BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS,
1914.
The articles shown herein are one bronze and steel-edged tomahawk blade, found at the site of Kickapoo Fort in Section 5, West Township, McLean Co. Ill., by Mark Piper, one granite hatchet made from a discarded discoidal hammer-stone (or discoidal hammer-stone made from a discarded hatchet, which?) and one flint drill, both found by S. W. Le Neve, at Kingfisher Hill, Menard County, Ill. The five smaller potsherds beneath these were also found by Mark Piper, at Kingfisher Hill.
The two perpendicular rows of stamped and rouletted potsherds on each side of this group were found at an ancient camp-site on the south bluff of the Sangamon river, on the Center Farm, in the north part of Menard Co. Ill., by Mr. E. H. Hamilton and are now in the collection of the McLean County Historical Society.
By C. H. Robinson, Normal, Illinois.
On April 20th, 1913, an enthusiastic party of Bloomington and Normal men made an archaeological expedition to the great Cahokia mound group in Southern Illinois, which is located in Madison and St. Clair counties, about two miles east of the corporate limits of East St. Louis, Illinois. The location is easily accessible by way of the new hard road or by the St. Louis and Collinsville electric system.
The great Cahokia, or better know as Monk's Mound, together with many smaller mounds are located on a 204 acre farm belonging to the Hon. T. T. Ramey's heirs. This farm is situated in the most picturesque and richest part of the famous "American bottoms." Land which is so fertile that even the aborigines raised much with but little effort and which no doubt led to the location and construction here of the largest earth mound ever built by primitive man, the great pyramid of Cheops in Egypt or the Aztec temple mound of Mexico excepted. Monk's mound covers more ground than any pyramid of Egypt. Cheops is but 746 feet square, the Aztec temple of Mexico is 680 feet square, while Monk's mound is 1080 feet by 780 feet and 104 feet high making about 84,000,000 cubic feet of earth.
This mound has never been touched with pick or shovel, although great quantities of archaeological material have been removed from many of the surrounding smaller mounds and cultivated fields, and many fine collections are to be found in both private and public places, taken from this most ancient residence site of a vanquished race.
The variety and nature of material formed around the great Cahokia group clearly indicate that the mound builders or their successors had access to or traded with other tribes or people located at the headquarters of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, also on the Gulf of Mexico, and possibly from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, as evidenced by the vast quantities and nature of the material, from which such large varities of implements and ornaments were constructed. For as workmen are known by their chips so here may also be found the evidence of past ages wrought in such material as flint, jasper, pipe stone, granite, agate, galena, obsidian, hematite, copper, quartz, crystal, deep sea conch shells and much other material foreign to this section of the state.
The surrounding cultivated fields are strewn with pottery fragments mingled with which may be found many human bones and implements of the stone age. Here after the heavy spring rains are over may be plowed up many characteristic specimens. Surely in ages past what a mecca this location must have been!
Regarding the shape and size of the great Cahokia mound group it may be said that all types except the effigy are represented here the form of the largest mound is a parallelogram, with straight sides, the longer of which are north and south. On the southern end thirty feet above the base is a terrace or apex, containing two acres of ground. On the western side some thirty feet above the first terrace is a second of some what less extent. The top of the mound is flat, containing[Pg 2] about one acre and a half, and is divided into two parts the northern portion of which is some four or five feet higher than the southern portion.
Near the middle of the first terrace, at the base of the mound is a projecting point apparently the remains of a graded pathway ascending from the plain to the terrace. Monk's mound stands true to the exact points of the compass.
There are several conical shaped mounds of about forty feet in height, together with a large number of rectangular shape flat top mounds ranging in size from 20 to 30 feet in height and some of smaller size sufficient to conveniently accommodate a good sized farm house and out buildings. One noticeable exception of this mound group lies just south of the great mound the same being of conical shape except that there are nine radiating ridges extending outward at equal distances from the flattened top. This mound is about fifty feet high with a 150 foot base, the radiating ridges extending outward about ten feet each, just what these radiating ridges symbolize no one knows, possibly the radiating lines of the sun, or the ridges may represent the sacred conch shells found buried here in great numbers.
Monk's mound derived this name from the fact that from 1804 to 1809 a colony of Monks of the order of La Trappe occupied the locality as missionaries among the Cahokia Indians. These monks devoted themselves to silence and seclusion and ate a strictly vegetable diet. They soon succumbed to the malarial influences existing at that time, many died and those remaining returned whence they came, the last of them leaving in March, 1813.
