Read Ebook: Illustrated Catalogue of a Portion of the Collections Made During the Field Season of 1881 Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1881-82 Government Printing Office Washington 1884 pages 427-510 by Holmes William Henry

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. Page. Introductory 433 Collections from Jackson County, North Carolina 434 From the Cherokee Indians 434 Articles of stone 434 Articles of clay 434 Vegetal substances 435 Animal substances 437 Collections from Cocke County, Tennessee 438 From the fields at Newport 438 Articles of stone 438 From a mound on Pigeon River 440 Articles of clay 440 Collections from Sevier County, Tennessee 442 The McMahan Mound 442 Articles of stone 442 Articles of clay 443 Objects of metal 446 Objects of shell 446 Animal substances 453 From the fields of Sevierville 453 Articles of stone 453 Articles of clay 456 Collections from Roane County, Tennessee 457 Mound at Taylor's Bend 457 Articles of stone 457 Articles of clay 457 Objects of shell 458 From field at Taylor's Bend 458 Articles of stone 458 Vicinity of Kingston 460 Mound at Niles' Ferry 461 Mounds near Paint Rock Ferry 461 Fragments of pottery 461 Objects of shell 462 Collections from Jefferson County 463 Mound on Fain's Island 463 Articles of clay 463 From the fields of Fain's Island 465 Articles of stone 465 Objects of shell 466 Animal substances 466 Collections from Mississippi County, Arkansas 468 Pemissicott Mound 468 Chickasawba Mound 468 Mounds in Carson Lake Township 468 Mounds at Pecan Point 469 Articles of clay 469 Field graves and fields in vicinity of Pecan Point 470 Articles of stone 470 Articles of clay 471 Collections from Arkansas County, Arkansas 476 Mounds at Arkansas Post 476 Articles of clay 476 Field graves about Menard mounds 477 Articles of stone 477 Articles of clay 479 Objects of metal 485 Animal substances 485 Collection from Monroe County, Arkansas 486 Mound at Lawrenceville 486 Articles of clay 486 Mounds at Indian Bay 487 Articles of clay 488 Collections from Ohio 490 From mounds and fields 490 Articles of stone 490 Articles of clay 491 Human remains 491 Collections from Oregon 492 Articles of stone 492 Collections from Kentucky 493 Collections from Missouri 495 Articles of clay 495 Collections from other States 507 Collections from Peru 508

Fig. 116.--Stone implement, Tennessee 439 117.--Sections of earthen vessels, Tennessee 440 118.--Earthen vessel, Tennessee 444 119.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 447 120.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 447 121.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 448 122.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 448 123.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 449 124.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 449 125.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 450 126.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 450 127.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 451 128.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 452 129.--Stone implement, Tennessee 454 130.--Stone implement, Tennessee 454 131.--Stone implement, Tennessee 455 132.--Stone implement, Tennessee 455 133.--Stone implement, Tennessee 456 134.--Stone implement, Tennessee 459 135.--Stone implement, Tennessee 459 136.--Shell bead, Tennessee 462 137.--Shell bead, Tennessee 462 138.--Shell bead, Tennessee 462 139.--Earthen vessel, Tennessee 464 140.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 466 141.--Shell ornament, Tennessee 466 142.--Stone implement, Arkansas 470 143.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 471 144.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 472 145.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 473 146.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 473 147.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 474 148.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 474 149.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 475 150.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 476 151.--Stone implement, Arkansas 477 152.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 478 153.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 479 154.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 479 155.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 480 156.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 480 157.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 481 158.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 482 159.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 482 160.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 482 161.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 482 162.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 483 163.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 483 164.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 484 165.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 484 163.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 485 167.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 486 168.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 487 169.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 488 170.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 489 171.--Earthen vessel, Arkansas 489 172.--Method of plaiting sandals 493 173.--Method of plaiting mat 493 174.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 495 175.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 496 176.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 497 177.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 497 178.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 498 179.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 498 180.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 499 181.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 499 182.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 500 183.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 500 184.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 501 185.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 501 186.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 502 187.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 502 188.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 502 189.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 503 190.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 504 191.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 504 192.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 505 193.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 505 194.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 505 195.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 506 196.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 506 197.--Earthen vessel, Missouri 506 198.--Wooden mask, Peru 509 199.--Stone net-sinker, Peru 510 200.--Copper fish-hooks, Peru 510

