Class JEaH Book ...t4* CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN HEYE FOUNDATION Volume II, Number i EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY NEAR MONTAGUE, NEW JERSEY BY GEORGE G. HEYE AND GEORGE H. PEPPER NEW YORK THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN HEYE FOUNDATION 10 East Thirty-third Street 1915 I hf\ EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY NEAR MONTAGUE, NEW JERSEY BY GEORGE G. HEYE and GEORGE H. PEPPER Contents PAGE Introduction 2 Historical Data 4 Previous Archeological Work in the Vicinity 12 Situation of the Minisink Cemetery 15 Previous Work in the Cemetery 17 Investigations by the Museum of the American Indian 18 The Burials 18 Objects Associated with the Burials 30 Shell Ornaments 30 Discs 30 Gorget 35 Triangular Pendants 36 Bird Figures 37 Fish Figures 40 Other Animal Forms 42 Beads 43 Stone Implements and Ornaments 44 Objects of Bone, Antler, and Tiirtleshell 46 Aboriginal Pipes 47 Pottery Vessels 48 Pigments 48 Objects of European Origin 49 Trade Beads 49 Pewter Pipes 50 Other Metal Objects 54 Clay Pipes 55 Textiles 57 Urn Burials 58 Feast-pits 58 Dog Burials 59 Objects not Associated with Burials 60 Pottery 60 Earthenware of Algonquian Type 62 Earthenware of Iroquois Type 64 I CONTRIBUTIONS F Nova Bxlgi THE VAN DER DONCK MAP, 1656 2 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Objects not Associated with Burials. — Continued Earthenware Showing Algonquian and Iroquois Technique Combined. . 67 Pits Containing Jars 67 Objects of Stone 70 Objects of Shell 73 Objects of Bone and Antler 73 Pipes 74 Objects of Metal 75 Other Materials Found 76 Conclusions ! 76 Introduction ON the banks of the Delaware river between Port Jervis, New York, and the Delaware Water Gap, there are many village sites and a few burial places. For years it has been known that this section offered a rich field for archeological study, but prior to the explorations herein described it remained practically neglected. The shores of the river, both in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania, afford broad reaches of arable land, and along this stretch of the stream are several flat islands. The New Jersey side especially furnished suitable level places for camps and for farming, and on these numerous evidences of aboriginal habitation are found. Dr Edward S. Dalrymple, of Branchville, New Jersey, had done some work on this site twelve or fifteen years before, and after his death a collection made by him had come into the pos- session of the Museum of the American Indian. In 1 91 3 the writers made a reconnoissance of the Delaware valley between Dingman's Ferry and Port Jervis. The most promising site for archeological excavation was found on the farm of Burson W. Bell, Esq., near the town of Montague, in Sandyston township, Sussex county. New Jersey. The results of the explora- tion of this burial place form the report herein presented. The work of the Museum of the American Indian was com- menced at the close of April, 191 4, and was continued until early in July, when, during the writer's absence, the arrest of his men, on the charge of violating a statute prohibiting the disturbance of human burials, was caused by a local politician who believed that by keeping strangers out of his district he would gain the favor of his constituents. HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 3 The judicial history of the case, which will be of interest to future investigators of American archeology, is as follows : On July 2d, 1914, one John Van Sickle went before Justice of the Peace John E. Whitney of Newton, New Jersey, and made a complaint against George G. Heye that he "did remove the remains of deceased persons to deponent unknown from their graves and places of sepulture in the old Minisink Graveyard in said township (Sandyston) from mere wantonness," and thereupon a warrant was issued for Mr. Heye's arrest. Mr. Heye hearing that a warrant was out for his arrest, by an arrange- ment with the District Attorney of Sussex County, attended at Newton with his counsel on July 20th, 1914, submitted to arrest, waived indict- ment and had a trial on that date before the Sussex County Court of Special Sessions, and upon said trial was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of ^100. Mr. Heye carried his conviction on a Writ of Error to the Supreme Court of New Jersey and the case came up on appeal before the November term of said court, which reversed the conviction in an opinion a copy of which is annexed hereto. New Jersey Supreme Court. Nov. Term, 1914. The State, vs. George G. Heye, Error to the Sussex Special Sessions Court. Argued before Gummere, Chief Justice, and Justices Garrison and Minfurn. For the plaintiff in error, Robert S. Hudspeth. For the State, William A. Dolan, Prosecutor of the Pleas Per Curiam: The defendant was tried and convicted under the 148th section of the Crimes Act, which makes it a high misdemeanor for any one to remove a body of any deceased person from his grave or tomb for the purpose of dissection, or for the purpose of selling the same, or from mere wantonness. The facts show that the plaintiff in error was an anthropologist, who, while looking for Indian relics in Sandyston township, Sussex County, came across a burial place used by the Indians who inhabited that part of the state two or more centuries ago; that he removed two or three of the skeletons which he found there for the collection of the New York Anthropological Society; about the same number for the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania; and several more for the United States Government at Washington. He did this with the consent of the owner of the land upon which these remains were found. On these facts he was convicted. It may be that in what plaintiff in error did he violated the laws of decency 4 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN and morality, but it does not seem to us that he brought himself within the purview of the 148th section of the Crimes Act. He certainly did not remove these skeletons for the purpose of dissection; nor was it shown that he did it for the purpose of making sale of them. His conviction was rested upon the theory that his act was one of mere wantonness. We do not think this conclusion sound. He took them for a specific purpose; and a thing done for a specific purpose, whether that purpose be one which the public generally will approve or disapprove, cannot be said to have been done in mere wantonness. We conclude the judgment under review should be reversed. The writer wishes to acknowledge the generous cooperation and interest taken in this work by Mr Burson W. Bell, the owner of the property on which the cemetery was situated, and to Mr Randall D. Sayre, of Milford, Pike county, Pennsylvania, who added greatly to the collection by the gift of a fine jar found by him on Minisink island directly opposite the cemetery. G. G. H. HISTORICAL DATA As the part of Sussex county under consideration was probably richer in natural resources than any similar area in the State of New Jersey, from the earliest days it has furnished material for historical accounts, and the archives of the state are replete with documents which record the troubles between the native tribes and, at a later period, the inroads of white settlers. The region which particularly concerns us here comprises the townships of Sandyston and Montague in the northwestern corner of Sussex county (fig. i). James P. Snell, in his History of Sussex and Warren Counties, pp. 361-362, published in 1881, says: The Minisink patent, of historic memory, embraced the valuable lands of Montague, lying along the banks of the Delaware, and their fertility and natural advantages early attracted to this favored locality the Dutch settlers from Esopus. The township was thus made memorable soil before the white man had cleared the forests in other portions of the county. From the easy fords at the Minisink, Indian trails diverged, — west to the Wyoming Valley, along the Susquehanna River; north, by short cut across the peninsula of Pike County, to the mouth of the Lacka- waxen, on the Delaware; south, through Culver's Gap, to the ponds and HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 5 hunting-grounds of the Kittatinny valley; and northeast, via the Dela- ware, to the Machackemack River and corresponding valleys. The most valuable portion of the famous "Minisink patent" lay within the boundaries of Montague. It embraced that fertile tract of land extending from the mouth of the " Machackemack' ' at Carpenter's Point, Fig. I. — Map showing the location of the Minisink cemetery. down the left bank of the Delaware River to the lower point of "Great Minisink Island." This patent covered the two largest and most fertile islands of the Delaware River, with the adjoining flats along the Jersey shore, — Mashipacong Island, lying between Carpenter's Point and the Brick House, and Minisink Island, lying below the Brick House. These O MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN two islands alone contain looo acres of cultivated land, and, together with the shore flats and grazing-lands between the extremes named, more than 10,000 acres of the quality of land so highly prized by the Low-Dutch settlers was included in the Minisink patent. The settlement first made was located opposite the lower end of the Island (which gave name to the patent referred to), upon the higher portion of Minisink flats, just at the foot of the ridge on the south running parallel with the river. This settlement took the name of Minisink. A small grist-mill was erected upon the stream which here discharges its waters into the Bena Kill, between the residences of Daniel D. Everitt and Jacob Westbrook, Esq., the former residence being within the township of Montague and the latter in that of Sandyston, as this stream here forms the boundary line between these townships for a short distance from the river. Johannes Westbrook settled upon one side of this small stream of water, and Daniel Westfall (said to have been his son-in-law) upon the opposite bank, where Mr. Everitt now resides. The Westbrook family was early represented by three brothers, who located at Minisink soon after 1700. The precise period at which the Dutch and Huguenot settlers entered the Minisink valley is uncertain. We have positive documentary evi- dence that there was a considerable colony of settlers at the Neversink and in the Minisink valley, including both of the Minisink Islands, prior to the beginning of the eighteenth century. A voting precinct, with a municipal organization, was laid off there before this date, which implies a considerable number of voters; and by an act of the Provincial Assembly of New York, passed Oct. 18, 1701, " for the more Regular proceedings in the Election of Representatives," the "inhabitants of Wagachemick (Neversink) and Great and Little Minisink (Islands)" were "empowered to give their votes in the County of Ulster." The evidence clearly substantiates the fact that there were many settlers in the Jersey Minisink previous to 1700. The Indians which occupied this area were the Munsee, with possibly a few Unami, both divisions of the Delawares. According to the Handbook of American Indians^ — The Munsee [whose name, according to Hewitt, is derived from Min-asin-ink, ' at the place where stones are gathered '] originally