Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly of the Georgia Tribes

CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII. Chunky-Yards.-Elevated Spaces.-Mounds of Observation aud Retreat.-Tumuli on Woolfolk'd Plantation.-Sepulchral Tumuli.-Chieftain-Mound~.-Custom of burying Personal Property with the Dead.--Sayannab owes a Monument to Tomo-chi-cbi.-Family or Tribal Mounds.-Cremation. RESPONDING to certain inquiries (propounded in all likelihood by Dr. B. S. Barton) touching his personal observation of the customs, government, and antiquities of the Creek and Cherokee Indians, Mr. William Bartram furnished the following plan and description of the CHUNKY·YARDS (see p. 179). "The Chunky- Yard of the Creeks, so called by the traders, is a cubi·form area (A) generally in the centre of the to,vn-the Public Square (located upon the square eminence C) and the Rotunda or great winter Council-House (situated upon the mound B, nine or ten feet high) standing at the two opposite corners. It is generally very extensive, especially in the large, old towns, is exactly level, and sunk two, sometimes three feet below the banks or terraces (b b b b) surrounding it, which are sometimes two, one above and behind the other, and are formed of earth cast out of the area at the time of its formation ; these banks or terraces serve the purposes of seats for the spectators. In the centre of the Jrard CHUNKY-YARDS. 179 there is a low circular mount or eminence (C), in the centre of which stands erect 'the chunky-pole, which is a high obelisk, or four.square pillar declining upwards to an obtuse point, in shape and proportion much resembling the ancient Egyptian obelisk. This is of FIG. 9. wood-the heart or inward resinous part of the sound pine.tree-and is very durable; it is generally from thirty to forty feet high, and to the top of this is fast· ened some object to shoot at with bows and arrows, the rifle, etc., at certain times appointed. Near each corner of the lower and further end of the yard stands erect a less pillar, or pole (d d), about twelve feet high: these are called the slave-posts, because to them are bound the captives condemned to be burnt, and these posts are usually decorated with the scalps of their slain enemies: the scalps, with the hair on. them, and 180 ANTIQUITIES OF TIlE SOUTHERN INDIANS. strailled on a little hoop, usually five or six inches in width, are suspended by a string six or seven inches in length round about the top of the pole, ,vhere they remain as long as they last. I have seen some that have been there so long as to lose all the hair, and the skin remaining white as parchment or paper. The pole is usually crowned with the white. dry skull of an enemy. In some of these towns I have counted six or eight scalps fluttering on one pole in these yards. Thus it appears eviclently enough that this area is designed for a public place of exhibition of shows and games, and formerly some of the sce~es \vere of the most tragical and barbarous nature, as torturing the miserable captives with fire in various ways, as causing or forcing them to run the gauntlet naked, ~hunked and beat alnlost to death with burning chunks a:Q.d fire-brands, and at last burnt to ashes. "I inquired of the traders' for vvhat reason this area was called the chunky-yard,. they \vere in general , ignorant, yet they all seemed to agree in a lame story of its originating from its being the place where the Indians formerly put to death and tortured their captives, or from the lndian name for it, which bears such a signification. "The Indians do not now (1773-1789) torture their captives after that cruel'manner as formerly; but there are some old traders who have been present at the burning of captives. " I observed no chunky-yards, chunky-pole, or slav"eposts , in use in any of the Cherokee towns; and when I have mentioned in my journal chunk~"'-yards in the Cherokee country, it must be understood that I have seen the remains or vestiges of them in the ancient ruins of towns; for in the present Cherokee towns CHU.NKY-YARDS. 181 that I visited, though there were the ancient mounts and signs of the yard adjoining, yet the yard ,vas either built upon or turned...