The name Cahokia given the group of mounds is derived from a tribe of Indians met by LaSalle in that vicinity, during his visit there in December, 1681. Growing upon Monk's mound may be seen a pear orchard, set out by the Monks, many of these trees are yet vigorous and bear fruit in season. Besides these fruit trees, there are many fine forest trees, some of which have reached a very large size; all of which tends to make this large mound one of the most picturesque sights in spring, summer and autumn.
Only a short distance to the north of Monk's mound flows Cahokia Creek, its heavily wooded tract of timber giving here a rare chance to the Archaeologist and land-scape artist to help some one of the greatest movements of pre-historic man to be found in the United States today. Ohio has long since made safe her serpent mound, together with many lesser ones by proper legislative acts, other states and counties have protected pre-historic works of much less importance. Why then should the great State of Illinois not preserve our Cahokia group? During the last legislative session at Springfield, Cahokia mound park bills were introduced in both houses and are now known as House Bill No. 176 Flagg, and Senate Bill No. 276 Beall, on June 7, 1913. The matter was refered to the Illinois State Park Commission to investigate the desirability of the state acquiring the Cahokia mound and report to the forty-ninth General Assembly not later than Feb. 1, 1915.
The names and addresses of the members of the Illinois State Board of Park Commissioners are as follows: Alexander Richards, Ottawa, Ill. T. A. James, Evanston, Ill. and Thomas Cahill, Loda, Ill.
Cuts furnished by C. H. Robinson
Cahokia Surface Finds, No. 3
Plate No. 2
Cuts furnished by C. H. Robinson
West Twin Grove Camp Site
Plate No. 4.
Through the courtesy of the Ramey Family, the writer and party were given much valuable data and information pertaining to the early history of this historic spot, therefore honorary mention is herewith given to the sturdy and honest pioneer, the late T. T. Ramey, who was one of the few successful 49er's. Returning east again, he invested his hard earned gold in the rich alluvial "American bottom" lands of Madison County and upon which now stands the great Cahokia mound, together with twenty others of lesser magnitude. He was a close student of both God and man. He soon conceived the idea that the large mound should never be disturbed and if possible become the property of the state. Thus he kept in tact this great earthwork during his lifetime and it is with the same spirit that his children do likewise.
May we not hope that the State of Illinois shall in due time make this great mound group a state preserve and keep intact the great Cahokia Mound just as the Ramey family have done for many years?
The party making the Cahokia trip was composed of Milo Custer, G. Blumke, Mark Piper, S. W. Le Neve, Herbert Cox and the writer.
Located on Section 33, Dry Grove Township, McLean County, Illinois
By Richard Thomas Robinson, Normal, Illinois
May 8, 1912, at this place, my father found the barbed shank of a flint arrow head. Around this broken part of an arrow head were several flint chips. This led to a closer examination, which resulted in the finding of about three dozen pieces a flint core, and several arrow heads, some finished and several about half complete. Many trips have been made to this old camp site in the past two years and all the pieces, or parts of arrow heads as well as chips have been carefully preserved. On none of our trips have we come home empty handed. Even some pottery fragments have been found. These, like all the other material are apparently quite ancient. This camp is near the old Indian trail, which use to run between Bloomington and Peoria, where was then located old Fort Clark.
Mr. George Washington Henry the oldest resident of the grove remembers when he was a boy of eight, the Indians camping on this trail. He has told us many interesting stories about the Indians, and wild game which roamed the prairies in those days. He has gone on walks with us to the places of interest, and told us what was there eighty years ago.
Among the things that have been found at this camp site are namely: a double beveled arrow head, of which the government reports[Pg 4] show only one in 3,000 are found, one curved arrow head, one leaf shaped, one of the same kind incomplete, and many barbed arrow heads of different sizes, of which many are incomplete. Several scrapers, some ceremonial stones, a flint drill, and saw, several small bird points, and one large spear point, incomplete. Two very fine skinning knives, one problematic stone, shaped round like a hammer stone, but flat on two sides.
We have excavated at this place to a depth of about two feet but in our excavations found nothing of any great value. In all we have secured several hundred fine specimens.
There are probably a great many more interesting things to be found here and we feel very grateful to Mr. Kaufman for granting us the privilege of searching for the remains of those who lived many years before us.
By Mark Piper, Bloomington, Illinois
One of our most interesting trips was taken on May 18th, 1913 to Petersburg and Kingfisher Hill in an auto owned by T. R. Good. The party, S. W. LeNeve, Gus. Blumke, Chas. Robinson and myself met at the Court House in Bloomington, Ill, where Mr. Good met us at 5 a. m. with his machine. At about 10 a. m. we arrived at Bonnett brothers on whose farm we were to look for relics. We then made our way to the tops of some hills where there were indications of Indian graves. There I for once was the lucky one and found part of a skeleton, while Mr. Good afterward found three more. Owing to the peculiar nature of the soil they were exceedingly well preserved, there did not appear to be any system of burial as the bones and skulls seemed to be in a heap. Some of the bones showed tooth marks as though some wild animal had gnawed them. One peculiar thing about their graves was that they were on the very top of the highest hills, except some which were on the side near the top. Nothing was found in the graves with the bones. Besides the skeleton we also found arrow heads, buffalo teeth and other relics.