occupied the headwaters of Delaware river in New York, New Jersey, and Penn- sylvania, extending south to Lehigh river, and also held the west bank 1 Bulletin 30, Bureau of American Ethnology, pt. i, Washington, 1907. . HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY "J of the Hudson from the Catskill mountains nearly to the New Jersey line. They had the Mahican and Wappinger on the north and east, and the Delawares on the south and southeast, and were regarded as the protecting barrier between the latter tribe and the Iroquois. Their council village was Minisink, probably in Sussex county. New Jersey. . . • The Minisink formed the principal division of the Munsee, and the two names have often been confounded. . . . By a fraudulent treaty, known as the 'Walking Purchase,' the main body of the Munsee was forced to remove from the Delaware about the year 1740, and settled at Wyalusing on the Susquehanna on lands assigned them by the Iroquois. Soon after this they removed to Alleghany river, Penn- sylvania, where some of them had settled as early as 1724. About 1720 the Iroquois assumed dominion over them, forbidding them to make war or sales of lands, a condition which lasted until about the opening of the French and Indian war. Many of them had originally removed from the west bank of Delaware river to escape the inroads of the Conestoga. E. M. Ruttenber,^ writing of the Minisink, says: West of the Esopus country, and inhabiting the Delaware and its tributaries, were the Minsis proper of whom a clan more generally known as the Minnisinks held the south-western parts of the present counties of Orange and Ulster, and north-western New Jersey. Van der Donck describes their district as " Minnessinck of 'tLandt van Bacham," and gives them three villages: Schepinaikonck, Meochkonck, and Macharienkonck,^ the latter in the bend of the Delaware opposite Port Jervis, and preserved perhaps in the name Mahackemeck. On Sauthier's map, Minnisink, the capital of the clan, is located some ten miles south of Mahackemeck, in New Jersey. Very little is known of the history of the clan as distinguished from the tribe of which they were part, although the authorities of New York had communication with them, and the missionary, Brainerd, visited them. Tradition gives to them the honor of holding the capital of the tribe in years anterior to the advent of the Europeans. In a later work^ Ruttenber describes the town and the tribe as follows: ' History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, Albany, 1872, p. 96. 2 On the original map of Van der Donck (see our pi. i) these names are spelled Meoechkonk, Mecharienkonck, and t'Schepinaikonck, respectively. ' Footprints of the Red Men. Indian Geographical Names in the Valley of the Hudson River, 1906, pp. 220-222. 8 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Minisink, now so written and preserved as the name of a town in Orange County, appears, primarily, in 1656, on Van der Donck's map, " Minnessinck ofte t'Landt van Bacham ", which may be read, construc- tively, " Indians inhabiting the back or upper lands," or the highlands. Heckewelder wrote: "The Mmsi, which we have corrupted to Monsey, extended their settlements from the Minisink, a place named after them, where they had their council seat and fire," and Reichel added, "The Minisinks, i. e., the habitation of the Monseys or Minsis." The appli- cation was both general and specific to the district of country occupied by the Minsi tribe and to the place where its council fire was held. The former embraced the mountainous country of the Delaware River above the Forks or junction of the Lehigh Branch; the latter was on Minnisink Plains in New Jersey, about eight miles south of Port Jervis, Orange County. It was obviously known to the Dutch long before Van der Donck wrote the name. It was visited by Arent Schuyler, a credited interpreter, who wrote, in his Journal, Minissink and Menissink as the name of the tribal seat. Although it is claimed that there was another council-seat on the East Branch of the Delaware, that on Minisink Plains was no doubt the principal seat of the tribe, as records show that it was there that all official intercourse with the tribe was conducted for many years. Schuyler met sachems and members of the tribe there and the place was later made a point for missionary labor. Their village was palisaded. On one of the early maps it is represented as a circular enclosure. In August, 1663, they asked the Dutch authorities at New Amsterdam, through Oratamy, sachem of the Hackinsacks, "For a small piece of ordnance to use in their fort against the Sinnakas and protect their corn." (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiil, 290.) In the blanket deed which the tribe gave in 1758, to their territory in New Jersey, they were styled " Minsis, Monseys, or Minnisinks." Minsis and Monseys are convertible terms of which the late Dr. D. G. Brinton wrote: "From investigations among living Delawares, Minsi, properly Minsiu, formerly Min-assin-iu, means 'People of the stony country,' or briefly, 'Mountaineers.' It is the synthesis of Minthiu, 'to be scattered,' and, Achsin, 'stone,' according to the best native authority." In writing of "The Indians under the English," Ruttenber^ says: The Minnisinks hesitated at first to embark in the war [of 1688], and sent Paxinos, their chief, to New York to consult with Governor 1 History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, p. 178. HEY E-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY g Dongan in regard to the matter.^ They subsequently contributed their quota, however, and rendered important service. At the outbreak of the war the Shawanoes were contesting the advance of the Iroquois in the South, and were also engaged in war with the Cherokees. In the latter they suffered severely, and but for the timely aid of the Mahicans, would have been destroyed. The Lenapes [Delawares] invited them to remove to their country; the invitation being accepted, the Minsis brought the matter to the attention of the government of New York, in September, 1692, on an application to permit their settlement in the Minnisink country. The council gave its assent on condition that they should first make peace with the Five Nations.^ This was soon effected, and the messengers departed, ac- companied by Arnout Vielle, an interpreter, and three Christians, to visit the country of the Shawanoes and consummate the transfer. . . . Captain Arent Schuyler visited the Minnisinks in February, and there learned that the Shawanoes were expected early in the ensuing summer. This expectation was realized.^ The following journal of Captain Arent Schuyler's visit to the Minisink country* in 1693 or 1694 is given in full, as it is the first account of an official visit to this section. Journal of Captain Arent Schuyler's Visit to the Minisinck Country. May it pleas your Excell. In persuance to y"^ Excell: commands I have been in the Minnissinck Country of which I have kept the following Journall: viz* 169! y® 3*^ of Feb: I departed from New-Yorke for East New-Jersey and came that night att Bergentown where I heired two men and a guide. y® 4*'^ Sunday. Morning. I went from Bergen & travilled about ten English miles beyond Haghkingsack to an Indian place called Peckwes. ye ^th Monday. From Peckwes North and be West I went about thirty-two miles snowing and rainy wether. » This the author amplifies by the following note: '"Ordered, that a message be sent to Minnisinks, to order them to send up their young men to Albany to join with the Five Nations against the French.' — Council Minutes, May 6, 1688." 2 River Indians returned from a residence with the Shawanoes, brought with them some Shawanoes who intended to settle with the Minnisinks, asking permission to that end. Council directed that the Shawanoes must first make peace with the Five Nations. — Council Minutes, Sept. 14, 1692." * Ruttenber, History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, pp. 1 80-1 81. * Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, vol. iv, pp. 98-99, Albany, 1854. 10 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN y® 6th Thusday. I continued my Journey to Maggaghkamieck^ and from thence to within half a days Journy to the Mennissinck. ye -,th Wendsday. About Eleaven a Clock I arrived att the Minnis- sinck, and there I mett with two of ther Sachems and severall other Indians of whome I enquired after some news, if the French or their Indians had sent for them or been in y® Mennissinck Country Upon w"'* they answered that noe I*rench nor any of the French Indians were nor had been in the Mennissinck Country nor there abouts and did promise y* if y^ French should hapen to come or y* they heard of it that they will forthwith send a mesinger and give y'' Excellency notice thereof. Inquireing further after news they told me that six days agoe three Christians and two Shafiwans Indians who went about fifteen months agoe with Arnout Vielle into the Shanwans Country were passed by the Mennissinck going for Albany to fech powder for Arnout and his Com- pany; and further told them that s*^ Arnout intended to be there w*^ seaven hundred of y* said Shanwans Indians loaden w*'^ beavor and peltries att y® time y^ Indian Coarn is about one foot high (which may be in the month of June.) The Mennissinck Sachems further s^ that one of their Sachems & other of their Indians were gone to fech beavor & peltreis which they had hunted; and having heard no news of them are afraid y* y® Sinneques have killed them for y'' lucar of the beavor or becaus y° Mennissink In- dians have not been w*^ y® Sinneques as usiall to pay their Dutty, and therefore desier y* your Excell. will be pleased to order y* the Senneques may be told, not to molest or hurt y^ Mennissincks they being willing to continue in amity with them. In the afternoon I departed from y® Minnissincks; the 8*^, the 9*^, & lo*'^ of Feb. I travilled and came att Bergen in y^ morning and about noone arrived att New Yorke. This is may it pleas your Excell. the humble reporte off your Excel- lency's most humble servant. Arent Schuyler. Another early reference to the Minisink village appears in the work of Thomas Budd,^ published originally in 1685: 1 The Indian name of the river Neversink, which falls into the Delaware, a little south of Port Jervis, Orange County, New- York. Eager's History of Orange County, 392. — Ed. 2 Good Order Established in Pennsilvania &• New-Jersey in America. Reprinted, Cleveland, 1902. p. 26. HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A M UN SEE CEMETERY II From the Falls of Delaware River the Indians go in Cannows up the said River, to an Indian Town called Minisincks, which is accounted from the Falls about eighty Miles; but this they perform by great Labour in setting up against the Stream; but they can come down with ease and speed; the River from the Falls runs from the North and North-West and about twenty miles, as I my self observed in my Travel so far by the River, but by the Indians Information, it cometh about more Easterly farther up. I have been informed, that about Minisincks, by the River-side, both in New-Jersey and Pennsylvania is great quantities of exceeding rich open Land, whiqh is occasioned by washing down of the Leaves and Soil in great Rains from the Mountains, which Land is exceeding good, for the raising of Hemp and Flax, Wheat, or any other sorts of Corn, Fruits, Roots &c. In the second edition of Adriaen Van der Donck's Beschryvinge van Nieuw-Nederlandt, published at Amsterdam in 1656, appears a map of "Nova Belgica sive Nieuw Nederlandt" (see our pi, i). On the Zuydt Rivier (the South or Delaware), at a point some distance south of and on the same side as the town called Mechari- enkonck, there is a locality designated "t'Schichte Wacki" on the map. This is the exact situation of the Minisink town. The meaning of the full name is unknown, but wacki signifies "place of." Ruttenber,^ in speaking of the Minisink, says: "Their village was palisaded. On one of the early maps it is represented as a circular enclosure." Incorporated in a work published in 1747^ is a map showing an old Indian trail extending from Navesink, on Shrewsbury river, just south of Sandy Hook, to the bank of the Delaware, ending at a point opposite Minisink island at approximately the place where Minisink village and its burial place were situated. This trail, as shown on the map, is called "Minisink Path. Indian Path from Navesink to Minisink." Minisink island is likewise shown. This is another indication that Minisink was the most important settle- ment of the tribe, probably its council village. 