Part 11

_O._ Differing from group _N_ only in having longer stems and shorter blades, the latter sometimes less than an inch. Illustrated in figure 214 (from Kanawha valley). Found also in Scioto valley and in central Ohio; southwestern Wisconsin; southwestern Arkansas; and southwestern Georgia.

_P._ Convex edges; square shoulders; stem forming a quite regular and continuous curve, slightly expanding in some specimens. The one shown in figure 215, from Kanawha valley, West Virginia, has the most symmetric outline of any specimen in the entire collection. There are other specimens from Kanawha valley, and also from northeastern Kentucky; Miami valley, Ohio; Washington county, Pennsylvania; eastern and western Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; and southeastern Arkansas.

_Q._ Similar to group _P_ except that stem and base are straight. They are symmetric and well finished, vary more in size than those of the last group, being from 1¼ to 4¼ inches long, the others not reaching either of these limits.

The type (figure 216) comes from Knox county, Ohio, and other specimens from Miami valley and central Ohio; Keokuk, Iowa; northeastern Kentucky; Kanawha valley; eastern and western Tennessee; eastern, southeastern, and southwestern Arkansas; eastern and southwestern Wisconsin; northwestern Georgia; and southwestern Illinois.

_R._ Edges generally convex, sometimes straight; base straight or convex, only rarely concave; shoulders usually square, sometimes rounded; stem expanding by straight lines. From less than an inch to 3½ inches long, mostly about the medium.

The form, which resembles that shown in figure 216 in a general way, is widely distributed, its range including Keokuk, Iowa; Miami and Scioto valleys, Ohio; Bibb county and Savannah, Georgia, as well as the northwestern part of the state; eastern Tennessee; Kanawha valley, West Virginia; southeastern and southwestern Arkansas; southwestern Illinois, and Brown county in the same state; northeastern Kentucky; southern and southwestern Wisconsin; western and central North Carolina; and northeastern Alabama.

_S._ Differing from group _Q_ in having the blade short, stem long (in some cases longer than blade), and only slight shoulders. Base somewhat convex in a few specimens; from an inch to 2¼ inches in length. From Kanawha valley; northwestern Georgia; Miami and Scioto valleys, Ohio; southwestern Arkansas; southern Wisconsin; and northeastern Alabama.

Beginning with those of group _N_ and ending with those last described, all the best worked and most finely finished specimens are from Kanawha valley, West Virginia; northeastern Kentucky, and the central and southern parts of Ohio.

_T._ Convex edges; square shoulders; slender; very long and slender tapering or straight stem, coming almost to a point at the base. Illustrated in figure 217 (from Kanawha valley). Others are from central North Carolina; Kanawha valley; southwestern Arkansas; and Catahoula parish, Louisiana. The specimens from the two latter districts have the stem wider and less pointed than the others.

_U._ With one large, much expanded shoulder, the other being absent or very slight; both edges convex, or one convex and the other straight; stem sometimes straight, but usually tapering, being almost pointed in some; base usually convex, sometimes straight, rarely concave. A specimen from Ross county, Ohio, has the base deeply notched; it seems to have been symmetrical originally, and one barb or shoulder being broken, to have had that edge dressed down. Many were thus reworked, but in most cases it is evident that the form is original. Some are slender, others broad.

The type shown in figure 218 is from Bowie county, Texas. Other examples are from southwestern Arkansas; Catahoula parish, Louisiana; Scioto valley, Ohio; Kanawha valley; western and central North Carolina; eastern Tennessee; South Carolina; northeastern Alabama; as well as from northwestern Georgia and about Savannah.

EXPANDING STEMS.

In this class of flints the stem is expanding, unless the contrary is stated. The majority of specimens having barbs belong to this class; while those with straight or tapering stem usually have only square or rounded shoulders, the barb seldom appearing.

_A._ Short and broad; base usually straight, sometimes convex, rarely concave; notched in from edges to form the stem; very seldom with well-defined shoulders, and never barbed. The type, illustrated in figure 219, is from Kanawha valley, West Virginia. Found also in northeastern Kentucky; western North Carolina; northwestern Georgia and about Savannah; eastern Tennessee; Coosa valley, Alabama; and Union county, Mississippi.

