Ancient Earthwork Discovered on Brookville Lake in Indiana
MOUNDS IN INDIANA. By E.D. R. QUICK, Brookville, Indiana. The valley of the White Water River contains some terraces. There are mounds on the two highest of these and on the tops of the hills. I have opened several, finding them to be sepulchral— containing bones, charred and re-charred; a few curved and a few chipped stones. They also contain much charcoal and other evidence of fire. In one case there was a stick, eight or ten inches thick, completely charred. Above this was a layer of clay that had been subjected to heat so intense that it was in some places completely vitrified or glassy in appearance.\
The mounds are generally low and situated in pairs, a larger and a smaller one, are together on some prominent point.
The stone mounds consist of stone and earth, with which are mingled great quantities of bones of men, animals, birds, and reptiles. I know of but one “enclosure” in our county. It is situated on an almost isolated hill, about three hundred and fifty feet above the level of the river. The level surface of the hill, containing about fifteen acres, is in the shape of a horse-shoe, the embankments being a semi-circle joining the ends. The ditch is on the outside.
We find a great many axes, of all sizes, from a few ounces to thirteen pounds in weight; also fleshers, chisels, gouges, scrapers, etc. In some fields almost innumerable arrow-heads and spearheads are found. We find a few pipes, some gorgets, and double edged or double-pointed implements, like tomahawks, but too light to do service as such.
I also have one of the so-called “boat-form ornaments.” I send you drawing of an ornament in my collection. It is of blue slate, banded with black, and shows evidence of rasping and scouring into its present shape. It is perfectly symmetrical in form and shape. We find broken pottery scattered over the river bottoms. Old bones which I have found were so decomposed that nothing satisfactory could be determined with regard to them. At some future time I can furnish casts of my best pieces.