1 Footprints of the Red Men, op. cit., p. 221. 2 A Bill in the Chancery of New Jersey at the Suit of John Earl of Stair, and others, Proprietors of the Eastern-Division of New Jersey against Benjamin Bond and some other Persons of Elizahethtown, Distinguished by the Name of the Clinker Lot Right Men. With three maps. New York, James Parker, 1747. 12 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Faden's map of The Province of New Jersey^ places " Minising" at the mouth of the small stream which is given the name of " Mini- sing Creek or West Brook." The town is represented by three small pyramids. "Minising Island" is also shown. The Minisink village is noted, with varied orthography, on a number of early maps, but the only one that indicates what might have been intended as a symbol for a circular enclosure is that of Sauthier,^ dated 1779, which represents the village by means of a small circle surrounded by five pyramidal figures; the circle, how- ever, is such as is generally employed for indicating any village. This cartographer locates the Minisink settlement on the northern bank of a small unnamed stream that flows into Bena Kill at this; point. On a Historical Map of Pennsylvania^ there is shown on the Delaware river, opposite Minisink island, at approximately the place where the cemetery stood, three parallel marks, and "Mine- sink I. T.," meaning Indian town. The island is given as " Minising Island." It should here be noted that the names of abandoned villages were frequenty retained on early maps as if the settlements them- selves were still inhabited. PREVIOUS ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK IN THE VICINITY L. W. Brodhead* gives a description of graves opened in a cemetery near the Delaware Water Gap. He says: The following extracts from a letter written by a gentleman who, with others, visited the Indian burial-place near the Gap, in the autumn of 1865, is deemed not out of place in this connection. The letter was published in the North American and United States Gazette: "Various 1 Faden, North American Atlas, London, 1777. ^ A Chorographical Map of the Province of New York in North America, London, January ist, 1779. ^ Historical Map of Pennsylvania showing the Indian Names of Streams and Villages, and Paths of Travel, etc., edited by P. W. Sheafer, and others. Publication Fund of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1875. ■* The Delaware Water Gap: Its Scenery, its Legends and Early History. Second ed., Philadelphia, 1870, pp. 115-124. HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 1 3 localities of interest are pointed out as the sites of Indian villages and burial-grounds. . . . One of these early cemeteries has long been regarded with interest by visitors to the Gap and residents of the neighborhood. In vain, however, did those desirous of exploring it apply for permission to the proprietor of the soil. But . . . certain parties met, not having the fear of Mr. Zimmerman . . . before their eyes, and under the cover of night and a dense young forest, perpetrated that which men of science had ineffectually attempted. It may not positively be known what articles have been taken from the despoiled graves, but I have been informed that among the articles found was a finely wrought stone pipe. With this digression, I will give a brief account of our operations to-day. We found the cemetery composed of numerous ' graves,' in close proximity to one another. These were scarcely distinguishable, so slight is the elevation. Each grave is encircled by a trench, and a group of some half a dozen had evidently been surrounded by a gravel ditch. The circum- vallation was quite distinct. Selecting an undisturbed spot, we put a couple of stout men to work. Removing the soil, we were convinced human agency had been at work. Instead of the gravel, which marks the diluvial, we found a coarse yellow sand, intermingled with clay. At the depth of about two and a half feet, we found an ulna, or some other parts of a human frame. The skeleton was in tolerable preservation. The cranium is in good condition, with the exception of a portion of the right superior maxillary, which appeared missing. The teeth are in good preservation, but much worn by the use of maize. The sections indicate a person of about middle age. The frame was large, and doubtless that of a male. The mode of burial had been by inhumation; placing the body in a recumbent posture, extending from east to west, the face looking eastward. A slight cist had been excavated, which received the body, free from cement or stone incasement, and having placed with it the few personal articles which ornamented it in life, a careful covering of sand was made to the height of the cist, and terminating in a small tumulus. The sand had evidently been carried from the river's beach, as it Is not found at a nearer point. This is a peculiarity, and worth attention. Of the articles of personal adornment recovered were parts of two metallic ornaments, brooches, or ear-drops, found in close proxim- ity to the head. They are an alloy, pewter perhaps, circular in form, and two inches in diameter. Also, two spiral wire springs of brass, one inch in length and half an inch in diameter, and three bone or shell beads, one quite large. These are by far the most valuable and interesting relics recovered, as they are purely aboriginal, while the metallic articles 14 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN are of European fabrication. In addition to those discovered was the rude form of a pocket-knife, but so oxidized as to be almost undistinguishable. Of course, these articles, with the exception of the bone beads, are of white men's manufacture, and utterly valueless to the archaeologist." We incorporate the following extract from Bulletin 40 of the New York State Museum concerning archeological work conducted by that institution in 1909: In September the assistant in archeology was sent to Port Jervis to excavate the site of a Minsi village and burial ground . . . Little or nothing is known regarding the archeology of the Minsis nor was it possible to determine from an examination of the Port Jervis site much concerning their culture except in the line of their mortuary customs. The Van Etten site, the site of the Minsi village and burial place is foiind on the Levi Van Etten farm on the east bank of the Minisink river, two miles from Port Jervis. Excavations conducted during the months of September and October, 1909, by the assistant in archeology resulted in the discovery of 30 graves and several hearths and refuse pits. The latter contained little of interest, only a few potsherds and rude flints being found with them. An examination of the burials proved that the Minsis had for some time been influenced by the white men about them. Some of the skeletons seem to have been buried in rough wooden boxes. The position of all skeletons found in what appeared to be the remains of boxes was the extended position instead of the flexed position generally found in old burials in this State. Most of the objects found in the graves were of European origin. These objects include beads of several sizes and shapes, brass and iron finger rings, brass bracelets, brass bells of two forms, one bronze soup spoon, one clay pipe stamped R. Tippet, and brass buttons. The aboriginal artifacts found in the graves were all shell ornaments, probably pendants or gorgets. In 1872 Ruttenber^ described this site as follows: On the east bank of the Neversink river, three miles above Port Jervis, on the farm now or late of Mr. Levi Van Etten, exists an Indian burial ground, the graves covering an area of six acres. Skeletons have been unearthed, and found invariably in a sitting posture, surrounded by tomahawks, arrow-heads, etc. In one grave was found a sheet iron tobacco box containing a handkerchief covered with devices, employed doubtless to preserve the record of its owner's services. > History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, Albany, 1872, p. 96. HEY E-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY I 5 SITUATION OF THE MINISINK CEMETERY From the foregoing historical data it is evident that the burial place excavated by the Museum of the American Indian belonged to the Munsee and that it was near the site of Minisink. The ceme- tery is on what was originally the Westbrook estate in Sandyston township, but is now owned by Burson W. Bell, Esq., who married a descendant of the Westbrooks, the property having remained in continuous possession of the family for seven generations. The site lies four miles southwest of the Milford toll-bridge, on both sides of the historic "Mine road," the portion on which the ceme- tery was situated stretching from this highway to the bank of Bena Kill, which forms the eastern boundary of Minisink island. For many years the Bell farm has been noted in connection with a so-called "Indian fort," situated a short distance from the Bena Kill, which is merely the ruin of an old stone house said to have been used by the settlers in repelling attacks of Indians. Many evidences of Indian occupancy have been found on the surface, and about twenty years ago Dr Edward S. Dalrymple, of Branch- ville. New Jersey, unearthed a number of skeletons in a sandy plain near the bank of the creek. Since that time Mr Westbrook, Mr Paul Tooker of Westfield, New Jersey, and others have dug into the burial place, and four years ago Mr Bell, the owner of the farm, in plowing on the opposite or sloping side of the hill, un- earthed the skeleton of a child with which were several shell orna- ments as well as objects of European manufacture. The cemetery proper is on the south bank of the Bena Kill, opposite the lower end of Minisink island. At this point the creek bluff is about thirty feet in height. Near the bank the surface is level, but it stretches inland, forming a series of low sand-dunes. The eastern end of the burial area has the appearance of a low, broad mound, and for convenience of reference it will be known as such in this paper. A few hundred feet east of the mound are a series of higher dunes having the form of ridges: these are at the lower