IS OF INDIAN ORIGIN
The Alameda Mound Thus Described.
Scientists Will Make More Research.
Views of a Local Student Upon Some of the Relics Found Lately.
It is not unlikely that the Academy of Sciences will take a direct hand in further excavations in the old mound on the Sather tract at Alameda. Some local scientists and members of the academy express the belief that valuable additions to the museum would result from a proper search of the soil of the mound. At present the excavations are made to little purpose, so far as scientific interests are concerned. Those who seek for curios are impelled more from a spirit of curiosity than scientific research.
Theodore Hittell, who is the ethnologist of the academy, has taken considerable interest in the finds recently niade. Speaking of the mound, he said yesterday:
"I leave to-day for a brief trip to Lake Tahoe, but upon my return will submit the question of conducting excavations to the academy. I have half a promise now from the owner of the property to go ahead with the work. When the cutting for the street is commenced, I think the academy will have a competent man there to secure such relics as may be discovered.
"The mound itself is of Indian origin. its age cannot be determined yet but we know there were tribes of Indians in California full 1000 years ago. This mound appears to be the outgrowth of the deposits of shells and refuse from camps of the Indians, although it may have been built up. The mount at Shell Mound Park was doubtless constructed as a lookout point. I am led to believe that the Sather mound is on the site of an ancient camping ground, because it is in the heart of where was once a dense growth of oak trees, and the Indians lived on their acorns. Besides, I am told there was once a fine spring close by there.
"The relics which have been taken from the mound can be easily accounted for as a general thing. For instance, the arrowheads which have been found are Californian. They are of obsidian, or volcanic glass. In the Ohio mounds they are of flint. I have not had time yet to study the character of the skeletons and their parts - which were turned up last week. There is no question, however that the mounds were built by the Indians. There is no resemblance to the mounds of the Eastern States whatever."
There is one recent find taken from the Alameda mound which as yet cannot be identified with other relics, such as the stone sinkers, mortars, pestles and the like. The accompanying sketch, made by Mr. Hittell, will give an idea of its shape. The implement is about two inches long and is hollow. The dotted lines in the sketch indicate the formation of the inside oí a pipe. It is considerably larger at one end than at the other. The hollow in the smaller end appears to have been cut out with a drill, while the larger end may have been scraped. From his casual observations Mr. Hittell could not reach a conclusion as to the use it had been put to. He said he was unable to fix its character without closer examination. It was possibly crystallized stone. Interest attaches to the little curio from the fact that it may be a "stray" or relic which is not of Californian origin.
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| A RELIC WHICH PUZZLES SCIENTISTS. |
"It is possible" said Mr. Hittell, "that this may have been left there hundreds of years ago by visitors from the other side of the Pacific. It is known that at one time the Indians were not the only dwellers in primitive California. While I am not positive, I think that this specimen is rock. It is not soapstone hardened. As soon as I return I shall make a careful study of the recent finds made in Alameda. I have no doubt that a scientific search of the mound would bring to light some valuable discoveries. One feature is the fact that the shells there are mostly from the oyster. There are many cockles, but the oyster predominates. At Shell Mound Park the clamshell is the abundant variety."
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