Our next trip to the Bonnett farm was taken June 23. The party this time consisted of Charles H. Robinson, Gus. Blumke, Mr. Robinson's son and myself. We met at the Union Depot in the wee small hours of the night and took a train at about one o'clock for Petersburg where we had previously made arrangements for a team to meet us and take us to the Bonnett farm.
After breakfast Mr. Bonnett supplied us each with an old coat which would help to keep out the rain. We then took spades and started out. We crossed creeks and ponds as though they were dry and after digging on numerous hills without success we came back to dinner and more coffee. After dinner we had better success for we found some graves and also a camp site located on the banks of Cleary's Creek in which a great number of shells lay exposed, also quite a quantity of broken pottery of a special stamped and rouletted design. Pottery similar to this has been found at Naples Ill., and is described in government literature. We also found fragments of bone and flint articles but as that was in a field of growing wheat we could not excavate.
The six arrow heads of the upper row show a variety of shapes with a marked difference in the notches and base.
The long spear-heads was found in the Bloomington cemetery by J. W. Moran. This is a beautiful pink flint.
The specimen below in the center is no doubt a knife. The spear-head on either side show a notched and a stem-base.
Below is a notched scraper, and a drill. The two small game points are from the Cahokia mounds, Madison County. (This kind is characteristic of that region.)
By W. B. Brigham, Assistant County Supt. of Schools.
One day many years ago while working in the field, my father picked up an Indian arrow-head. He gave it to me as a play-thing and it was much enjoyed tho soon lost; leaving me with a sad heart but a deep longing to find others. Twenty years later after I had roamed o'er the prairies and worked in the fields less than six arrow points were garnered and some of these were obtained from schoolmates. Yet my fascination for these relics has increased as we have learned more of the habits and haunts of the Indians, their different implements and the manner in which they were made.
The Indian hunters and warriors would often lose arrows while on the prairies, but we find them in greater numbers with other stone implements in some of the old village or camp-sites. These were generally on elevated ground in or near the woods and along the streams. The close observer will find little difficulty in locating these places by the presence of granite spalls and flint flakes which are readily distinguished from the pebbles of the glacial drift. This camp debris is sometimes covered by the alluvial from the uplands and is no longer to be found on the surface but is often revealed by diggings or by a washout.
Some years ago, Mr. Milo Custer located a camp-site in section sixteen Bloomington Township and made a good find. I took up his trail and frequently visited the field being always rewarded by finding something of interest, including arrow and spear heads, knives, scrapers, drills and human teeth. No large implements were found there by me. This site was located on the south slope of a hill running down to what had been a pond in early days, the water probably standing there several feet deep throughout the year.
These sites disclose some very interesting facts and furnish much food for speculation. The great variety of "finds" not only recalls many phases of the primitive life of the Indians but also shows that the "ancient arrow-maker" possessed patience and skill of the highest degree.
It is all the more wonderful when we consider that these results were obtained with such crude tools, and again that no artists of modern civilization can attain the technic or reproduce the work of these children of savagery.
In the accompanying illustration are some typical small flint or chert implements found in McLean County.
NOTE——In 1899, I farmed the twenty acre tract in Sec. 16, Bloomington Township, mentioned by Mr. Brigham and during the spring and summer of that year at the camp-site he also mentions I found about 130 arrowheads, one long granite celt, two granite discoidal hammer-stones, two broken perforated sand-stone tablets and several potsherds. This material I donated to the McLean County Historical Society. It was all destroyed in the fire of June 19, 1900.
By Stanley M. East.
Acting upon information furnished Mr. Custer by Mr. L. J. Freese, president of the Woodford County Historical Society. A number of members of our club made a trip on July 6th of last year to Spring Bay, Ill., to investigate some mounds on the farm of Mr. W. J. Eichorn. We were courteously granted permission by Mr. Eichorn to thoroughly investigate one of the smaller mounds. This was done both by surface examination and by making a six foot excavation in the center. Nothing however was found except a few glacial boulders in a natural deposite about five feet beneath the mound surface and there were no evidences of prehistoric human remains to be seen. This mound has a height of about six feet and a diameter of approximately one hundred feet. Owing to the fact that it was under cultivation no further excavation could be made without injury to the corn and indeed no further excavations appeared profitable.