edge of the plateau that extends to the base of the range which parallels the river. The mound presented no physical indication of its use as an 1 6 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN aboriginal cemetery. It extends several hundred feet from the bank of the stream, but only the portion nearest the creek was utilized for burial purposes. It is a natural sand-dune, similar to the dunes of greater or lesser height that extend for miles along the New Jersey bank of the Delaware, but when examined by our party numerous stone implements and potsherds were found on its surface. On the crfest of the mound, fragments of human bones, including portions of skulls, and parts of tubular shell beads were found. These had been upturned by the plow, thus indicating the shallowness of some of the burials. Max Schrabisch, in his "Indian Habitations in Sussex County, New Jersey,"^ describes Minisink island and also the village site on the mainland. Concerning Minisink island, he says: This island lies about 15 feet above normal water level of Delaware River and is practically level. There was a camp site and fishing place at its northern end, where arrow-points of flint and jasper as well as net sinkers of a type quite common in Delaware Valley and usually consisting of flat oval pebbles notched on opposite sides were once fairly abundant. Situated as it is in the immediate neighborhood of the Great Minisink village and separated from it only by the river channel, it may seem strange that it was apparently the site of only one camping ground, although the fact that it is flooded wholly or in part in periods of high water probably accounts for this. However, scattered relics were found in at least two places. Continuing, he speaks of the village as follows: The Great Minisink village was situated directly south of Minisink Island on high level land overlooking Delaware River. Artifacts of every description have been found here, and many of them are now in Burson Bell's collection. ... A burial ground adjoins the village site, many of the graves encroaching upon and intermingling with the lodge sites. In speaking of the discoveries made by Mr Bell, he writes: One grave discovered accidentally by Mr. Bell while ploughing, contained some extraordinary rare objects, exhibiting the highest degree of workmanship ever attained by the Lenni Lenape. Along with a piece > Bulletin 13, Geological Survey of New Jersey, 191 5, pp. 28-30. HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 1 7 of burnt mica, a piece of zinc, a stemmed jasper scraper and twelve dark blue beads, he found eight white stone tubes, one-quarter of an inch in diameter and from two to four inches long, used perhaps by the medicine man to draw disease from the sick. But the piece de resistance were two exquisitely carved ornaments of an immaculate white color, representing hawks or eagles. These ornaments, designated as ceremonial objects (bannerstones), mark perhaps the grave of a chief and are now in Bell's collection. The shell birds mentioned by Mr Schrabisch, now the property of the Museum of the American Indian, are herein described and illustrated (figs. 12, 13). Mr Schrabisch gives two crudely drawn and rather misleading sketches of these ornaments, which he designates "ban- nerstones." The "stone tubes," also in the Museum of the American Indian, are in reality shell ornaments, under which caption they are described in the present paper. Previous Work in the Cemetery Dr Dalrymple evidently did con- siderable digging in the northwestern part of the mound, but, so far as known, no measurements or photographs were taken. His investigations proved that the Indian inhabitants had been in con- tact with white settlers and that some of the bodies had been buried within the historical period. There is sufificient evidence to show that at least fifteen skeletons were exhumed by this investi- gator. With one of the bodies, that of a child, was a copper kettle; a silver spoon; a necklace composed of two shell beads, two glass beads, eleven thimbles, and one bell, tied to which were the remains of a deerskin thong; a bone comb; and eight copper bracelets which Fig. 2. — Bone comb found by Dr Dalrymple. 1 8 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN were found on the right wrist. Graphite and animal bones also were found in the grave. The skeleton lay i8 in. beneath the surface, the skull directed S. The bone comb found in this grave is shown in figure 2; it measures 3^ in. in height and if in. in width. The upper part is ornamented with the figure of a wolf or a dog. The neck and head of the animal are carved in the round, the shoulders project, and the legs are in low relief. Similar combs are not uncommon in Iroquois sites in the State of New York. With most of the skeletons exhumed by Dr Dalrymple nothing was found; with one, however, there was a pewter pitcher, a pair of copper ear-ornaments, and seven shell beads. Investigations by the Museum of the American Indian Owing to the fact that human remains had been removed from various parts of the mound, a series of test trenches were dug. The first, extending through the southeastern edge, gave no indi- cation of disturbed soil. The second trench was dug nearer the eastern exposure, and it was here that the first indications of burials were encountered. From this point trenches were dug to the extreme northwestern part of the burial area, and ultimately the greater part of the mound was excavated. The position of each burial is shown on the accompanying plan (pi. 11). THE BURIALS The first evidence of disturbed earth was noted at the central part, just below the surface soil and extending to a depth of 4 ft. 8 in., its greatest width being 2 ft. 6 in. At a depth of 2 ft. 6 in., half of a pitted hammerstone, split by fire, was found. Just above, at the edge of this disturbed soil, was a large piece of deer antler. There were traces of charcoal in this pit, but no evidences of a burial. A second pit was encountered near this one; in size it was practically the same as the one just described. In it, at a depth of 2 ft. I in., a pestle and a flat stone were found. Following is a description of the burials uncovered during the excavations in the cemetery. HEYE-PEPPER—EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 1 9 Skeleton i, which lay 3 ft. 3 in. below the surface, was that of an old person, but only a portion of the skull and a few other bones grouped about it were found. This may have been a reburial, but as there were indications of the burrowing of groundhogs in the mound, the missing bones may have been carried to the surface by these animals. Skeleton 2, that of a child, was found in clearing away the surface soil. The body lay on its back in an extended position with the legs together, the right foot folded over the left; the cranium was 10 in. below the surface. The bones of the lower part of the body were in place, but above the pelvis all the bones had been disturbed and the cranium had been torn apart, a portion of it being missing. The body lay NE by SW, the head directed toward the latter point. The disturbed sand of the mound extended but a few inches below the skeleton. Above the burial were pieces of char- coal, a few deer-bones, and fragments of pottery, but no objects were in direct association. (See pi. iii.) Skeleton j, an adult, lay on its right side, the body extending NE by SW, the head having been toward the SW. The legs were flexed and the arms extended along the sides of the body. The pelvic bones were one foot below the surface, but the skull doubtless was somewhat shallower and had probably been destroyed by plowing, as no positive trace of it could be found. Fragments of the skull of an adult found on the surface near this point, however, may have belonged to this burial. Nothing was found with the skeleton. (See pi. iii.) Skeleton 4 consisted of part of a cranium and a mass of ribs and other bones of a child. These remains were grouped in the lower part of and just below the surface soil. The cranium had been broken, no doubt by plowing, the disturbed portion resting on the frontal bone. The occiput was 7I in. below the surface. Nothing was found with this burial. Skeleton 5, an adult, lay extended NE by SW in the surface soil, an inch above the undisturbed sand. The head had been directed SW. The upper part of the body had been disturbed, both the cranium and the lower jaw being missing, but below the 20 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN pelvis the skeleton was complete. The upper part of the pelvic bone was only 3^ in. beneath the surface. Nothing was found with this burial. Skeleton 6, an adult, undisturbed, lay on its right side, the legs flexed, the arms bent upward, the hands under the chin. The top of the cranium was 14 in. below the surface. Under and around the hands aAd beneath the chin were a large number of small glass beads, and also under the chin were two small pieces of chipped flint. Above the neck were thirty-seven large, spheroidal, glass beads, and two beads made of olivella shells. A few inches from the occiput a flat piece of limestone was found. Between the arms and just below the point of the chin. were two clay pipes of European manufacture (pi. iv, a; xiv, b, a, e). Two feet west of the skeleton were evidences of a feast-pit, shown by a discolored area, irregular in shape, in which were found pieces of charcoal, frag- ments of split animal bones, two potsherds, and three arrowpoints. Skeleton 7, a child, was on its back, with arms against the sides and legs extended. The skull was crushed, as if a heavy weight had pressed upon the frontal bone. The body lay NE by SW, the head toward the SW, 13 in. below the surface. About the neck and under the chin were twenty-one small, black, glass beads, a large bead of white glass, and six shell disc-beads. The disc- beads were lying in a row with the glass beads between them. Between two of the disc-beads were four of glass, each pair being connected with a small, dull-green, tubular bead of copper, the salts of which had preserved the cord, thereby holding the beads, which formed a necklace, in their original position. The restored necklace is shown in plate viii, a. A photograph of the skeleton is reproduced in plate iv, h. Skeleton 8, that of an adult, was lying NE by SW, with the head in the latter direction. The skull, which was broken, together with the upper part of the vertebrae, had been displaced, and the bones of the lower part of the body had likewise been disturbed. The body was lying on its back, with arms extended. Within two inches of the cervical vertebrae was a deposit of wire ornaments and five tubular shell beads, and the remains of what seemed to be CONTRIBUTIONS FR) VOL. II, NO. 1, PL. II 2.5'o p h) /4Q'0'' i65'^' CONTHIBUTlONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN 75'"" »'57 l(,l^ f56 Y61 P'P^ /00'»" 25'"" ?5'0" •<*«52 ■^40 /%2^25 4 ^^ DOG . / f6+ js(. F28. Uo/26 '25 ^15 DOG /2 /25'o" 25 '""t PLAN OF THE MINISINK CEMETERY, SHOWING POSITION OF THE BURIALS. THE OUTLINE INDICATES THE EXTENT OF THE EXCAVATIONS VOL. II, NO. 1, PL. /40'o" /r>5'''" CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II. NO. 1 , PL. IV (/. SKELETON 6 WITH EUROPEAN CLAY PIPES ■.:<♦. '^: '-*A>-:y "- ^.j^ag^itfiK^; \ ' ^^ ^. SKELETON 7, AN EXTENDED BURIAL HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 2 1 a rush bag, in