Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Anthropology/Description of Mounds at Snake Den, Near Salem, Henry County, Iowa
DESCRIPTION OF MOUNDS AT SNAKE DEN, NEAR SALEM,
HENRY COUNTY, IOWA.
By W. V. Banta and John Garretson, of Salem, Iowa.
There are many unexplored mounds in Henry County, Iowa. The group examined and here described are 3 miles west of Salem, in section 22, on land owned by Mr. Joel Jones, at a place known as the Snake Den.
1. The first one in the group is 8 feet high, and 20 feet in diameter. It was opened by the authors, but nothing of value was discovered within. A burr-oak 26 inches in diameter was growing on the summit. The land slopes gradually westward to Little Cedar Creek.
2. Sixty feet from No. 1 occurs a burial mound nearly level with the surrounding surface and 20 feet across. It is covered with flat rocks. (A large quantity of bones of all sizes were encountered, but none of them were whole, and some appear to have been burned.)
3. No. 3 is 60 feet from No. 2. It is 3 feet high. It was not very thoroughly opened. In it was found one body, lying at length, between flag-stones, the head toward the north. The bones were badly decayed.
4. This mound is the usual distance from the last mentioned. Indeed, to avoid repetition, it is a remarkable fact that each of the mounds in this row is just 60 feet from the preceding. This mound was 3 feet high and 20 feet in diameter. It was but partially opened, and three skeletons were found, badly decayed, lying at length, the heads to the north.
5. The fifth mound in the series is 5 feet high and 20 feet in diameter. The top was covered with smooth, flat rocks, arranged in the shape of an elongated hexagon or coffin lid, with stones set edgewise around the border. Five feet beneath the top, that is, on a level with the natural surface, two bodies were lying at full length, the heads toward the north.
6. The sixth mound was not opened. It is 30 feet in diameter and 5 feet high.
7. The next in order, No. 7, is also 5 feet high and 20 feet in diameter. It was only partially explored, revealing a few human bones. On the top there are two trees growing, one of them 2 feet in diameter.
8. No. 8 is 5 feet high and 30 feet in diameter. It had been opened previously to the visit of the authors. It is said to have contained a stone vault, in which were discovered human crania, &c. These were very badly decayed. A sandstone mortar and arrow-points were also found. The burial seems to have been in a sitting posture.
9. The first eight mounds are in a right line, but No. 9 is 60 feet east of No. 8. It was 5 feet high, and yielded nothing upon exploration.