused death and suffering, for cold means death and heat life, which came again when the celestial stranger returned or rose in the heavens.

There was paid homage to the symbol which the great governor of the universe gave to his people for their welfare. May not then, this idol be a representation of that power, and the circle on the head of the clay image represent a sun symbol?

Dr. C. F. Causey, of Sartartia, Miss., is the owner of a very fine image nine inches high. It was found a short distance from where he lives. The Natchez too may have been the makers of it. We hope it may later on be figured in this journal. A. F. B.

KANSAS ARCHEOLOGY.

Two Mounds In Atchison County.

[BY GEORGE J. REMSBERG.]

About five miles southeast of the city of Atchison, on a stream called Owl creek; is an old Indian village site. Such places are innumerable in Atchison county, but the one on Owl creek is probably the most extensive. The scope

of the village covers an area of about five acres. The earth presents the appearance of having been burned in many places and is intermixed with fragments of pottery, chips of flint, bones of animals, and all kinds of broken and unfinished implements.

One day while visiting this old village site, the writer concluded that he would make further search, thinking there might be some mounds or graves in the vicinity. He climbed to the top of a lofty and rugged hill, directly opposite to the village site, and he had not searched a great while before his most sanguine expectations were fulfilled. On the projecting point of the bluff, overlooking the Missouri river, he discovered two mounds, about one hundred yards apart. He went home, procured a spade and pick, and with his two brothers and C. A. Bruner, again repaired to the scene of the mounds for the purpose of making excavation. At the depth of about two feet human bones were found. They were badly decomposed and only small pieces could be removed, and they would crumble instantly with the pressure of the finger and thumb. The bones had evidently been under the action of fire, for some of them were badly charred, and pieces of charcoal, burned earth, and stones showing marks of fire, were found among the remains. The writer sent some of the bones to the curator of archæology in the Smithsonian Institution, asking his opinion about them, and he replied that there was no evidence of the bones being burned. This gentleman is certainly mistaken. According to physiological research, if a bone is burned and all the animal matter be not consumed the bone will become black, while on the other hand, if the animal matter is all consumed the bone will retain its whiteness and can be crumbled into a plain white residue. If we accept the theory of physiology, which is a very reasonable one, we are ready to admit that the bones found in these mounds had been more or less burned.

The work of excavation was not finished the first day, our time being quite limited; but a few days afterwards the writer, in company with J. F. Oliphant, of Atchison, re-visited the mounds and resumed the work. No relics of importance were found. In one of them was found a small flint arrowpoint and another worked flint. In the other was found a broken spearhead and some chips of flint. The position of the bodies could not be correctly ascertained, as most of the bones had crumbled away, and what few remained were