which evidently the objects had been buried. The shell beads lay under the mass and rested on a piece of bark. At the ends of some of the shell beads were two glass beads, as shown in plate v, b; others had but one glass bead at the end. As there were ten glass beads in the deposit, it is probable that the beads had formed a necklace and that two glass beads alternated with the shell tubes. The wire pieces were in the form of flat coils, but were broken and corroded to such an extent that their original form could not be determined. From the position and condition of the deposit, and from the fragments of fiber found above and below the objects, it would seem that the ornaments had been wrapped in a piece of bark, or placed in a fiber bag which was then wrapped in bark. In removing the cranium a shell pendant (fig. 8, a) was found. The upper part of the cranium was discolored by contact with red paint, pieces of which still adhered to it. Another portion of the cranium was stained with copper salts, but the metal that caused it had disappeared. (PI. v, a.) Southeast of the leg-bones and joining the burial was a feast-pit extending to a depth of one foot below the skeleton. In this pit, and nearly a foot below the level of the leg-bones, a large piece of the rim of a jar was found, likewise a number of chipped stones, and deer-bones that had been cracked evidently for the purpose of extracting the marrow. Throughout the pit were pieces of charcoal, and above the objects mentioned were numerous animal bones, potsherds, and a broken drinking-cup made of the carapace of a box-turtle. Skeleton g, an adult, 7^ in. below the surface, lay NE by SW, on its right side, the legs flexed, and the skull directed SW. The left arm was in front of the face, the hand under the chin. There were no accompaniments. Skeleton 10, a child, was found 16 in. below the surface. The skull lay with the occiput toward the south; the other bones were grouped about and under it, the major portion being on the northern side of the skull, thereby showing that, like most of the other burials, the body had been interred with the head toward the SW. The skull, a few of the vertebrae, and the ribs, were the only bones present. This may have been a reburial, which would account 22 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN for the missing parts. Under the chin were three triangular shell pendants (fig. 8, h-d), and a shell ornament shaped like a porpoise (fig. 15). Sixty-five glass beads were found with the pendants. Skeleton 11 was that of an adult. The bones had been disturbed; the skull lay at the southwestern end of the scattered bones. Many of the vertebrae were ankylosed. Deer-bones and charcoal were found intermingled with the bones of the skeleton, but these evi- dently were the remains of a feast, as there was a feast-pit immedi- ately northeast of and in juxtaposition to the skeleton, in which were two large pieces of a pottery jar, evidently in their original positions. One of the leg-bones of the skeleton lay just above the pottery, but no doubt it had been forced -out of place when the other bones were disturbed. Above and around the sherds of the jar were pieces of charcoal and animal bone. Skeleton 12 was that of an adult, the skull of which was 14 in, below the surface. The body was lying on its back, with legs extended; the arms lay parallel with the sides of the body, and the hands rested on the pelvis. The tibiae, fibulae, and foot-bones had been disturbed. The skull, which was directed SW, had been crushed, but was lying in its natural position, with the lower jaw in place. No artifacts were found with this burial. The dis- colored sand continued west of the skeleton, but there were com- paratively few animal bones in it. Skeleton 13, an adult, the skull 11 in. below the surface. The body lay on its right side, with the legs flexed and the skull toward the SW. The arms were bent upward; the hands rested against the chin. A bear- tooth, found directly beneath the skull, was the only accompaniment of this burial. Skeleton 14, a child, with the skull 13 in. below the surface. The body lay on its back, with legs extended and with the arms at the sides. The skull, which was crushed, was directed SW. Apiece of limestone rested on the chest. The bones of the skeleton had been disturbed. Skeleton 15, a child, 18 in. below the surface. The bones were scattered and the cranium was missing. There were no burial accompaniments. CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 , PL. V a. SKELETON 8 WITH DEPOSIT OF ORNAMENTS NEAR SHOULDER 6. BEADS AND WIRE ORNAMENTS WITH SKELETON 8 HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 23 Skeleton i6, a child, 17 in. below the surface. The cranium had been crushed. The body lay extended on its back, the skull directed S. A small flat stone was found under the jaw. Skeleton 17, a child, the skull 20 in. below the surface. The body was on its back, with legs extended and the head pointing SW. Under the jaw were nine tubular beads and one spherical shell bead, also many small glass beads, and eighteen beads of yellow glass made to represent grains of corn. Skeleton 18, a young child, lying on its back, with legs extended. The skull, which had been crushed, was toward the SW and lay 6\ in. beneath the surface. A few inches below the jaw and resting on the upper ribs was a bird ornament of shell (fig. 10). About the neck were a number of small glass beads, and nine cylindrical shell beads. This body had been interred over another (Skeleton 19) — the only instance of a superimposed burial in the mound. Skeleton ig, which lay 14 in. below Skeleton 18, was that of an old person. The body evidently had been lying on its side, with legs flexed and the head toward the SW. The skull had fallen from its normal position and lay nine inches below the cervical vertebrae; the occiput was upward and the lower jaw a few inches above it. Skeleton 20 is that of a white man of the Scandinavian or Nordic type. It was buried on its right side, with legs flexed. The cranium was ii in. below the surface and was directed SW. The bones were in their normal positions, but most of them, in- cluding the skull, had been broken, as though by pressure. In the mouth cavity a piece of rock crystal was found. Skeleton 21, an adult, 8 in. below the surface. The bones, especially the skull, were broken and disturbed, but the general position showed that the head had been toward the SW. Nothing was found with the burial. Skeleton 22, a child, lay on its back, 8 in. below the surface. The skull had been crushed, and the bones were broken and scat- tered, but the head had been toward the SW. Nothing was found with this burial. Skeleton 23, an adult, lying on its left side with arms and legs 24 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN flexed, and with the hands above the head. It was i6 in. below the surface; the head was directed SW. There were no accompani- ments. Skeleton 24, an adult, 10 in. below the surface; lying on its back, with head toward the SW. The arms were akimbo, with the hands resting on the pelvi^. The legs were extended, the left crossing the right at the ankles. Resting against the left shoulder was a deposit of objects consisting of two flints and fragments of a steel, two circular mirrors with metal backs (pi. xvi), a clay pipe of European manufacture (pi. xiv, b, d), and a pewter pipe (pi. xiii, c). Skeleton 25, a young child, 15 in. below the surface. The body was lying E and W, with the skull toward the W. The skull was crushed and the other bones were in bad condition. Nothing was found with the burial. Skeleton 26, a child, lying on its back, with legs extended. It was 8 in. below the surface; the head was directed SW. The bones had been disturbed and were in bad condition; the skull was crushed. Lying so that it nearly touched the lower jaw was a long shell pendant shaped like a lamprey eel (fig. 16), and below it was a shell disc (fig. 6). Skeleton 27, a child, 14 in. below the surface. It was lying N and S, with the skull toward the S. The skull was badly crushed and the bones of the body were much decayed. Nothing was found with it. Skeleton 28, an adolescent, lying on its back, with legs extended and with arms at the sides. It was 7 in. below the surface; the head was toward the SW. The skull was crushed, but the other bones were in their normal positions. Six inches beneath the skeleton and a little to the west of it was a layer of clam-shells under which was a hammerstone and several deer-bones. Skeleton 2Q, 9 in. below the surface, was that of a child which was lying on its back. The arms rested at the sides, the legs were extended, and the left foot was crossed over the right. The body was lying with the head toward the SW. When the first indication of this skeleton was encountered, careful search was made in the earth that had been thrown out with a few finger-bones. In this CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 , PL. VI a. SKELETON 31 WITH DEPOSIT OF BONE TUBES AND PIPES b. BONE TUBES AND PIPES, AND UPPER PART OF SKELETON 31 HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 2$ were two shell crescents (fig. 4), a metal spoon (pi. xvii), six catlinite beads of irregular form, a tubular shell bead, and many small glass beads, all of which evidently had been held in the right hand. Near the left knee a small metal bell (pi. xvii) was found. Not far from the pelvic arch and resting against the left femur was a deposit of ornaments consisting of a shell disc, a small metal bell (pi. xvii), and a catlinite bead with serrated edge. Skeleton 30, a child, the skull of which lay 14 in. below the surface. It was lying extended on its back, the skull directed E, the arms at the sides and the legs extended. On the breast and almost touching the lower jaw was a bird ornament of shell (fig. 11); below and around it were many small glass beads. Under the right cheek-bone was a cylindrical shell bead. The shell bird and this bead are shown in plate vii, a. About the neck were the beads of a necklace, of which the shell bird no doubt was the pendant. This necklace consisted of six shell disc-beads, nine wampum beads, and a number of glass beads. The number of disc-beads is the same as that noted in connection with Skeleton 7, and the necklace evidently had been similar in form, the relative position of the pieces being shown in plate viii, a. Small pieces of red paint were mingled with the beads, and under the occiput was a mass of similar material. (PI. vii, h.) Skeleton 31, an adult, lying on its right side, with legs flexed. It was 13 in. below the surface, and the head was toward the SW. On the right side of the body, near the ribs, was a clay pipe (pi. XIV, B, h) that evidently had been broken before being deposited with the burial, as the stem was lying below the stem of a pewter pipe, while the bowl was level with the latter. The bowl of the pewter pipe (pi. XIII, a) was beneath a deposit of six bird-bones which probably had been used as medicine tubes (pi. vi). Skeleton 32, an infant, lying NE and SW, with the head toward the SW. It was 17 in. below the surface, and many of the bones were missing. There were no accompaniments. Skeleton 33 was that of an adult which lay on its back with the arms at the sides. It was 9 in. below the surface, with the head SW. The skull, which was broken, lay in a mass of red paint and char- 26 