THE MUMMIES of KENTUCKY

Mummies in Kentucky?  When I think of mummies, my mind automatically goes to pyramids, sandy deserts, and Egypt.  It is a stretch for me to realistically consider the rock-covered hills of Kentucky as a good place to find a mummy.  However, in the many underground miles of the Mammoth Cave System there have been a number of mummies discovered.  It is believed that most of these findings are Native Americans that died while in the cave and then were naturally mummified by the cool dry air.  The Most famous of these was discovered in 1811 and named Fawn Hoof.  But who were they and why were they that far back in the cave?


         In the centuries before the white man explored what is now Kentucky and discovered the Mammoth Cave, there was a small band of Indians living in the natural comfort of the cave entrance.  They had been there for almost a year and considered it their home.  There was plenty of food close by, and lots of water, as well as the raw materials needed for their simple lifestyle.  They mined the chert for their tools, the gypsum for their paint, and the mirabilite for medicine.  They had explored over two miles of the huge cave and were familiar with all it had to offer.  Using torches made from the reeds that grew along the river, they were able to go deep into the dark womb of Mother Earth and retrieve the things that the Creator had put there for them to use. 

         As was normal for him, fifteen-year-old Arawaken lit his torch at the campfire, nodded at his woman and child, and left for his usual routine of looking for chert.  It was his responsibility to supply enough of the gray stone for everyone in the camp.  He had been doing this for nearly a year and up until today nothing very exciting or interesting had ever happened.  However, today would prove to be different. 

         Arawaken moved silently through the darkness of the cave letting his reed torch light his steps.  The smoke from the torch left another layer of black on the cave ceiling, which in later years would be the only sign of his passing.  As he walked through the tunnel, his mind and eyes were fine-tuned to the job he was doing.  He was looking for chert and that was all.  He was not looking for any new discoveries, nor did he wish to find any. 

         After less than one hour, the torch he was using had burned dangerously low so he stopped to light another.  With the new torch lit, he dropped the burnt one onto the stone floor of the cave and started to proceed on his quest for chert.  When the old torch hit the rocky floor, sparks flew in all directions, some of which illuminated the wall closest to him.  Arawaken noticed something white protruding from behind some fallen rocks near the wall.  He had spent enough time in the cave to know that this white thing wasn’t a part of the normal things seen in this cave. 
         Not unlike most young men his age, the sense of adventure, coupled with curiosity, compelled him to investigate the new finding.  Holding his torch high and moving carefully, he maneuvered himself around the fallen rocks to take a closer look.  Upon a closer inspection, he found that the white thing might be a horn or bone of an animal that he wasn’t familiar with.  With his mind whirling and his heart pounding, he started uncovering the white mystery that lay beneath the rocks.

         After two hours of hard work, he at last had enough of the mystery visible to know positively that he didn’t know what he had found.  The small white thing that had first gotten his attention had now turned into the largest strangest thing he had ever seen, attached to a skull equally as large and bizarre. He had heard stories of giant creatures that had lived long ago, but until now, they had been just stories.  The size of the newfound skull left little doubt that he had discovered the remains of the giant story creature.  Arawaken realized that it would take him many more hours to completely uncover the bones, and he also knew that the reed torches that he had brought wouldn’t last that long.  He had no other choice but to leave his find and return later with help. 

         When he emerged from the darkness of the cave, he was greeted by an elder who was waiting for the chert that the young man was supposed to bring out.  When the old man saw that Arawaken had none of the gray rock his eyes dropped and his heart was heavy.  He immediately assumed that the young man had gone into the cave and fallen asleep.  Arawaken knew what the elder was thinking and excitedly started telling about his new discovery.  The more he told of what he had found, the more the old man backed up, until the elder stood several feet away from Arawaken. 

         When his excitement had diminished somewhat, the young man looked around and saw that he had drawn a rather large crowd of onlookers.  Taking one-step toward the crowd, he was puzzled at their response of taking two steps back away from him.  Arawaken had always been well liked and respected by the other members of his clan and didn’t like or understand this new treatment.  He was the same now as he had been before he had found the bones of the story creature; nothing had changed; at least not within himself.  Arawaken tried to tell the others that they had no reason to fear him, but his own woman wouldn’t let him get near her or their child.  Holding their baby close to her, she backed away from him with fear showing in her eyes.  Finally, he gave up and sat down to await the return of the other men.  Maybe they wouldn’t be afraid of the bones, or of him, and maybe even help him recover the remains of the story creature.  All he could do now was wait!  While waiting, he tried to remember the stories he had heard about the giant creature.  It had been called ma-mo-thee, meaning big nose, and it was said to have two giant white spears, bigger than a man, growing from its head.  Arawaken thought for a moment about what he had found and remembered the small white thing, that when uncovered, had turned into a very large white thing.  He also remembered something else; something that sent a shiver up his spine and made his skin feel cold and clammy.  He understood now why everyone was afraid of him, and he didn’t blame them.  According to the stories that he had heard, the creature’s spirit would enter his body and take over everything about him including his spirit.  The creature would then make him kill anyone that came near him until there was nobody left and then he would kill himself.  Arawaken sat on a large rock with his legs drawn up tight against his chest and his head resting on his knees.

Just before darkness covered the hills surrounding the cave like a giant blanket, the other men started filtering into the camp.  They had been hunting, fishing, or gathering the gifts that the Creator had bestowed on the land for them.  As each group returned, they were told of Arawaken’s discovery and kept their distance from him as though he had an illness that was contagious.  Every time he tried to talk to one of the men, they would back away from him leaving him alone.  His woman had fixed food for him, but had left it on a flat rock near the entrance to the cave.  Arawaken understood the meaning of this action and was even more upset by it than being treated badly by the other men.
         
That night he slept alone where his food had been left, and had time to think about the way his life had been and the way it would be from now on.  Before the morning sun was fully up, he knew what he must do; rebury the story creature and protect the clan from the creature’s spirit.

Going past the other people that were up, he started down the trail leading to the river where the red dye-berries grew in abundance.  It took only a short time to get to the berry bush and even less time to pick a handful of the beautiful red fruit.  Arawaken knew that he was picking very strong poison, and knew that he wouldn’t need many.  Going back to the cave entrance, he grabbed a handful of reed torches and started back into the womb of his Mother Earth.  He had no fear, but knew what he must do, and that he would never return.


         Centuries later his mummified body would be found entombed with the bones of a giant mammoth and displayed as a treasure.  The skeletal remains of a woman and baby would also be found near the entrance where it is theorized they had died waiting for his return.  There was no evidence of any people inhabiting this area after this group had gone.