MOUNT PISGAH

UPDATES
AGENDA
Introduction (2500 artifacts)
Location of Temple of Cofiticheque, El Cu, first hand account
Religious suppression and the 1883 Act of US Government
Emmert, Cyrus Thomas report
Receipt forgery
Carbon dates
Coe
Alice Wright
Was there a fire there? Did Desoto create the fire? Or was it mere pearl
extraction
Not so Cherokee (Written by Lanier Davis)
Walam Olum – Chief called the Wolf- This is how we remember our
names
Visual appearance of the Mound of Cofiticheque

2
NOT SO CHEROKEE –
WRITTEN BY LANIER
DAVIS
NIIPITURUSIHAPRI
(HORNED PANTHER
CLAN)
CLAN SYMBOL PANTHER, LEADER OF THE
GROUP HE IS IN- WRITTEN ON CHEROKEE
AND YUCHI, HIS ANCESTORS ARE MARY
HAWKINS AND GEORGE LANE
AN ARTICLE IN THE JOURNAL OF THE
ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND IRELAND FOR JUNE 1882 (1), IN REGARD TO SOME
SINGULAR WORKS OF ART (2) FOUND IN HAYWOOD
COUNTY, HAVING EXCITED THE CURIOSITY OF OUR
ANTIQUARIANS, MR. EMMERT WAS SENT INTO THAT
REGION TO PROCURE, IF POSSIBLE, SOME SPECIMENS
OF THIS SINGULAR CLASS OF ARTICLES AND TO
ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY WERE ANCIENT OR
MODERN. AFTER CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY HE WAS
ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL (3) IN HIS EFFORT. HE
ASCERTAINED THAT THESE ARTICLES WERE MADE
FROM THE SOAPSTONE FOUND IN THAT REGION (4)
BY SOME PERSONS WHO HAD LEARNED HOW TO
GIVE THEM THE APPEARANCE OF AGE. THIS IS DONE
BY PLACING THEM, AFTER BEING CARVED, IN
RUNNING WATER WHICH IS TINCTURED WITH
IRON(4), AS MOST OF THE STREAMS IN THAT REGION
ARE. AS A PROOF OF THE CORRECTNESS OF HIS
STATEMENT MR. EMMERT HAD THE SAME PARTIES
WHO STATED THEY HAD MADE SOME ARTICLES FOR
MR. VALENTINE MAKE QUITE A NUMBER OF SIMILAR
ARTICLES FOR THE BUREAU. SOME OF THESE ARE
REPRESENTED IN FIGS. 225, 226, AND 227 A,B (5)

4
1) AN ARTICLE IN THE JOURNAL OF THE
ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND IRELAND FOR JUNE 1882 (1)

On North Carolina Stone Carvings

A. H. Keane
The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great
Britain and Ireland, Vol. 12 (1883), pp. 281-288 (8 pages)
[Link]

5
2) “SINGULAR WORKS OF ART” - EMMERT

Artifacts represent doodemag, of all the Anishinaabe clan symbols

Axes Birdstones
Pipes Boatstone
Pallets Ladle
Censers Gouges
Stelae Effigies
Bowls Ghurra Churn
Cups (paint) Rice field plows
Axes Hoe Blades
Celts Human Skeletons
Bannerstone Paint (red ochre/ yellow ocre
Ocarina Charcoal
Discoidal Wampum Belt – 28 (Bead)
Donut stones Anklet Beads - 7
Quartz plummets Steatite / Soapstone
Arrowheads/ Spearpoints Copper
Pottery Mica
Sandstone Skull shot by Desoto
6
3) “EMMERT WAS ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL”- (THOMAS)
Emmert wrote he was unsuccessful in finding any of the relics that
Valentine found,
Emmert actually wrote to Cyrus Thomas that he was ‘entirely
unsuccessful” in finding the relics, then paid someone to make replicas
(yet accusing the Valentines of doing this
Emmert was fired by Thomas in 1887 for misconduct,
Then re-hired in 1889

This could be a sign of corruption?

Could it be that the when the 1883 Code of Indian Offenses was passed,
banning any ceremonies and marriage rites, these agents went to mount
Pisgah with the mission to remove the marriage rite, their treasure
status and authenticity and create a shadow over the excitement about
these artifacts as written about by Keane. The Doodemag found here are
directly related to the marriage rite due to the law of exogamy.