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN coal. Near the left upper part of the skull was a fragmentary turtleshell rattle, only a portion of the carapace of which remained, but the fragments show that it had been drilled. The lower part of the shell was broken, but all the pieces were recovered and show the instrument to have been ornamented with a design formed by drilled holes as shown in plate xi and figure i8. Mingled with the frag- ments of the rattle were 35 small glass beads, and 26 small pebbles which no doubt had been contained in the instrument when in working condition. Skeleton 34 was that of an adult, found 10 in. below the surface, lying on its back with the legs extended^ and with the head SW. No objects were found with it. Skeleton 35, an adult, lay 14 in. down, the skull directed SW. The bones are well preserved, but nothing was found with them. Skeleton 36, an infant, 11 in. down, with the head toward the SW. The leg-bones were missing and the other bones were badly decom- posed. Below the lower jaw and resting on the chest were eight shell pendants, six of which represent owls (fig. 9), and two shell ornaments in the form of fish, also a number of shell and glass beads. Skeleton 37, a child, was found lying on the right side, with the legs flexed. The head was toward the SW and was i ft. 9 in. below the surface. The hands were clasped under the head. Resting on the upper part of the skull were 45 shell beads. Skeleton 38, an adult, found i ft. 7 in. down, consisted of a mass of dissociated bones that had been reburied. Skeleton 3Q, an adult, lay on its back, with the head toward the SW and 11 in. below the surface. The hands were clasped on the breast. An upturned brass kettle (pi. xiv, a) was found with the rim resting on the forehead. Near the right scapula was a clay "trade-pipe," and under it another of similar size and make (pi. XIV, B, c, /). Near the pipe were three flints such as were used for striking fire. At one side of and near the pipes were two round mirrors in metal frames (pi. xvi), and in the right hand were two flints similar to those found near the pipes. (PI. vii, b.) Skeleton 40 was that of an adult; it was found i ft. below the surface and had been previously dug. No objects accompanied the burial. CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 , PL. VII a. SKELETON 30 WITH SHELL BIRD AND TUBULAR SHELL BEAD b. SKELETON 39 WITH BRASS KETTLE ON HEAD HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 2/ Skeleton 41, an adult, lying on its left side, with legs flexed and head toward the W, was found i ft. 7 in. below the surface. The right hand rested against the pelvis, the left was under the skull. The left humerus and ulna were ankylosed at the elbow. Nothing was found with the body. Skeleton 42, an adult, lay 7 in. below the surface. The skull was badly broken, and the bones of the upper part of the body had been disturbed, probably by plowing. The legs were flexed and their position showed that the body had rested on its left side. Nothing was found with it. Skeleton 43, an adult, was represented by a mass of dissociated bones. The pelvis was 7 in. below the surface. This burial had been previously dug. Skeleton 44 was that of an adult; it was lying on its back, with body extended; the skull was toward the SW, rested on its left side, and was 15 in. below the surface. On the right scapula was a short, round flaking-tool of antler, and under the skull was a bone awl (pi. X, B,/) and a bone flaking-tool. Skeleton 45 was that of an adult, lying on its left side, 18 in. below the surface, with the skull toward the SW. The leg-bones, the bones of one foot, and those of the left arm were missing. Skeleton 46, an adult, lay 2 ft. 3 in. below the surface. This burial had been previously dug. Skeleton 47 was that of an adult, lying with its head toward the SW and 16 in. below the surface. Part of the skull was missing, and the upper part of the body had been disturbed. Skeleton 48, an infant, was found 13 in. below the surface and with its head toward the SW. The bones were in poor condition and had been disturbed. Skeleton 49, an infant, was in very poor condition ; it was found 17 in. below the surface, with the skull toward the SW. Skeleton 50, an adult, lay i ft. 10 in. below the surface, with head toward the SW. The bones are well preserved, but the burial had been disturbed. Skeleton 57 was that of a small child and was found i ft. below the surface. The only remaining portion was the skull, which was 28 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN badly crushed, but slight traces of decomposed bone showed that the head had been directed SW. Near the left side was a small brags kettle (pi. xiv, a), also a number of small, red glass beads. Skeleton 52 was that of an adult and was found i ft. 8 in. below the surface. The bones had been disturbed and the skull was missing. Skeleton 53 was that of an adult; it lay 16 in. below the surface and was extended on its back. The skull, which was badly broken, lay toward the SW. On the left wrist were four brass bracelets (pi. xv) and fragments of others. The ulna and the radius had been discolored by the salts of the metal. On the left scapula were two large shell pendants, each in the form of a fish (fig. 14). Under the chin were a number of small glass beads, also a small copper bead and another of catlinite. Skeleton 54, extended on the back, was that of an adult and was found 16 in. below the surface, with the skull toward the SW. Skeleton 55, that of a child, was found 9 in. down. It was lying extended on its back, with the head toward the SW. Skeleton 56, an adult, was found 8 in. below the surface, with the head toward the SW; it rested on its right side, and the legs were flexed. The hands w^ere under the chin. The lower leg- bones were deformed. Skeleton 57, that of an adult, was found 15 in. below the surface, with the head toward the SW; it was lying on its right side, with legs flexed and hands under the chin. On the right side, and extending from the lower jaw to the pelvis, was a pewter pipe (pi. XIII, b) the rim of which is ornamented in relief with the figure of a wolf or a dog. Skeleton 58, a child, lay extended on the back, i ft. beneath the surface, with the skull toward the SW. The arms were at the sides of the body. In each hand was a mass of fused iron. In association with this burial there were evidences of a feast, for over the body there was a broad discolored area in which were much charcoal and many cracked animal bones, mostly those of deer. Other burials showed evidences of accompanying feast-pits, but none was so strongly marked as this. ?ia HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 29 Skeleton 5Q, an adult, was i ft. 8 in. below the surface, with the head toward the SW. The body was lying on its right side; the legs were flexed. About the neck was a metal chain (pi. xvii). Seven cylindrical shell beads, and a shell pendant in the form of a beaver (fig. 17), were found at the back of the neck. Skeleton 60, that of an adult, was found extended on its back, 13 in. below the surface, with the head toward the SW, The left hand was on the chest; the right was at the side of the body. A broken bowl rested on the head. Skeleton 61, an adolescent, was found 15 in. below the surface, with the head resting on the right side, directed toward the SW. The skeleton lay on its back, with the body extended and the hands under the skull. Under the left shoulder were 130 small shell beads in rows, their position suggesting that they had formed part of a woven band, the beads of which were arranged as are those in a typical wampum belt. Skeleton 62, a child, lay i ft. 9 in. below the surface, with the head toward the SW. The skull was broken. Skeleton 63 was that of an adult; it was found 18 in. below the surface, with the head directed SW. The burial rested on its left side and the legs were flexed. The bones were in very poor condition. Skeleton 64, an adult, 12 in. below the surface, with head toward the SW. The upper part of the body had been disturbed, but the leg-bones, which were flexed, were in position. The body was interred lying on its right side. Skeleton 65, a child, 8 in. down. The bones had been disturbed and were in bad condition. Skeleton 66, a child, 7 in. below the surface, with head toward the SW. The body lay extended on the back. Under the chin was an elaborately carved shell gorget (fig. 7) and fragments of iron. A bear-tooth also was found with the body. Skeleton 67, an adult, the bones of which were in poor condition, was found extended on its back only 2 in. beneath the surface, the skull directed SW. On the left shoulder were two native pottery pipes (pi. XII, a b), fragments of iron just above the pipes, and a piece CONTR. MUS. AM6R. INDIAN ^°^-"''-°-'.PL.V,„ !^ fo... - >•'_■) ^ a. SHELL DISCS, OR RUNTEES, FOUND NEAR NECK OF SKELETON 30 6. RESTORATION OF A NECKLACE FROM SHELL DISCS AND BEADS FOUND NEAR NECK OF SKELETON 7 30 • MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN of flint. The bowl of one of the pipes, which represents a human figure, was directed toward the skull; that of the other pointed toward the feet. Skeleton 68, an adult, was found lo in. below the surface, lying on its right side, with legs flexed and with the head toward the SW. The hands were under the chin. i All the skeletons that it was found possible to preserve have been presented to the United States National Museum, where they are now being studied by Dr Ales Hrdlicka. In the accompanying table is presented all necessary information in regard to the physical features of the burials encountered, so Jfar as the present paper is concerned. An exhaustive report on the skeletons, by Dr Hrdlicka, >vill be published in the near future. A summary of the positions of the skeletons, so far as it was determinable in each case, is as follows: Extended 28 Flexed 17 Disturbed 18 Previously dug 3 Reburial i JBones decomposed I 68 OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BURIALS Shell Ornaments Discs Prof. W. H. Holmes, in his "Art in Shell of the Ancient Ameri- cans,"^ says: I present a number of illustrations of a class of relics which have occasionally been mentioned in literature, and which are represented to some extent in our collections. As these objects resemble beads rather more closely than pendants, I shall refer to them in this place, although Mr. Schoolcraft considers them badges of honor or rank, and treats them as gorgets. He describes them as consisting of a "circular piece of flat 1 Second Ann. Rep. Bureau of Ethnology, p. 228. ^ T3 r< ■" — I Si -O "5 c J2 fi m OJ n! v p. ■ft 05 -O 01 _ 03 XI ^ _rt .S ;«• w) H, (U OJ -w S nrs .js ?:i "! ^ O ft >,( (u 2 Ti C i S M V3 r* •a B tn M ^^ m V) h .ill Oh (fi Ui Oh m .