_B._ Edges convex, seldom straight; base straight or rarely convex or concave; notched in on edges close to base, so as to leave a slight tang; thin and well worked; from an inch to 2¼ inches long. All from Savannah have concave bases; a few are notched so as to have slight shoulders, and they are somewhat larger than from other localities. They fit better in this group, however, than in any other. A typical example, shown in figure 220, is from Montgomery county, North Carolina. Others are from central North Carolina; eastern Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; various localities in South Carolina; and about Savannah, Georgia.

_C._ Roughly made; unsymmetrical, seemingly made hastily; of various patterns, including all the common shapes. Nearly all with convex edges, few straight, none concave. Base straight or concave, often the natural surface or fracture of the stone. Sometimes made from the tip of a broken larger specimen. From 1 to 5 inches long; slender or wide; usually thick, except when made from a thin flake. Edges notched just at the base in some, leaving a slight tang; others have the corners chipped out. This group is quite variable in size and in character of workmanship, as well as in form. The material also is variable.

The types (figures 221 and 222) are, respectively, from Bledsoe and Polk counties, Tennessee. The range includes eastern Tennessee; Kanawha valley; western North Carolina; eastern and southwestern Wisconsin; northeastern Alabama and Tuscaloosa valley; South Carolina; southwestern and northeastern Arkansas; central Ohio and Scioto valley; northeastern Kentucky; and southwestern Georgia, as well as Savannah.

_D._ Edges convex, rarely straight; base straight or convex; slender; from 1¼ to 4 inches long; usually thin; deeply notched, with edges worked close to base, leaving the latter as wide as the blade, or nearly so. This form could be quite firmly attached to a shaft or handle. It is illustrated by figure 223, representing one of the specimens from Kanawha valley. It is found also in southwestern Illinois and Brown county in the same state; eastern, southern, and southwestern Wisconsin; western and central North Carolina; eastern Tennessee; northwestern Georgia; central Ohio and Scioto valley; southeastern Arkansas; northeastern Kentucky; and Coosa and Tuscaloosa valleys, Alabama.

_E._ Edges convex; base straight or convex; shoulders square or rounded; stem expanding by curved lines. A few are small enough for arrows, but most of them are large or of medium size. The specimen from Vernon county, Wisconsin, illustrated in figure 224, is representative. The group is characteristic of southwestern Wisconsin; Kanawha valley; central Ohio and Scioto valley; western and central North Carolina; eastern Tennessee; southeastern and southwestern Arkansas; southwestern Illinois; South Carolina; Coosa valley, Alabama; and Savannah, Georgia.

_F._ Edges straight or convex; long barbs, sometimes reaching to the base; stem straight or slightly tapering; base straight, or very slightly convex or concave, usually well finished. One barb is sometimes longer than the other, or the stem may be to one side of the center line. Sometimes made of a flake, the flat side being left untouched.

The type shown in figure 225 is from Madison county, Alabama. It is found generally in northeastern and northwestern Alabama, and also in eastern Tennessee; Kanawha valley; Keokuk, Iowa; Holt county, Missouri; southwestern Illinois and Brown county in the same state; northwestern Georgia and about Savannah; southeastern and southwestern Arkansas; northeastern Kentucky, and western and central North Carolina.

_G._ Similar to the last, but with stem expanding by straight or curved lines; base always straight in larger specimens, sometimes convex or concave in smaller ones. Barbs varying in length, short in some and reaching nearly to the base in others. From three-fourths to 3¾ inches in length, and varying much in width.

Figure 226 represents a typical example from Jackson county, Illinois. The range, which is quite wide, includes southwestern Illinois; northeastern, southwestern, and southeastern Arkansas; Miami and Scioto valleys, and central Ohio; southern and southwestern Wisconsin; western and central North Carolina; eastern Tennessee; South Carolina; northeastern Kentucky; Kanawha valley; and Savannah, Georgia.

_H._ Wide blade; short; convex edges; square shoulders or slight barbs; base convex or concave; stem broad and expanding by curved lines; generally thick. Those with convex base are all of medium size, while those with concave base range from an inch to 4 inches in length.

The form is indicated in figure 227, representing a good specimen from Dane county, Wisconsin. It is found over southern Wisconsin; northeastern Alabama and Coosa valley; southwestern Illinois and Brown county in the same state; central North Carolina; northwestern Georgia and about Savannah; eastern Tennessee; Miami and Scioto valleys, Ohio; Kanawha valley; southwestern Arkansas; South Carolina; and Keokuk, Iowa.

