Stone Art Thirteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-1892, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1896, pages 47-178.

Part 1

Chapter 12,127 wordsPublic domain

STONE ART

BY

GERARD FOWKE

CONTENTS

Page

Introduction 57 Basis for the work 57 Classification of objects and materials 57

The arts and their distribution 60 Districts 60 Descriptive terms 62 Ground and pecked articles 62 Grooved axes 62 Celts 72 Gouges 82 Chisels and scrapers 83 Chipped celts 86 Hematite celts 86 Pestles 87 Pitted stones 91 Cupped stones 91 Mullers 93 Grinding and polishing stones 93 Hammerstones 94 Grooved stones other than axes 95 Mortars 96 Sinkers 97 Perforated stones 98 Discoidal stones 99 Spuds 109 Plummets 110 Cones 113 Hemispheres 114 Paint stones 115 Ceremonial stones 115 Functions and purposes 115 Gorgets 116 Banner stones 120 Boat-shape stones 124 Picks 125 Spool-shape ornaments 125 Bird-shape stones 125 Shaft rubbers 126 Tubes 126 Pipes 128 Chipped stone articles 132 Materials and manufacture 132 Spades 133 Turtlebacks 136 Smaller chipped implements 139 Materials and modes of manufacture 139 Classification of the implements 142 Stemless flints 143 Characters and uses 143 Larger implements 144 Smaller objects 147 Stemmed flints 150 Straight or taper stems 150 Expanding stems 156 Perforators 164 Character and uses 164 Stemless forms 165 Stemmed forms 167 Blunt arrowheads, or “bunts” 168 Scrapers 169 Stemmed 169 Stemless 169 Cores 170 Flakes 171 Miscellaneous forms 174 Notes on beveled flints 177

