Large Skeleton Within a Megalithic Beehive Tomb in North Carolina
Smithsonian Insitute Bureau of Ethnology 1890-91
Located on the farm of Rev. T.F. Nelson, in the northwest part of the county, and about a mile and a half southeast of Patterson. It stood on the bottomland of the Yadkin, about 100 yards from the river, and was almost a true circle in outline, 38 feet in diameter, but not exceeding at any point 18 inches in height. The thorough excavation made, in which Mr. Rogan, the Bureau agent, was assisted by Dr. J.M. Spainhour , of Lenoir, showed that the original constructors had first dug a circular pit about 38 feet in diameter to the depth of 3 feet and there placed the dead, some in stone cist and others unenclosed , and afterward covered them over, raising a slight mound above the pit. A plan of the pit, showing the stone graves and skeletons as they appeared after the removal of the dirt and before being disturbed, is given in the figure . 207...... No. 16 was unenclosed "squatter" of unusually large size, not less than 7 feet high when living . Near the mouth was an entire soapstone pipe; the legs were extended in a southwest direction upon a bed of burnt earth.