_I._ Edges parallel, or nearly so most of the length, with abrupt curve to the point; base straight or slightly convex; stem expanding by straight or curved lines; notched in from the corners of the base giving long barbs, which, in a few, project slightly beyond the line of edges; thin; well worked; from 2 to 4 inches long.

The specimen illustrated in figure 228 is from Dane county, Wisconsin, and there are several others from southern Wisconsin; southwestern Illinois; Scioto valley, Ohio; and Kanawha valley, West Virginia.

_J._ Edges convex or sometimes straight; base straight or slightly convex. Notched in on the edges, leaving the stem nearly or quite as wide at the bottom as the blade; corners of the base square or slightly rounded. Mostly small, suitable for arrows, though a few are larger, up to 3¼ inches. A few of these have the base polished. Some of the small ones are made of flakes having the natural, conchoidal shape and worked on one side only. Typical forms, shown in figures 229 and 230, are from Kanawha valley, and Nicholas county, Kentucky, respectively. The distribution extends also over southern and southwestern Wisconsin; Miami valley, Ohio; Holt county, Missouri; northeastern Kentucky; Brown county, Illinois; southwestern Arkansas; Coosa valley, Alabama; eastern Tennessee, and about Savannah, Georgia.

_K._ Straight or convex edges (a few serrated or beveled); base straight, sometimes polished; notched in from the corners so as to give sharp barbs, with wide stem expanding by straight lines. Medium size. Illustrated in figure 231 (Bradley county, Tennessee). Found in eastern Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; Scioto valley; Kanawha valley; South Carolina; and about Savannah, Georgia.

_L._ Very thin; well worked; usually quite symmetrical; base straight or slightly concave; stem expanding by curved lines; with shoulders or barbs; base with sharp tangs. Some specimens quite slender, others almost as wide as long. Few are above two inches in length. The edge is sometimes a broken line instead of a regular curve. The form is shown in figures 232 and 233, representing specimens from Lawrence county, Ohio, and Loudon county, Tennessee, respectively. Others are from Kanawha valley; Miami and Scioto valleys, Ohio; eastern Tennessee; western and central North Carolina; Union county, Mississippi; northeastern Kentucky; and southwestern Illinois.

_M._ Convex edges; usually quite symmetric; base generally straight, although sometimes convex or concave; stem expanding by straight or curved lines, and notched in from the corners by a narrow notch whose sides are parallel. Sometimes beveled (or feathered). The barb as well as the notch of the same width throughout its entire length. The type (figure 234) is from Knox county, Ohio, and similar forms come from central Ohio; Kanawha valley; western North Carolina; southern Wisconsin; southwestern Illinois; South Carolina; eastern Tennessee; and Savannah, Georgia.

_N._ Straight, or rarely convex, edges; base straight or slightly curved, with rounded corners; notched in on the edges above the corners, with sharp barbs. Nearly every specimen is beveled, and some are serrated. Base polished in many of them even when slightly concave. A good example from Ross county, Ohio, is represented in figure 235. Others are from Miami and Scioto valleys and elsewhere in Ohio, as well as from Kanawha valley; eastern Tennessee; northwestern Alabama; southwestern Georgia, and about Savannah in the same state. The style of chipping is frequently such as to give serrated edges, as in the specimen figured.

_O._ Long; slender; thin; short, small stem; convex base; notched upward from the corners of the base; short barbs. The type shown in figure 236 is from Loudon county, Tennessee, and other specimens come from eastern Tennessee and southeastern Arkansas.

_P._ Convex edges and base; sometimes, though very seldom, the edges are nearly straight; the typical, leaf-shape implement, except for the notch, which is always worked in from the widest part of the specimen at right angles to the axis. The base is invariably polished, even in the smallest specimens. From Licking county (figure 237) as well as from Miami valley and throughout central Ohio; Kanawha valley; eastern Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; northeastern Alabama; southern Wisconsin; and about Savannah, Georgia.

_Q._ Edges less convex than the last, sometimes straight; the notches are worked in nearer the base, going in an angle of about 45 degrees, instead of perpendicular to the middle line or axis. Sometimes the blade is of uniform thickness until very close to the edges, which are worked off in a double chisel-edge. Very few of these, or of group _P_, are small enough for arrows. Usually symmetrical and well finished; the base always polished, but whether from use or to add to the utility of the specimen can not be determined. From Miami valley, Ohio; Keokuk, Iowa; southwestern Wisconsin; and eastern Tennessee.

