Koochiching County – LARGE HUMAN SKELETON

LARGE HUMAN SKELETON

Forty Miles from the mouth of the big fork river which empties into the Rainy  from Norther Minnesota, are many ancient mounds, whose origins extends beyond the traditions of the Ojibways. Until recently these mounds were inviolate for they are in a wild region, but little visited by white by white men and accessible only by canoe.
One summer, however, a party of scientist from the University of Toronto came out to explore the. From one of the mounds on which a sturdy oak was growing a large human skeleton, perfectly preserved, was exhumed.
It was not that of an Indian, and in the cavity whence it was taken were evidence of prehistoric civilization, in the form of articles of pottery, some stamped with some beautiful and unique designs. Around the skeletons neck was a massive band of pure copper, and on its bosom rested a curiously wrought necklace of the same metal, into which were interwoven shells and colored stones.
What arrested the attention of the exploring party, however, was a stone which gleamed from the center of a pendant to the necklace. At first it was judged to be nothing more than  clear piece of quartz, but closer examination and testing proved that it was a diamond.
Although half a dozen mounds were opened up before the party left the region, and copper ornaments and pottery were found, with skeletons in all of them, no more diamonds were unearthed.

Koochingching County, The Indianapolis News, September 29, 1905.