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF A PORTION OF THE ETHNOLOGIC AND ARCHAEOLOGIC COLLECTIONS MADE BY THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY DURING THE YEAR 1881.

COLLECTION MADE BY EDWARD PALMER, IN NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND ARKANSAS.

INTRODUCTORY.

Mr. Palmer began his explorations early in July, 1881, and continued with marked success until the end of the year.

He first paid a visit to the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and collected a large number of articles manufactured or used by this people, besides a number of antiquities from the same region.

From Carolina he crossed into Tennessee, and began work by opening a number of mounds in Cocke County. In September he opened a very important mound, which I have named the McMahan Mound. It is located in the vicinity of Sevierville, Sevier County. Afterwards mounds were opened on Fain's Island, at Dandridge, and at Kingston.

In September he crossed into Arkansas and made extensive explorations at Osceola, Pecan Point, Arkansas Post, and Indian Bay.

It has devolved upon the writer to examine and catalogue this fine collection.

In preparing the catalogue the plan of arrangement already adopted by the Bureau has been carried out; that is, a primary classification by locality and a secondary by material.

The descriptions of specimens are taken from the card catalogue prepared by the writer on first opening the collection, and will be given in full, excepting in cases where detailed descriptions have been furnished in separate papers, either in this or the preceding Annual Report. Cuts have been made of a number of the more interesting specimens. The localities are named in the order of their exploration.

COLLECTIONS FROM JACKSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

OBTAINED CHIEFLY FROM THE CHEROKEE INDIANS.

ARTICLES OF STONE.

The collector suggests that this specimen was probably used for smoothing bow-strings or straightening arrow-shafts.

ARTICLES OF CLAY.

Obtained from the Southern Band of Cherokees, Jackson County, North Carolina.

The manufacture of pottery, once so universally practiced by the Atlantic coast Indians, is still kept up by this tribe, rather, however, for the purpose of trade than for use in their domestic arts. The vessels are, to a great extent, modeled after the ware of the whites, but the methods of manufacture seem to be almost wholly aboriginal.

VEGETAL SUBSTANCES.

ANIMAL SUBSTANCES.

COLLECTIONS FROM COCKE COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

FROM FIELDS NEAR NEWPORT.

ARTICLES OF STONE.

MOUND AT THE JUNCTION OF THE PIGEON AND FRENCH BROAD RIVERS.

ARTICLES OF CLAY.

The walls of the vessels are usually quite thin. The bottoms were probably round, or nearly so. No fragments, however, of the lower parts of the vessels were collected. There is but one example of handle, and this presents no unusual features. Middle section, Fig. 117.

A small fragment of coal-black ware is entirely smooth on the outside, and indicates an unusually well finished and symmetrical vessel. Another shows the impression of basket-work, in which a wide fillet or splint has served as the warp and a small twisted cord as the woof. One interesting feature of this vessel is that from certain impressions on the raised ridges we discover that the vessel has been taken from the net mold while still in a plastic state.

Still another reddish porous fragment has a square rim, which is ornamented with a series of annular indentations.

COLLECTIONS FROM SEVIER COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

THE McMAHAN MOUND.

On the west fork of the Little Pigeon River, at Sevierville, on a rich bottom, 125 yards from the river, is a celebrated mound, the owners of which have for years refused to have it opened.

Mr. Palmer spent several days in trying to obtain permission to open it, and was about leaving in despair, when the owners finally yielded, not, however, without requiring a number of concessions on the part of the collector, which concessions were put in the form of a legal document.