7
EMMERT SENT TO
MOUNT PISGAH
Ashville, NC, April 11, 1883
Mr. Cyrus Thomas
Dear Sir, I have just returned here this A. W. from Mt. Pisgah. It is about twenty eight
miles from this point, nearly due west, and lies partly in four counties, viz Buncomb,
Haywood, Henderson and Transylvania. These four Countries all corner nearly on the
top of Mount Pisgah. It is the highest and “roughest” mountain in all this section of
country. Standing on top of Mt. Pisga, Buncomb county is to the northeast, Haywood
to the west and northwest, Transylvania to the north and southwest, Henderson to the
southeast. The East fork of Pidgeon river heads in Pisgah and runs westward through
Haywood county; Hominy creek runs out of the north end of Pisgah and runs
northward through a part of the Buncomb county into the French Broad river. Pisgah
proper is a very large mountain, and the spurs and ridges leading from it make up a
good portion of the counties named above. I have spent several days on it and layed
out one night on it by myself, and failed to find any of the specimens described by Mr.
Valentine. He (Mr. V.) has an agent in Haywood who has been, and is still, buying up
relics and shipping them to Mr. Valentine at Richmond, Va. I am told by reliable men
that some of the parties on the head of Pidgeon river have been making images and
selling to Mr. V.’s agent as Indian relics, One man told me he could furnish me any kind

9
Of a picture or image I wanted if I would give him 10
2500 artifacts would
days time. He said they had made and sold as much as take 68 years to
$70.00 worth in two weeks time. I told him I did not make,
want anything but old relics. He said you would never Material science
know the difference as he could sink them in running Note: water cannot
water for a few days and they would look old. Mr. V.’s stain soapstone,
agent told me he had paid out over $2,000 in the last since it is non-
three years for relics. porous. It does not
… From what I have seen, I know that East Tennessee have ability to
and southwest Viriginia bests this country for relics, as
absorb iron or
this country has been worked over by Mr. Valentines
tincture or stain with
iron.
agent for the last three of four years. He told me he
shipped specimens to Mr. V knowing they were modern,
Non Porous material
but said they would be old after awhile. I think Mr. V and Steatite/ soapstone/
his agent have both been deceived. talc do not absorb
.. iron from water
Yours very truly;
John Emmert When soapstone is
heated under high
heat such as a fire,
it becomes
enstatite, showing a
10
Heat Affected Zone
Ashville, N. C., April 17, 1883
Mr Cyrus Thomas,
Dear Sir:
Yours of the 13th tho had this A.W. It so happened that one
of the men who wanted to furnish my relics was at the post-
office when I got your letter. I told him I wanted some of his
skillful work, that you would not know the difference. He
started home at once to get them up. I go there tomorrow,
and will get him to make all he can. Now please have me
$30.00 here by return mail, or I will be in a bad fix without
money. I will take his receipt for the amount paid for each
piece. I wrote you yesterday about a big mound I opened, in
which I said I would go to Tennessee at once, but I will go on
and have the images made and will come back her on the
21st for the money you send me. Please don’t disappoint me
in sending it by return mail to Ashville, Buncomb county,
N.C.
Yours very truly;
John W. Emmert
11
Ashville, NC, April 25, 1883
Mr. Cyrus Thomas
Dear Sir, Yours with Check received. I have
had a hard lot of men to deal with but
have succeeded in getting your
specimens made, which I ship by express
to Maj. Powell today.
The men say Mr. Valentine Had them to
make his specimens and bury them, and
then he afterwards came back with other
men and had them dug up.
Yours Very Truly
John W Emmert

12
April 24, 1883 (published in April 25, 1883
A party engaged in making surveys and
archaeological investigation in North Carolina,
under the direction of the bureau of ethnology,
has just discovered near Mount Pisgah, in that
State, two prehistoric aboriginal mounds,
containing an unusually rich and valuable
collection of polished stone axes, celts, and other
Indian implements. The mounds had apparently
served as burial places, and also contained the
remains of human bodies. A collection of the
implements, which constitutes one of the richest
and most valuable “finds” recently made in the
Eastern States, will be brought to Washington and
added to the collection of the National Museum.

13
Ashville, NC, April 25, 1883
Mr. Cyrus Thomas
Dear Sir, …
…The men say Mr. Valentine Had
them to make his specimens and
bury them, and then he afterwards
came back with other men and had
them dug up…
Yours Very Truly
John W Emmert

14
May 15, 1883
Dear Sir:
I shall be glad to have from you all the information
you can obtain as to the business of
manufacturing soap-stone implements – how long
this has been going on, how many they have
made, to whom they have been sold, and all
about it. I shall not use this information in any
improper manner; and under no circumstances
will your name be mentioned in connection
therewith.
I will see that the money you want is promptly sent
to you.
Yours Truly
S P Baird
John W Emmert, Esq. Ashville, NC

15
Ashville, NC, March 26, 1886
Prof Baird
Dear Sir, Mr Thomas
…I did promise the parties who manufactured the that
their names should not be made public and I think I
made no promise of secrecy and can have no
objection to your stating the facts
Yours Truly
John W Emmert…

16
Ashville, NC, March 27, 1886
Prof Baird
Dear Sir, …I wrote you yesterday in regard to making public the
facts bearing on the manufactured articles from N.C. After
studying the matter over, I think it would be acting in bad faith
with the parties who made them and give me the information if
we were to mention their names. As I promised them positively
that their names should not be known, and you assured me at the
time that they should not- anything in regard to me or what I have
said is at your pleasure to do as you see fit. If you think it
necessary I will carry forward with the parties in N.C. and let you
know what they say in regard to the matter or as I can serve you
in any way call on me at any time.
Yours Truly
John W Emmert… 17
BAT CREEK CONNECTION