- t; •a K ni O) a; X3 •^•^ u « (U '■« W "O " m"-3 "J •5 i =3 -° "Z^ ~ V o} o ? « ni 'b ^ 'h ot-fb 'bo ou r; T) i; -a ii •C J2 T3 " J3 TD s i; -d i: •a ^ -o WW O hJ O t/3 CM Q< mpi m 0^ m M u - ri - fa QW EPuE ?, 3 WQ V .22 c 5 C 3 c a; Ji 0) li OJ : ■^ .ij X ~ >? W tL, W Q W y ■ ti' >< Q E W UOW* w I I ■ w w C/3 C/2 00 (N w H \0 ro 00 M t^ 0\ 1 c^ i-JSM M N ro Tj- IT) ^o TABLE SHOWING THE CHARACTER AXD ARRANGEMENT OF ACCOMPANYING THEM THE BURIALS, AXD THE OBJECTS SKELE- TON NUMBER DEPTH DIRF.C- TKJN OF SKELE- 1 TON* POSITION OF SKELETON POSITION OF SKULL DI- 1 REC- TION OF FACE AGE AND iEX OBJECTS FOUND I 3' 3" Disturbed Back Old person cT 2 10" SW-NE Extended Child 3 l' 0" Flexed Right SE Adult & 4 7i" Disturbed Child S 3i" SW-NE Extended Back Adult 9 6 l' 2" Flexed Right SE 9 Worked limestone; Worked flint, Two European clay pipes; Glass and shell beads 7 l' l" Extended Back Child Six shell disc-beads; Glass and metal beads 8 Disturbed Adult Turtleshell cup; Red paint; Shell pendant; Wire ornaments; Glass and shell beads 9 7l" Flexed Right SE 9 10 i' 4" Disturbed Child Fish figure of shell; Tlxree triangular shell pendants; Glass beads II 8" " Adult Fragments of large jar 12 i' 2" Extended Back Adult 13 11" Flexed Right cT Bear-tooth 14 i' i" Extended Back Child Piece of limestone IS i' 6" Disturbed i6 I' 5" S-N Extended Back Piece of stone 17 i' 8" SW-NE Shell and glass beads i8 6i" " " Shell bird; Glass beads; Cylindrical shell beads 19 i' 8|" Flexed Right SE Adult 9 20 11" SE eft Rock crystal 21 8" " Disturbed Adult 22 8" " Child 23 I' 4" Flexed . * Left NW Adult cf 24 10" " Extended Back 9 Pewter pipe; European clay pipe; Flints and steel; Mirrors 25 l' 3" W-E Child 26 8" SW-NE Back Fish figure of shell; Shell disc 27 l' 2" S-N 28 7' SW-NE " Back Adolescent 9 29 9" Child Six catlinite beads; Two shell crescents; Metal spoon; Two brass bells; Shell disc; Shell and glass beads 30 i' 2" S-N Six shell disc-beads; Shell bird; Red paint; Shell and glass beads 31 i' i" SW-NE Flexed Right SE Adult 9 Six bird-bone tubes; Pewter pipe; European clay pipe 32 I' s" Disturbed Infant 33 9" Extended Back Adult cf Turtleshell rattle; Pebbles; Glass beads; Red paint 34 10" 9 35 i' 2" 9 .36 11" Disturbed Infant Two fish figures of shell; Six shell birds; Shell and glass beads 37 I' 9" Flexed Right SE Child Shell beads 38 i' 7" Reburial Adult cf 39 11" SW-NE Extended Back 9 Two European clay pipes; Brass kettle; Five flints; Two mirrors 40 1' 0" Previously dug " 9 41 i' 7" W-E Flexed Left NW " cf 42 7" cf 43 7" Previously dug 44 i' 3" SW NE Extended Left NW cf One bone and one antler flaking tool; Bone awl 45 i' 6" Disturbed NW 9 46 2' 3" Previously dug 9 47 I' 4" SW-NE Disturbed cf 48 i' i" Infant 49 i' 5" Bones decomposed 50 i' 10" Disturbed Adult cf SI i' 0" " Child Small brass kettle; Glass beads 52 I' 8" Adult 9 53 I' 4" SW-NE Extended Back dr Two shell figures of fish; Four brass bracelets and eleven fragments; Glass, stone, and metal beads 54 l' 4" " " " cf 55 9" " " Child 56 8" " Flexed Right SE Adult 9 57 I' 3" " SE cf Pewter pipe with animal on bow! 58 i' 0" " Extended Back Child Fused metal 59 I' 8" Flexed Right SE Adult 9 Beaver figure of shell; Metal chain; Cylindrical shell beads 60 l' i" " Extended Back cf Fragment ot earthenware bowl 61 1' 3" " Right SE Adolescent 9 Small shell beads 62 I' 9" Disturbed Child 63 I' 6" Flexed Left NW Adult 64 l' 0" Right SE 65 8" Disturbed Back Child 66 7" SW-NE Extended Child Shell gorget; Bear-tooth; Fragments of iron 67 2" " " Adult Two pottery pipes; Flint and steel 68 10" Flexed Right SE Adult 9 * The first direction given indicates the position of the skull with reference to the direction of the skeleton, t This skeleton is that of a Scandinavian. CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1, PL. IX BIRDS AND TUBULAR BEADS OF SHELL FOUND IN THE CEMETERY BY MR BURSON BELL HEY E-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 3 I shell, from one and a half to two inches in diameter, quartered with double lines, having the devices of dots between them. This kind was doubly perforated in the plane of the circle." In " Notes on the Iroquois," by the same author, we have a much fuller description. He says that " this article is generally found in the form of an exact circle, rarely a little ovate. It has been ground down and repolished, apparently, from the conch. Its diameter varies from three- fourths of an inch to two inches; thickness, two-tenths in the center, thinning out a little towards the edges. It is doubly perforated. It is figured on the face and its reverse, with two parallel latitudinal and two longitudinal lines crossing in its center, and dividing the area into four equal parts. Its circumference is marked with an inner circle, corre- sponding in width to the cardinal parallels. Each division of the circle thus quartered has five circles, with a central dot. The latitudinal and longitudinal bands or fillets have each four similar circles and dots, and one in its center, making thirty-seven. The number of these circles varies, however, on various specimens." Dr William M. Beauchamp,^ in referring to Schoolcraft's de- scription of this class of ornaments, says: "The form described by Schoolcraft is usually indented at the edge, where each perforation begins, and the cross lines are sometimes omitted. The small circles and dots have no meaning, the number being regulated by the space to be occupied. They were apparently made by a small circular steel drill, having a central point. . . . The parallel holes from edge to edge served to keep the necklace flat when strung, and this feature is frequent in pipestone ornaments. . . . Beverley, in his History of Virginia, p. 145, calls these runtees, and says " they are made of the conch shell, as the peak is, only the shape is flat and like a cheese, and drilled edgeways." Dr Beauchamp states also that these objects were probably made by white men, and "may be the round shells used as presents in one New York Council." With this we cannot agree, for the irregular shape of the discs found in the Minisink cemetery, in connection with the irregular ornamentation, points to aboriginal workmanship. Dr Beauchamp further states that Professor Holmes is correct in his assumption that these ornaments were I Wampum and Shell Articles Used by the New York Indians, BuUelin of the Nem York State Museum, No. 41, Albany, 1901, p. 373. 32 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN beads rather than pendants, and adds that "several strings of these have been found just as they were deposited with the dead." With two of the skeletons (7 and 30) in the cemetery, neck ornaments composed in part of these discs were found in position. With Skeleton 7 were six disc-beads, and with them twenty-one small black glass beads, two cylindrical metal beads, and one white shell bead of oval form. The glass beads were found between the discs, there being in one instance four of these and two of the metal beads in place and still adhering to the original cord. Their position showed conclusively the interval between the disc-beads, and the number of small shell beads used in alternation. Twenty- one of the glass beads were found. As twenty is the number of these required to complete the necklace, the remaining bead may have been used in connection with the white glass bead to form a pendant, or there may have been another six-bead spacing at the end of the string, which would have preserved the proper alterna- tion of discs and beads when the necklace was in use. The manner of wearing the disc-beads has been discussed by various authors. It is generally believed that they were used as necklaces, but the manner of stringing them differed. The finding of the necklace with Skeleton 7 enables us to determine the actual method of stringing these discoids when used in connection with smaller beads. Plate viii, h, illustrates the necklace in its original form and shows the discs in actual size. The drilling is indi- cated, and on the edges where the perforations begin there are indentations, one at the mouth of each opening (probably due to abrasion by the small glass beads with which they were strung), giving the intervening space the appearance of a projection. The discs are thick in the center and taper toward the edge. They had been ornamented by incising, but the surfaces have disinte- grated to such an extent that only traces of the decoration remain. Six shell discs of similar size and form were found about the neck of Skeleton 30 (pi. viii, a). Four of them are decorated on both faces with transverse bands crossing at the center; the other two show only slight traces of such lines. The disc shown in figure 3 is the most perfectly preserved. Both sides bear the same CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 , PL. X .1. ANTLER ARROWPOINTS AND PIECES OF WORKED ANTLER B. TYPICAL BONE AWLS FOUND IN THE MOUND HEYE-PEPPER—EXPLORATION OF A M UN SEE CEMETERY 33 Fig. 3. — Shell disc found with Skeleton 30. decoration. The central square formed by the crossing of the incised bands is plain, while in each of the diverging bands there are four dots. The drilling of these discs is of the same character as that shown in the series found with Skeleton 7, but the surfaces of three of the discs with Skeleton 30 (the first, second, and fifth from the left) do not taper from the center toward the edge, while the other three taper only slightly. Inter- mingled with these disc- beads and occupying the spaces between them were 144 small glass trade-beads, nine ordi- nary white and purple wampum beads, and a cylindrical glass bead similar in size and color to the wampum. The small gla^s beads no doubt filled the intervals between the disc-beads, as did the glass beads forming part of the necklace with Skeleton 7. The wampum and the cylindrical glass bead may have formed the strand from which the bird pendant found on the breast of the skele- ton was suspended. It may be seen in position in the photo- graph of this skeleton (pi. vii, a), and near it, in the shadow of the upper jaw, a badly weath- ered portion of a large tubular bead. The size and general form of the bird pendant is shown in figure II. It was drilled through the neck for suspension. From evidence afforded by more perfect specimens of similar form it is probable that the upper surface was ornamented, but decomposi- tion of the shell has obliterated all traces of decoration. Near the pelvis of Skeleton 29 was a shell disc-bead, identical in drilling and in uniformity of thickness with the beads found with Fig. 4. — Crescent-shaped ornaments of shell found with Skeleton 29. 34 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Skeleton 7. Near the right hand a deposit of shell and glass beads was found, also a few beads of catlinite. With this deposit were two crescent-shaped beads or pendants (fig. 4), alike in size and ornamentation, and both drilled for suspension. Here the drilling takes the form of the double perforation noted in connection with the disc-beads. Th^ outer edge of each pendant, which forms the segment of a circle, is carefully finished, but the concave edge is irregular and crudely worked. Examination of these specimens suggested that they might have formed parts of a large gorget. The spacing of the radiating ornaments supported this belief, which was strengthened by the occurrence of the section of part of riCBz: Fig. s. — Gorget restored from crescents (fig. 4) found with Skeleton 29. an old lateral drilling, and finally confirmed by assembling the two reworked fragments and restoring the design of the original gorget as shown in* figure 5. This design is similar to that on a specimen from Pompey, New York, figured by Beauchamp, and practically duplicates the central design of the shell gorget shown in our figure 7. In figure 5 an outline of the original disc is shown, with the line of the old drilling indicated by dotted lines. From the position of this drilling, which was to one side of the center, it is probable that the disc had been doubly perforated. The crescents are practically uniform in thickness. The edges are slightly rounded from wear. With Skeleton 26 another shell disc was found. As shown in •CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 , PL. XI -^»i^mim^ -v ^ I > % > \ .