This mound is 16 feet high and 240 feet in circumference.

Three feet below the surface, a stratum of burnt clay, 15 feet wide by 30 long, was reached. This has probably formed part of the roof of a dwelling.

Beneath this was a bed of charcoal 4 inches thick. In this bed remnants of cedar posts from 2 to 4 inches thick and 1 to 2 feet in length were found.

Below this was a stratum of ashes, covering a limited area to the depth of 4 feet. Surrounding this, the earth contained fragments of numerous articles used by the inhabitants, while beneath came 4 1/2 feet of earth, in which numerous skeletons had been deposited.

The bodies had been interred without order, and the bones were so intermingled, and so far decayed, that no complete skeletons could be collected. Beneath the layer of bones came a second deposit of ashes, 2 feet thick by 2 1/2 feet in diameter, and beneath this a mass of red clay, 18 inches in thickness. In the earth surrounding the ashes and clay, a number of skeletons were found; these were in such an advanced stage of decomposition that only a few fragments of skulls could be preserved.

Three feet below the second layer of bones, the undisturbed soil was reached.

Two boxes of bones were collected, the well-preserved crania numbering about twenty.

A great many interesting specimens of the implements, utensils, and ornaments of the mound-builders were obtained.

The following catalogue includes everything of interest:

ARTICLES OF STONE.

ARTICLES OF CLAY.

The collection of pottery from this mound is of much interest. There is but one entire vessel, but the fragments are so plentiful and well preserved that many interesting forms can be restored, and a very good idea of the ceramic work of this locality be formed.

I find, however, that the forms merge into each other in such a way that a complete graduated series can be found. Of first importance, are the round or globular vases with more or less constricted necks.

The necks of vases and pot-shaped vessels have a great variety of handles, knobs, and ornaments. Some of the latter seem to be atrophied handles. In some cases a low horizontal ridge, from 1 to 4 or more inches in length is placed near the rim, in place of the continuous collar. In other cases a narrow, crescent-shaped ridge is attached, the points reaching down on the shoulder, the arch lying upon the neck. Still others have one or more handles which connect the rim with the neck or shoulder of the vessel, leaving a round or oblong passage for a cord or vine.

These handles were added after the vessel was completed. They are never ornamented. In one case an arched handle, like the handle of a basket, connects the opposite sides of the rim. This is the only entire vessel recovered from the mound. It was associated with the upper layer of skeletons. Diameter 4 1/2 inches. Fig. 118.

The body of these vessels is sometimes quite plain, but is more frequently covered with cord markings. These, with one or two exceptions, seem to be made by a series of fine cords, approximately parallel, but without cross-threads of any kind. There is little uniformity of arrangement. In the upper part, and about the base of the neck, the indented lines are generally vertical. On the bottom they are quite irregular, as if the vessel, in making, had been rolled about on a piece of netting or coarse cloth. The cords have been about the size of the ordinary cotton cord used by merchants. One exception is seen in a fragment of a large, rudely-made vase, in which we have the impression of a fabric, the warp of which, whether wood or cord, has consisted of fillets more than one-fourth of an inch in width, the woof being fine cord.

This is what is frequently spoken of as the ear-of-corn impression. No incised or excavated lines have been noticed in these fragments of pot-shaped vessels. Some of the most elegant vessels are without upright necks. The upper or incurved surface of the body is approximately flat, forming, with the lower part of the body a more or less sharp peripheral angle. The base is rounded, and, so far as we can judge from the examples, the bottom is slightly flattened. Vessels having vertical or flaring rims are generally somewhat more shallow.

The incurved upper surface is often tastefully ornamented with patterns of incised or excavated lines which are arranged in groups, in vertical or oblique positions, or encircle the vessel parallel with the border. One specimen has a row of stamped circles, made by a reed or hollow bone.

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