Burial groups.
The north wing of the museum (to the Visitor’s left as he enters the building) encloses seventeen in situ burials. The south wing (to the visitor’s left as he leaves the building) encloses forty such burials. These fifty-seven burials, together with their accompanying pottery, ornaments and other artifacts, have been uncovered and left in the ground exactly as they were found.
These burials had been placed in a cemetery area, not a mound. Most of the burials were approximately one and one-half feet under the surface of the ground, although some were only four inches underground and others were three feet. The original ground-level is demonstrated in the exhibit by lines drawn around the edges of the pits.
Studies of Moundville skeletal remains have revealed the sex and individual age (i.e., how old the individual was at the time of burial) of each burial, as well as certain physical defects. Effects of head-flattening, a practice described elsewhere on these pages, are apparent on many of the skulls.
IN SITU BURIALS IN NORTH WING OF MUSEUM.
IN SITU BURIALS IN SOUTH WING OF MUSEUM.
BURIALS HAVE BEEN UNCOVERED AND LEFT IN THE GROUND JUST AS THEY WERE FOUND.