* FRAGMENTARY TURTLESHELL RATTLE FOUND WITH SKELETON 33 HEVE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 35 figure 6 it is similar to the ones that accompanied Skeleton 7, being of the type that decreases in thickness from the center to the edge. The ornamentation is practically identical with that on the discs found with Skeleton 30, the only difference being the presence of a dot in the central square. The disc is drilled, but there is only one perforation, whereas all the others are doubly pierced. This disc was found under the lower jaw of the skeleton, Fig. 6. — Shell disc found with Skeleton 26. and near it was a shell ornament in the form of a fish. As no small beads were found in association, it is probable that these ornaments were used as pendants. GORGET The largest and most ornate of shell ornaments of the disc type found with the burials is a gorget which accompanied Skeleton 66 (fig. 7). It evidently was made from a portion of the outer wall of a conch. The design is deeply incised. The holes for suspen- sion are drilled through the central portion, which bears an orna- mentation similar to that shown in figure 5, which illustrates the restored gorget found with Skeleton 29. There are six divisions in this design, and the same number is shown in the heart-shaped fig- ures that form the major portion of the ornamentation. As the reproduction of this object is of natural size, a detailed descrip- tion of the design is unnecessary. It is, however, an unusually good specimen of a type of shell ornaments seldom found in eastern burial sites. 36 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Fig. 7. — Shell gorget found with Skeleton 66. TRIANGULAR PENDANTS With the skeletons four triangular shell pendants were found. The largest of these (fig. 8, a) was under the skull of Skeleton 8 It is very thin and the surface is much disintegrated. A hole has been drilled through the upper part, but only a portion of it remains. a b c d Fig. 8. — Triangular shell pendants found with Skeletons 8 and 10. The other three triangular pendants were found under the lower jaw of Skeleton 10. In form they are similar to that first described, but the perforation for suspension is drilled through the longer axis, as shown in figure 8, h-d. There is no evidence of ornamentation on any of these pendants. HEYE-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 37 BIRD FIGURES Shell ornaments in the shape of birds are represented by ten specimens, all of which are in the form of pendants and were found with burials. Eight were taken out in the course of our work, while the other two, as previously mentioned, were found by Mr Bell. Of the ten examples six portray the body of a bird as it appears with wings folded; the other four represent the wings extended, and in each specimen the other main physical features are likewise indicated. Figure 9 shows one of a series of six bird-shaped pendants of shell, similar in general form, found near the neck of Skeleton 36. They vary somewhat in shape and size. These shell effigies repre- sent the owl ; two of them show the eyes and the beak. There is no evidence of decoration on the body portions. The hole for the suspension of the pendants passes through the neck, and it is evident that the objects had been worn a long time, as the ends of the beads with which they were strung have abraded the sides of all of them. With these six bird pendants were 237 shell beads, and two shell pendants in the form of fish. The bird shown in figure 10, which is rather massive and has extended wings, was found in association with small shell and glass Fig. 9. — Shell owl figure found with Skeleton 36. Fig. 10. — Shell bird pendant found with Skeleton 18. beads near the neck of Skeleton 18. The breast is carved in relief, as are also the legs and the beak. The wings taper from the body to the tips, and on each side of and at the junction of the wing 38 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN and the body they are decorated with parallel lines and dots. Decomposition of the surface has obliterated the greater part of the original ornamentation, the design mentioned being the only decoration that remains. A broad, lateral groove accentuates the neck, and the perforation for the cord passes directly beneath it. The eyes are represented by small circles, each with a central dot. The size and geheral form of another bird pendant are shown in figure i i ; it was found with Skeleton 30 and probably had been Fig. II. — Shell bird pendant found with Skeleton 30. attached to the necklace of shell discs and beads lying nearby. This bird is more delicately carved than the one just described. It has an oval body and scimitar-shaped wings which taper from the body outward. The raised portion forming the beak and the slight indication of the eyes are the only decorative features that remain, the surface being soft and chalky from decomposition. Fig. 12. — Shell bird pendant found by Mr Bell. One of the bird figures found with the skeleton of a child by Mr Bell (pi. IX, b, and fig. 12) presents a surface the major portion of •^ c/2 HEY E-PEPPER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 39 which is perfectly preserved. The figure represents a hawk or an owl. The tips of the wings and the end of the tail are discolored, and their superficial polish is gone; the tip of the beak is abraded, and a small piece has been broken from the left wing; otherwise the figure is perfect. The shell from which this bird was cut was slightly curved, the concave portion being the side that rested against the body of the wearer. The body of the figure is a rounded oval; the legs are represented by two knobs; the head is carved in the round, and the eyes are formed by circles enclosing, dots. The hole for suspension passes through the neck. At the lower part of this aperture, on each side, is the end of a necklace-like band formed by parallel lines separated by a row of dots in contact. The claws of the left foot are faintly represented by a series of five dots, and there is a slight groove in a corresponding position on the right foot, but these indications are not shown in the drawing. Three deeply incised lines separate the tail from the body, and there are four incised parallel lines on each side of the tail. The upper edge of the wings is outlined by a series of triangular incisions, five on each wing, forming a serrate design. Paralleling the base of this ornamentation is a narrow line which serves as a starting point for a series of three incised bands that decorate each wing. The band nearest the body on each side is clear-cut and well pre- served; it is formed by two groups of four parallel, vertical lines separated by a row of dots. This design is similar to that shown in figure 10 which illustrates a bird found with Skeleton i8. The second bird (pi. ix, a, and fig. 13) suggests the figure of a kite or possibly a swallow. In the former specimen the breast of the bird was shown, whereas this one represents the back. It has broad, scimitar-like wings and a bifurcated tail. The surface is decomposed to such an extent that the physical features have almost disappeared, and only portions of the ornamentation remain. The back is formed by a raised oval area at the point where the tail and body join; the head is irregular in form, the top being rounded and projecting slightly above the level of the neck. The attitude of the figure shows that the bird is represented in flight. The hole for suspension passes through the central portion of the head. 40 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Just above and slightly in front of the perforation openings are the eyes, represented by the usual circle surrounding a dot. The beak was below the eye-circles, but it is missing; the general contour, however, shows that it projected only slightly above the present surface. A decorative band begins below the openings of the perforation and expends across the rear of the neck ; it is composed of two parallel lines separated by a row of dots, thus practically duplicating the design on the breast of the bird figure last described, Fig. 13. — Shell bird pendant found by Mr Bell. except that in the present specimen the dots are not in contact with the lines. Extending along the upper edge of the wings is a line of dots enclosed in small circles, and there are faint indications, of another line near the central part of the wings. There is a drilled perforation near the tip of the left wing, as if to facilitate the attach- ment of a feather or some other symbolic object. FISH FIGURES Shell ornaments in the shape of fish are not uncommon in Algonquian and Iroquois burial sites. In some sections of the East they are usually crudely fashioned, but those found in the Minisink mound are uniformly well executed. All the shell ornaments of this type from the mound were found with skeletons. There are six specimens, five representing a porpoise-like creature and the sixth a lamprey eel. CONTR. MUS. AMER. INDIAN VOL. II, NO. 1 . PL. XIV A. BRASS KETTLES FOUND WITH SKELETONS 39 AND 51 B. EUROPEAN CLAY PIPES FOUND WITH THE BODIES H EYE-PEP PER— EXPLORATION OF A MUNSEE CEMETERY 4 1 The largest ornaments of this class were found with Skeleton 53; they were resting on the left scapula and had probably been the pendants of a necklace, as shell and glass beads were found near the neck of the skeleton. The best preserved specimen is shown in natural size in figure 14. The shovel-shaped nose, curved back, and the large dorsal fin give it somewhat the appearance of a porpoise or a dolphin. The tail and the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins are carved in relief. The eye is represented by a dot within a circle, and in addition to a well-defined decorative band there are traces of two other bands on the eroded portion of the shell. The figure has two holes for the passage of a suspending cord, one on each side of the dorsal fin, the lower openings being midway between the ventral and the anal fin. Fig. 14. — Shell pendant of fish form found with Skeleton 53. The fish figure found with the one just described is practically a duplicate in size and form; but there are minor differences, such as the spacing of the fins and the drilling. The position of the suspension holes is the same, but on the lower surface the openings are nearer together than in the first specimen. None of the three decorative bands is well preserved, but the one near the central portion of the body, and the third, extending from the upper portion of the ventral fin to the back, are more clearly defined than the remaining one. 42 MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Fig. 15. — Shell pendant of fish form found with Skeleton 10. Another fish figure of shell (fig. 15) was found with Skeleton 10; it was lying on the neck, and with it were three triangular shell pendants and a number of glass beads. This specimen is much smaller than those found with Skele- ton 53, but is of the same general form; however, it is less curved, and there is a greater relative distance between the lower fins. The drilling is the same as in the other examples. (^ ~~(0