Jefferson County, New York - Mound Builders Necropolis
A large mound is near a shanty in the sugar camp, toward Ruff's
A large mound is near a shanty in the sugar camp, toward Ruff's
creek. This is 40 feet across and 3 feet high. A good deal of dig-
ging has been done there, but seemingly without results. A smaller
one is near the shanty. This ended the explorations on that side of
the lake. The oldest inhabitant knew of nothing taken from mounds
south of the La Farge mansion. In all 54 mounds were observed,
and 6 obliterated ones reported, or 60 in all. Other unobserved or
obliterated mounds might much increase this number, but it is not
likely to reach the higher estimates made for the whole territory.
At the north end of the lake is one spot deserving of a few words,
and yet probably not connected with the general subject. In the edge
of the swamp at the northeast angle of the lake, is an immense mass
of rock which can be reached by a boat. In some of the depressions
of this rock are many small flint chips, showing that it was a favorite
spot for arrow makers. What weapons the makers of these mounds
used is uncertain, but it is probable that the visitors to Squaw island,
as some call it, were of another people. The spot commands a view
of nearly the entire lake.
Is this a hut circle or a Sun Temple or henge that is found in numbers in the Ohio
Valley? The earthwork has an outer wall and interior ditch like a henge. The
Iroquois didn't construct round dwellings.
In his report on Mound Explorations, Prof. Cyrus Thomas
described some mounds of this class closely connected with larger
mounds in the Welch group, Brown county, Illinois. The group
" consists of six mounds, and a number of small saucer-shaped basins
surrounded by low, earthen ridges, doubtless the sites of ancient
dwellings or wigwams." Thomas, p.u8. He adds that " the dwell-
ing sites vary considerably in size, some being as much as 70 feet
in diameter, and some of them 3 feet deep in the center after 50
years of cultivation." In describing those on the Big Mary river,
111., he adds something on their situation and origin :
These are situated upon a flat topped ridge, about 30 feet higher
than the creek bottoms. They are low, with the usual depression in
the center, but the outlines are rather indistinct. Mr Gault of Sparta,
who has long resided here, states that when he first moved to this
section, the Indians lived in houses or wigwams which, when de-
cayed, left such remains as these. They hollowed out a shallow cir-
cular cavity in the surface soil, then, standing poles around the
margin of this basin, brought them together at the top, and having
covered them with bark or other material in other words having
constructed wigwams of the usual circular form covered them in
whole or in part, specially the lower portion with earth. He also
said that after a camp was abandoned and the wood rotted away, it
left these rings of earth. Thomas, p. 141
