Additional mounds of Duval and of Clay counties, Florida; Mound investigation on the east coast of Florida; Certain Florida coast mounds north of the St. Johns river

by Clarence B. Moore

Low Mound at Arlington, Duval County

About three miles below Jacksonville, on the opposite side of the St. Johns, at Arlington, on the property of William G. Matthews, Esq., of Philadelphia, was a low mound in pine woods. We are indebted to W. H. Wilson, Esq., in whose charge the estate is, for permission to investigate.

This mound was not considered of aboriginal origin by the inhabitants of the neighborhood and had sustained no previous investigation though it gave evidence of cultivation in former times; its height of two feet, at the time of our investigation, was probably considerably less than its original altitude. Its shape was irregular, its major and minor axes being respectively 57 feet and 36 feet.

It was totally demolished.

It was composed of yellow sand with the usual admixture of charcoal.

HUMAN REMAINS

Human remains were encountered at twenty-five points, some as deep as 3 feet from the surface, beginning at the very margin of one portion of the mound. Bones were in the last stage of decay, but minimum portions of the skeleton being represented—at times parts of the cranium alone and again small pieces of bone almost too fragmentary for identification.

EARTHENWARE

Sherds were present in great quantities, the majority undecorated, though some bore the complicated stamps found in Georgia and in Carolina. Two had the stamp familiar in Florida, consisting of small diamonds.

The material of all the ware present in the mound, with the exception of certain fragments, was very inferior.

There were present numerous sherds showing separation from the vessel, not by a clean break but by the aid of a pointed implement, and a number of vessels had pieces removed from the margin by the agency of pointed tools. We have before referred to this peculiar custom as occurring in Duval County mounds and occasionally in other parts of Florida.

At several points in the mound were nests of fragments of earthenware.

In the northwestern margin of the mound, together, just below the surface, with a deposit of charcoal but apparently with no human remains, were two tobacco pipes of earthenware, of the usual type found in the mounds of Duval County, where the orifice for the stem often equals in size the aperture of the bowl.

This type, probably in vogue before White contact, is present in the stone graves of Tennessee. We have elsewhere found tobacco pipes of much more modern appearance in mounds containing objects essentially European.

In loose sand was another tobacco pipe in appearance similar to the foregoing.

In the northeastern margin, 15 feet down, with fragmentary human remains 1 foot below, was a small undecorated bowl with a perforation in the base, made previous to baking. This was the only occurrence in the mound of ready-made mortuary ware. For the benefit of those not familiar with our previous Reports on the Florida mounds, we may say that it was the custom in that State, often to knock out the bottom, or to make a hole through the bottom, of earthenware vessels, previous to inhumation with the dead and that this custom is believed to have been practised with the idea that the mutilation “killed” the vessel, freeing its soul to accompany that of its owner into the next world. Apparently, however, it entered the minds of the more thrifty among the aborigines that vessels of value might serve a better purpose, and hence there arose a class of ceremonial ware, usually small in size, often of fantastic design and always of flimsy material, with bases perforated during the process of manufacture. This cheap ware was probably kept on hand and did duty for vessels more valuable and less readily spared.

One and one-half feet below the surface, about 4 feet in from the northwestern margin, was a small globular vessel of ordinary type, undecorated, intact as to the base, with perforations for suspension below the margin on either side. No human remains were found in the neighborhood.

About 5 feet in from the western margin, and 2 feet below the surface, with no human remains in proximity, were two undecorated bowls, each with a maximum diameter of about 6 inches. Both showed perforation of the base made after manufacture.

A globular vessel of somewhat over one quart capacity lay about 9 feet in from the northeastern margin and 1.5 feet below the surface. It was undecorated save for a raised band around the inverted rim. With it were the greater part of a small undecorated vessel of ordinary type and various artifacts. Human remains were in association. Within the vessel were two pebbles; fragments of marine univalves; decaying portions of mussel shells; a worked object of shell resembling an imperforate cylindrical bead; and a bit of coquina.

At a number of other points were vessels, some of about one gallon capacity, all undecorated and of most inferior ware. In nearly every case was perforation of the base made after the completion of the vessel. Nearly all were to a certain extent imperfect, some being crushed to numerous fragments.

STONE

Five hatchets of the usual type, some showing considerable breakage, came from various points in the mound, none deeper than three feet.

In sand dyed red with Hematite, near human remains, were several mussel shells; one small bit of sandstone; a pentangular slab of red sandstone with a maximum length of 7.5 inches, a maximum width of 7 inches, a thickness of 3 inches; a “celt” 8 inches in length.

Four arrowheads came from different depths. With one was a pebble hammer of quartz.

About 2.5 feet from the surface, together, were fragments of lower animal bones; pebbles; a bit of quartz; fragments of marine shell; and several bits of chert rudely worked to resemble the arrowhead but too imperfect to be of service for any but sepulchral purposes.

Variously associated throughout the mound were a number of sheets of mica; pebble hammers; pebbles; several bits of chert and hones of sandstone.

SHELL

Upon several occasions fragments of mussel shells, probably whole at the time of interment, lay with human remains and with artifacts.

In one instance, with human remains and other objects, was the columella of a marine univalve neatly worked to a blunt point at either end.

REMARKS

This mound closely resembles many other low mounds of Duval County in the presence of abundant earthenware, of tobacco pipes of prehistoric pattern, of mica and of pebbles.

Nothing in the mound indicated acquaintance with the products of Europe.