[Link]
March 8, 1887
‘(Emmert’s) conduct has been such that I
deemed it necessary for the good of the
service to let him go”- Cyrus Thomas

18
“IMITATION OF INDIAN CARVING,” SMITHSONIAN CATALOG UPDATED

1883 STONE CELT, NORTH CAROLINA- CROSSED OUT ‘FIGURINE CARVED

IN SOAPSTONE’, AND REPLACED IT WITH ‘FRAUDULENT ANTIQUITY.
AFTER BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN,
RECENTLY SOMEONE CHANGED THE RECORD TO “VINCENT ID”
EMMERT, CYRUS THOMAS
REPORT
Emmert was fired 1887 by cyrus Thomas, then re-hired 1891 prior to writing his book on mounds, in wich he
published this claim

– date of British archaeology letter 1883

- Singular class of artifacts/ actual many classes of artifacts

- Claim that Emmert identified someone who says they immersed the soapstone carving in ferrugious
running water

- Material Properties of soapstone – cannot be stained and it is non porous material that wont pick up
stains from iron water

- In another version emmert wrote that valentine had the men plant the artifacts for others to dig up

- Smithsonian catalog number 13791, In the smithsonian catalog it said “these counte-feit objects are
carved from a rotten soapstone rock, stained black and rubbed over with a yellowish clay to hide the
recent in-cisions
Mount Pisgah ‘Soapstone images Receipt, Compare with this Receipt, from the same
showing same handwriting for Payee and time, with different handwriting for Payee and
Payer Signed by
Smithsonian made two more copy versions showing copies of the receipt – each signed by
the same hand that wrote them, on April 24, 1883 and none signed by who the were written
to: J. M. Burnett
Smithsonian made two more copy versions showing copies of the receipt – each signed by
the same hand that wrote them, on and on May 21, 1883 and none signed by who the were
written to: J. M. Burnett
Charles Rau Wrote that story up later in 1885-1886 saying the correspondent had the parties
immerse the steatite sculptures in ferruginous running water to give them an antique
appearance.
Garden Creek Mound site mounds

1) 31HW1 – smathers Mound – AKA Mound 1

- AKA Conical Mound

2) 31HW2 - Mound 2, -Previously Worked Mound

3)31hW3 - Plott Mound

Mound 3-
Worked by heye 1915 as expedition mound

4) 31HW5 - Wells Mound (with skull in Pisgah book, possibly

on other side of the creek if not mound 1)
Was there a fire?
Over 1500 charcoal
samples found in Mound 1
catalog at UNC,

Heye confirmed there was

a fire in his report on the
mound excavations in
1915. -17 areas of fire

Figurine has evidence of

fire- cracked zone (caused
by heating)
Mount Pisgah Bear
Sculpture cracked
in half and shows
signs of being
Fire cracked rock –
evidence of heat
from fire changes
steatite to enstatite
Desoto Chronicle accounts showing the village of cofiticheque called the temple of El Cu, House of
idols

Burnt down- as evidence by blacked pearls left after

XVI on the floor against the walls, on very well-made benches, as was everything in the temple, were
the chests that served as sepulchers, in which were the bodies of the curacas who had been loards of
that province of cofiticheque, and of their sons and brothers and nephews, the sons of their brothers,
No others were buried in that temple. The chests were well covered with their lids. Excatly one vara
above each chest was a statue carved from wood, against the wall on its pedestal. This was a portrait
taken while living of the deceased man or woman who was in the chest, at the age at which they died.
The practice served as a record and memorial of their ancestors. The statues of the men had weapons
in their hands, but those of the children and women had nothing. The space on the walls between the
portraits of the dead and the statues on the upper part was covered with round and oblong shields,
large and small, made of cane so strongly woven that it could turn a dart from a crossbow, though a
harbiqus shot penetrated them more than the dart. The oblong and round shields were interwoven
with strings of pearls and seed pearls, and around the edges they had borders of colored threads that
embellished them greatly. On the floor of the temple lengthwise, were placed on benches three rows
of wooden chests, large and small, one on top of another. They were arranged in order so that the
large ones came first, then then on them the others… six chests high- in a pyramid
The cunete fragment “There are not a number of pearls because ‘he (Burnt and
partially destroyed) in the house of an idol they called El Cu in cofiticheque, they
found more than 12 horse-loads of pearls, and the caciques of that town wo were
embalmed in El Cu the had great sacks of pearls at the necks. They found Much
worked copper like fine sheets…. There are many squirrels, bears, lions, panther,
in all the rivers many fish and shellfish, flounder
THANK YOU
Vincent Barrows

225-916-2258

V_barrows@[Link]