ILLUSTRATIONS

Museum number Page

FIG. 29. Grooved ax, showing groove projections (82379) 63

30. Grooved ax, showing pointed edge (99318) 64

31. Grooved ax, showing groove entirely around (83360) 65

32. Grooved ax, slender, showing groove entirely around (116240) 65

33. Grooved ax, showing grooved back 66

34. Grooved ax, showing grooved back (90512) 66

35. Grooved ax, showing rounded back (71575) 67

36. Grooved ax, showing flattened curved back 68

37. Grooved ax, showing flattened straight back (71258) 68

38. Grooved ax, Keokuk type (71566) 69

39. Grooved ax, showing adze form (84348) 69

40. Grooved ax, showing diagonal groove (72211) 69

41. Grooved ax, showing wide edge (90862) 69

42. Grooved ax, showing curved edge (91746) 70

43. Grooved ax, showing single groove projection (62907) 70

44. Grooved adze (114526) 71

45. Grooved adze, showing curved blade (131483) 71

46. Notched ax, showing polished edge (62753) 72

47. Celt, showing blade thick near edge (71413) 73

48. Celt, showing blade thick near edge (91518) 73

49. Celt, showing long, slender form (114494) 74

50. Celt, nearly round section (65652) 75

51. Celt, nearly round section (65661) 75

52. Celt, showing nearly diamond section (65698) 76

53. Celt (112509) 77

54. Celt (83111) 77

55. Celt (82917) 77

56. Celt, showing “bell-shape” and roughening for handle (Tho. 7882) 78

57. Celt, showing rectangular section (114151) 78

58. Celt, showing wedge-shape (98427) 79

59. Celt, showing half-elliptical section (72059) 79

60. Celt, showing half-elliptical section (65440) 81

61. Celt, showing concave sides (115504) 81

62. Thin, polished celt (83056) 82

63. Thin, polished celt (114021) 82

64. Thin, polished celt (114157) 82

65. Celt, showing thin, gouge-form edge (92034) 83

66. Celt, chisel-form (91418) 83

67. Celt, chisel-form (82464) 83

68. Celt, chisel-form (131697) 83

69. Celt, chisel-form (82949) 84

70. Celt, chisel-form (116300) 84

71. Celt, showing scraper-form edge 85

72. Scraper (83346) 85

73. Scraper or adze, with projecting ridge (72289) 85

74. Adze or scraper (90528) 85

75. Chipped celt (87571) 86

76. Chipped celt (83272) 86

77. Chipped celt (113837) 86

78. Hematite celt (91920) 87

79. Hematite celt (113925) 87

80. Hematite celt (87843) 87

81. Hematite celt (90733) 87

82. Handled pestle, with expanding base (90876) 88

83. Pestle, long cylindrical form (115416) 89

84. Pestle, conical (114254) 89

85. Pestle (65452) 90

86. Pestle (71428) 90

87. Pestle, grooved for handle (72276) 90

88. Pestle (131524) 90

89. Cupped stone or paint cup (82509) 93

90. Muller, showing polished surface (116134) 93

91. Muller, showing polished surface (132119) 94

92. Hammerstone (114344) 95

93. Grooved round stone (72277) 95

94. Grooved hammer (107300) 96

95. Discoidal stone (115414) 100

96. Discoidal stone, with perforation (88137) 101

97. Discoidal stone, with perforation (30234) 101

98. Discoidal stone, with secondary depression (82619) 102

99. Discoidal stone, in form of a ring (62708) 102

100. Discoidal stone (90497) 103

101. Discoidal stone (114330) 103

102. Discoidal stone, convex (83142) 104

103. Discoidal stone (91805) 105

104. Discoidal stone (82953) 106

105. Discoidal stone, with V-shaped edges (116198) 108

106. Discoidal stone, used as mortar (131566) 108

107. Discoidal stone, probably used as hammer (97763) 108

108. Discoidal pottery fragment (115873) 109

109. Spud (115544) 110

110. Spud (115925) 110

111. Spud (88130) 111

112. Plummet, grooved near one end (82490) 111

113. Plummet, double-grooved (90746) 111

114. Plummet, grooved near middle (114349) 112

115. Plummet, grooved lengthwise (65318) 112

116. Plummet, grooveless, perforated (65319) 112

117. Plummet, double cone in shape (132140) 112

118. Plummet (131923) 112

119. Plummet (90850) 113

120. Plummet, end ground flat (98659) 113

121. Plummet (116072) 113

122. Plummet, cylindrical (71445) 113

123. Cone (116339) 113

124. Cone (72305) 113

125. Cone (71501) 114

126. Cone (91944) 114

127. Hemispheres 114

128. Hemisphere (90729) 115

129. Paint stone (90731) 115

130. Gorget (88014) 118

131. Gorget (?) (Tho. 7834) 118

132. Gorget, reel-shape (113721) 119

133. Gorget (90649) 119

134. Gorget (72125) 120