On this same field and at a distance of perhaps one thousand feet is a beautiful conical shaped mound about twenty-five feet in height and with a base diameter of about seventy-five feet. This mound is covered with small trees and shrubs and makes a novel and pleasing appearance rising as it does in the cultivated field (see cut.) We have since been given permission to excavate in this one and it is our intention to do so at an early date.
The members making this trip were Messrs. Milo Custer, Gus Blumke, C. H. Robinson, Mark Piper, Homer Haworth, Ed Swann, Thomas Robinson and the writer.
By Gus Bluemke
April 20, 1913, a party of archaeologists from Bloomington and Normal Ill. visited "Cahokia" or "Monk's Mound" in search of relics. The weather was ideal and all who availed themselves of the opportunity were indeed well repaid in the success of the trip and also for the enjoyment and recreation which these journeys afford.
Our party was composed of the following: Mark Piper, C. H. Robinson, T. J. Robinson, S. W. LeNeve, Miss Minerva LeNeve, Herman Cox and Milo Custer. A second trip was made October 12, 1913, and on this occasion the following members visited "Cahokia": C. H. Robinson, Homer Haworth, Mark Piper, R. T. Robinson, Wm. Brigham, Stanley East, S. W. LeNeve and the writer.
Several good specimens of arrow-heads were found, one particularly rare specimen was found by the writer which is shown in the cut furnished by me. This point has six notches on each edge, each of which are one-eight of an inch in depth. The length of this point from tip to base is one and one-quarter inches. There is also shown in the same cut a very small arrow point one-half inch in length, and of pink colored flint. This is a very good specimen of such a small sized arrow point. There are shown herewith several other types of arrow points of different sizes.
Cut furnished by Stanley M. East and Homer Haworth
It is a notable fact that practically all arrow points found in this locality are small, ranging from three-quarters of an inch to an inch and one-half in length. The cut shows several other relics, all of which were found near "Cahokia." The surface of the adjoining fields are literally covered with fragments of ancient pottery. Judging from the fancy rims and handles and the engravings on these fragments it is evident that the mound builders were very adept in the manufacture of this kind of pottery. The cut shows two specimens of broken pottery and the particular surface markings on the same. There is also an imitation of a birds head made of the same material. This was probably an ornament or handle for some vessel. This pottery was evidently colored in some manner as some of the fragments are bright red in color and others are jet black or brown. Many pieces were highly polished. There is also shown in the cut a conch core or sea shell with reversed whorls. This one is six inches long and of these there seem to be a great number found in this locality and found in such a position and under such circumstances as to leave hardly a doubt in the mind that they were held sacred by the mound builders and used in their religious ceremonies.
A brass signet ring was also found which is evidently traders material and may possibly have been brought there by the "monks." This ring has a pecular emblem on the flat circular surface which looks like a right angle with a character in the center shaped like a heart. The circular surface of the seal or signet is five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter and the size of the ring is three-quarter inch.
There is also shown a blue glass bead. Several beads of different material have been found here but the most rare is one shown in the cut, made of shell, circular in form, one inch in diameter and three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness, with a three-sixteenths inch hole through the center. This specimen is of the kind commonly known as wampum and was used by the Indians as money. There is also shown in the cut a bear's claw of which several were found by members of our party.
The largest specimen shown in the center of the cut is a chert hoe or cultivating implement found by the writer. This specimen is seven and one half inches long and tapers from two to four and three quarters inches in width. It was discovered about eighteen inches below the surface in the field north-east of the great "Cahokia mound." The accompanying cut shows the location of this find and a good view of the surroundings.
By Miss Edith M. Cox and Herbert Cox.
At sunset on the first of August, 1913, we were at last ready to leave Holbrook, Arizona for Hopiland—almost a hundred miles northward from this point on the Santa Fe. The Indians—never in a hurry—had taken the greater part of the day in loading the three white covered wagons.
Our party included four Hopis, one Navajo, a white man employed by the government and three white women. My friend Miss Nelson a missionary among these Hopis, was returning to her work and I was going to visit her. The third woman was a new worker. Steve, a splendid Christian Hopi and his twelve year old David, had come for Miss Nelson and her friends.
Across the desert we traveled until we were at an elevation of some seven thousand feet. The vastness of the desert, the scant and varying vegetation, the Painted Desert, the great buttes which deceived us by their apparent nearness, the scattered dwellings of the Navajo Indians, the exhilaration which came from sleeping in the open, the call of the distant coyote or the prairie dogs, the camp fire built of anything available—all these made wonderful impressions on one accustomed to limited horizons.