135. Gorget, boat shape (114354) 121

136. Gorget, resembling boat-shape stone (107323) 121

137. Banner stone (90657) 121

138. Banner stone (115685) 121

139. Banner stone, reel-shape (63186) 122

140. Banner stone, with horn-like projections (113782) 122

141. Banner stone, crescent-shape (88586) 122

142. Banner stone, crescent-shape (115871) 122

143. Banner stone, crescent-shape (115900) 123

144. Butterfly banner stone 123

145. Butterfly banner stone (90831) 123

146. Banner stone (90714) 123

147. Boat-shape stone (87665) 124

148. Boat-shape stone (72347) 124

149. Pendant (116008) 125

150. Pick (113742) 125

151. Spool-shape ornament (38128) 125

152. Bird-shape stone (88351) 126

153. Shaft rubber 127

154. Tube, one end flattened (90713) 128

155. Tube, conical (88022) 128

156. Tube, hour-glass form (62869) 129

157. Tube, cylindrical (88588) 129

158. Pipe, flat base (90840) 129

159. Pipe (116048) 130

160. Pipe (82390) 130

161. Pipe, ornamented (72134) 130

162. Pipe (115452) 130

163. Pipe, long-stemmed (82832) 131

164. Pipe, short-stemmed (115546) 131

165. Pipe (114168) 131

166. Pipe (114310) 131

167. Pipe (62808) 132

168. Pipe (116024) 132

169. Chipped spade with pointed ends (82661) 134

170. Chipped spade with rounded ends (88155) 134

171. Chipped spade, ovoid (71695) 136

172. Chipped spade (65683) 137

173. Chipped spade, showing handle notches (90925) 138

174. Chipped spade (88428) 138

175. Chipped disk, or “turtleback” (15335) 138

176. Diagram, explaining terms 143

177. Triangular chipped flint (87556_a_) 144

178. Chipped flint (90672) 144

179. Chipped flint (116058) 145

180. Chipped flint, somewhat bell-shape (82883) 145

181. Chipped flint, elliptical outline (71562_a_) 145

182. Chipped flint, leaf-shape or oval outline (88353) 145

183. Chipped flint (132186) 146

184. Chipped flint, large, pointed elliptical outline (88122) 146

185. Chipped flint, large, long, sharp point (113767) 146

186. Chipped flint, large (114486) 147

187. Chipped flint (91921_a_) 147

188. Chipped flint (114277) 147

189. Chipped flint, with shoulders (115419) 147

190. Chipped flint, small (62883) 148

191. Chipped flint, triangular (91754_a_) 148

192. Chipped flint, asymmetric (115404) 148

193. Chipped flint, concave edges (82832) 148

194. Chipped flint, triangular (88072) 148

195. Chipped flint, small (131633) 149

196. Chipped flint, short, convex edges (114539) 149

197. Chipped flint, triangular (83235) 149

198. Chipped flint, concave edges (65811) 149

199. Chipped flint, convex base (114405) 149

200. Chipped flint, edges concave (91921_b_) 150

201. Chipped flint, pentagonal (115634) 150

202. Chipped flint, narrow and thick (115665) 150

203. Chipped flint, stemmed, barbless (87555) 151

204. Chipped flint, stemmed, barbless (97754) 151

205. Chipped flint, expanding shoulder (132212) 152

206. Chipped flint, double-curved edges (83409_a_) 152

207. Chipped flint, double-curved edges (113605_a_) 152

208. Chipped flint, convex edges, long, tapering stem (72123) 152

209. Chipped flint, with long, tapering stem (82718) 153

210. Stemmed chipped flint, diamond or lozenge shape (91859_a_) 153

211. Stemmed chipped flint (65803) 153

212. Stemmed chipped flint (115405) 154

213. Stemmed chipped flint, ovoid (71562_b_) 154

214. Stemmed chipped flint, short blade (90750) 154

215. Stemmed chipped flint, symmetric outline (113821) 155

216. Stemmed chipped flint (113726) 155

217. Chipped flint, with very long, slender stem (87847) 156

218. Stemmed chipped flint, with but one barb or shoulder (91731) 156

219. Stemmed chipped flint, short (90673) 156

220. Stemmed chipped flint (87664) 156

221. Stemmed chipped flint, roughly made (65817) 157

222. Stemmed chipped flint (65786) 157

223. Stemmed chipped flint (90739_a_) 157

224. Stemmed chipped flint, edges convex (88323) 157

225. Stemmed chipped flint, with long barbs (83409_b_) 158

226. Stemmed chipped flint (131775) 158

227. Stemmed chipped flint (71562_c_) 159

228. Stemmed chipped flint, broad point (71562_d_) 159

229. Stemmed chipped flint, slender point (87837) 159

230. Stemmed chipped flint (90760) 159

231. Stemmed chipped flint (114558) 160

232. Stemmed chipped flint, thin (91921_d_) 160

233. Stemmed chipped flint (116059) 160

234. Stemmed chipped flint (113741) 160

235. Stemmed chipped flint (114340) 160

236. Stemmed chipped flint, slender, with small stem (116047) 161

237. Stemmed chipped flint, oval outline, notched (97547) 161

238. Stemmed chipped flint (65614) 162

239. Stemmed chipped flint, notched, very wide stem (113894) 162

240. Stemmed chipped flint, notched, very wide stem (90739_b_) 162

241. Stemmed chipped flint (82686) 163

242. Stemmed chipped flint, projecting shoulders (91754_b_) 163

243. Stemmed chipped flint (91921_c_) 163

244. Stemmed chipped flint, very rough (91136) 164

245. Perforator, not stemmed (87556_b_) 165

246. Perforator, not stemmed, double pointed (90843) 165

247. Perforator, not stemmed, double pointed (90759) 166

248. Perforator, not stemmed, rough base (91924) 166

249. Perforator, not stemmed, expanding base (87951) 166

250. Perforator, not stemmed, expanding base (88019) 166

251. Perforator, stemmed (113605_b_) 167

252. Perforator, stemmed, very wide shoulders (91754_c_) 167

253. Perforator, stemmed 167

254. Perforator, stemmed (83409_c_) 167

255. Perforator, stemmed, with cutting point (132226) 168

256. Blunt arrowhead, or “bunt” (132204) 168

257. Stemmed scraper (132190) 169

258. Stemmed scraper (71560) 169

259. Stemless scraper, celt form (131749) 170

260. Stemless scraper, flake (90822) 170

261. Cores (97526) 171

262. Core (97520) 171

263. Flake, chipped for scraper (91968) 173

264. Flake, chipped for knife or arrowhead (97537) 174

265. Flake, slender, probably for lancet (88018) 174

266. Stemmed chipped flint (132176) 174

267. Stemmed chipped flint, winged (132213) 175

268. Stemmed chipped flint (132174) 175

269. Stemmed chipped flint, barbed 175

270. Stemmed chipped flint, broad (132235_b_) 175

271. Stemmed chipped flint 176

272. Stemmed chipped flint, slender (132208) 176

273. Stemmed chipped flint 176

274. Stemmed chipped flint, triangular 176

275. Stemmed chipped flint (132235_a_) 176

276. Chipped flint, with sharp-edged stem (63150) 177

277. Stemmed chipped flint, point blunted from use 177

278. Stemmed chipped flint 177

STONE ART

By GERARD FOWKE

INTRODUCTION.

BASIS FOR THE WORK.

The collection of the Bureau of Ethnology includes almost every type of stone implement or ornament, and as the investigations and explorations of the collaborators have extended over nearly all the eastern and central portions of the Mississippi valley, it furnishes a substantial basis for showing the geographic distribution of various forms of objects in use among the aboriginal inhabitants.

It has not been deemed advisable to utilize material contained in other collections. Should this be done there would be no reason for drawing upon one rather than another, and if it were once begun the examination would finally extend to every collection made from American localities, a study which, although perhaps desirable, would transcend the scope of the Bureau plans.

Much that has been published in regard to the distribution of relics in various portions of the country is of little value to a paper of this kind, since few of the objects are sufficiently illustrated or referred to any class in other than the most general terms; so that it is frequently impossible to determine the group in which a given article should be placed. Partly for this reason, partly because the primary purpose is description of a certain collection made in a definite way, little space is given to the descriptive work of predecessors in the field of archeology. The general results of previous work are, however, carefully weighed in the conclusions reached.

CLASSIFICATION OF OBJECTS AND MATERIALS.

The ordinary division into chipped and pecked or ground implements has been adopted: the former including all such as are more easily worked by flaking, and the latter including those made from stone suitable for working down by pecking into form with stone hammers or by similar means. The system of nomenclature in general use has been retained, as it is now familiar to students of North American archeology, and, while not entirely satisfactory in some respects, is perhaps as good as can be devised in the present state of knowledge.