No more primitive nor interesting Indians are to be found in North America today than these Hopis removed from the traveled highways of men. They were discovered by Coronado in 1540. Priests came, but were driven out by the Hopis. A few years later these Indians moved on top of three mesas. These appear as huge prows of ships projecting into the great desert. To protect themselves the Indians built their houses in terrace fashion of such material that one on the desert can with difficulty see them.
The Hopi is industrious. Walled in gardens, fields of corn on the plain and flocks of sheep show his agricultural interests. Weaving is done by the men in winter. They make all the clothing. The women build and own the houses. All water is carried in jars on the backs of women up the narrow mesa trail. Beautiful red and light colored pottery is made on First Mesa while baskets are made by the women of Second Mesa. The foundation of these baskets is grass covered with yucca fibers bleached in the sun or colored with juices from plants. If the public realized the value of these baskets so that it would demand them these Indians would not be so poor.
The Hopi has no written language. Some two thousand words constitute his vocabulary. The older people use the sign language very much.
The Hopi marriage is little more than a washing of the heads of each party in seperate bowls, then in one bowl. One may marry another if he is absent. Divorce is easily obtained by putting a man's saddle outside the door. If he puts wood outside her door and it is taken in he may enter again.
Children not old enough to belong to the Tribe are buried in crevices of the rocks. The place of burial indicated by a stick. It is not uncommon to see eight or nine sticks in one place. The older ones are buried in a sitting posture in the ground. The third or fourth morning after burial they believe the spirit partakes of meal and water; then by means of a feather pointing west it goes to its spirit home in the Grand Canyon.
They have many ceremonies and rites. Some two hundred spirits are worshipped. These are represented by masked men, dolls and placs.
The desire for rain has an important part in many ceremonies. This is true of the famous Hopi Snake Dance. This attracted much attention last year because attended by Mr. Roosevelt. Some fifty machines, mostly Fords, made the desert trip. The Hopis believe a great smoke in the earth controls the rain. A great many rattle and bull snakes are gathered and cared for in the underground "kivas" or caves. At sunset on the ninth day of the ceremony the snake men come from the kivas. They dance with the snake in the mouth until all have been thus treated. A priest frees them in the rocks and prays that the parent snake may give the Hopis rain.
Our government maintains a school for children of each mesa and one more advanced at government headquarters. Those desiring to go further are sent to Indian schools. Some of these Hopis are known as unfriendlies—hostile to the government. Until last year soldiers had to be sent to get their children whom the parents refused to send.
Besides the missionaries who are doing much the government has its agent, farmer, windmill man, doctors, teachers and matrons.
On my return to the railroad we were delayed because of heavy rains. What was a small stream in August was in September a river three-fourths of a mile wide when we first saw it. In the bed of this stream our wagon was stuck. The chief of the Navajo Tribe helped us take it to pieces and so get it out of the mud in the wash.
Imagine if you can what it would mean to hear a train whistle after six weeks' absence from civilization. As we topped the rise on the afternoon of the fourth day the sight of that brought me to my feet. How I gazed at it! My Indian driver said "Miss——pashalayi" ("Miss——you are very happy.")
Early the next morning three of us said good bye. My Indian companion with his hat in hand and my father and I said more in those parting handshakes than words could ever tell. A few minutes later we were borne westward by train and he to the north in his wagon.
(To The Kickapoo Club.)
Transcriber's Notes
Minor punctuation typos were silently corrected. Run-on sentences and
grammatical errors were retained as in the original.
Spelling variations were retained for Bluemke(2)/Blumke(5) and
Kaufman(1)/Kauffman(1).
Page 1: Probable typo: "varities" for "varieties."
(Orig: such large varities of implements and ornaments)
Plate 4: Typo "No. 4" for "No. 3."
(Orig: Artifacts made by aborigines on Camp Site shown on Plate No. 4)
Page 5: Deleted duplicate "and."
(Orig: perforated sand-stone tablets and and several potsherds.)
Page 6: Probable typo: "deposite" for "deposit."
(Orig: a few glacial boulders in a natural deposite)
Page 6: Changed "an" to "and."
(Orig: from tip to base is one an one-quarter inches.)
Page 7: Changed "pratically" to "practically."
(Orig: It is a notable fact that pratically all arrow points)
Page 7: Changed "brough" to "brought."
(Orig: possibly have been brough there by the "monks.")
Page 7: Probable typo: "pecular" for "peculiar."
(Orig: This ring has a pecular emblem)
Page 8: Probable typo: "seperate" for "separate."
(Orig: each party in seperate bowls,)