_R._ Differing from the two last described only in being longer, and in having the stem always come to a point by either convex or concave lines, instead of being regularly convex; base never polished. From Kanawha valley, West Virginia, and central Arkansas.

_S._ Edges usually straight, sometimes concave, rarely convex; notched in deeply from edges; seldom barbed; stem nearly always wider than the blade, and large. Base convex; occasionally somewhat concave with rounded corners, and nearly always polished. Some (including all from the Savannah collection) are beveled and a few have blunt and rounded points, apparently broken specimens reworked. From less than an inch to nearly 3 inches long. Even among the very small ones, some have the base polished.

An implement of this form, or of any form in which the stem is wide or with very long tangs, and especially with concave base, would be well adapted for hunting purposes. The wide stem would allow firm attachment to a shaft, whether as an arrow or a spear, and at the same time would be very difficult to withdraw from a wound. The shaft would impede the flight of an animal pierced by the weapon, particularly in weeds or bushes; though greater force would be required with these than with the more slender points to make them effective.

The type delineated in figure 238 is from Warren county, Ohio, and the form is well represented also in Scioto and Miami valleys, Ohio; western North Carolina; Kanawha valley; eastern Tennessee; southern and southwestern Wisconsin; southeastern and southwestern Arkansas; northeastern Kentucky; northeastern Alabama; and about Savannah, Georgia.

_T._ Convex edges; base straight, or slightly convex or concave, with square corners, and nearly always polished; stem as wide as the blade or wider. Some rather slender, others as wide as long. Very few are beveled, except those from Savannah, all of which are thus made. From three-fourths to 2¼ inches long. Found in eastern Tennessee; Kanawha valley (including the specimen shown in figure 239); western North Carolina; southern and southwestern Wisconsin; South Carolina; southwestern Arkansas; Miami valley, Ohio; and in the vicinity of Savannah.

_U._ Edges usually straight, sometimes convex; base regularly concave, or rounding off into a convex curve at the corners, and nearly always polished. The stem in all is wider than the blade. Those from Savannah are all beveled, and but few of them have polished bases. The type, illustrated in figure 240, is from Kanawha valley, and others come from Kanawha valley; southern Wisconsin; Scioto valley; eastern Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; and Savannah, Georgia.

_V._ Edges convex, seldom straight, never concave; usually well finished; base concave; notch worked in from the edge above the corner so as to leave the upper portion of the tang parallel to the lower, or base; corners square. Few are beveled. The length is from 1 to 4 inches, the width also varying considerably; some are widest at or near the middle of the blade, others are as wide at base as at any other part.

The form is illustrated in figure 241 (Union county, Illinois). The distribution is wide, including southwestern Illinois; northwestern and southwestern Georgia and Savannah; northeastern Kentucky; Kanawha valley; South Carolina; northwestern Alabama; eastern Tennessee; eastern and southern Wisconsin; western and central North Carolina; southeastern and southwestern Arkansas; Miami valley, Ohio; Keokuk, Iowa; and Union county, Mississippi.

_W._ Edges usually convex, sometimes straight; notched in on the edges above the corners; base concave; some slender, others broad. Somewhat resembling the two preceding types, but more roughly made. From 1 to 4 inches long. Represented by material from western and central North Carolina; Kanawha valley; eastern Tennessee; northeastern Alabama and Coosa valley, as well as from Miami valley, Ohio.

_X._ Small; very slender; convex edges, with wing-like barbs or shoulders; stem slightly expanding by curved lines. This rather rare type, shown in figure 242 (from Ouachita county, Arkansas), is known from northeastern and southwestern Arkansas, as well as eastern Tennessee, and Savannah, Georgia.

_Y._ Edges mostly straight, in a few convex; base straight, convex, or concave, in some specimens of each being polished; notched in on the edges just above the corners, notches usually slight; always widest at base. A few, including all from Savannah, are serrated or beveled. Very few are over an inch and a half long. They are nearly always thick. One from Kanawha valley has the point worn perfectly smooth and the edges polished half way to the base, showing use as a drill. Points of this form would make the countersunk holes so common in gorgets and other flat stones.

This form is widely distributed. The type (figure 243) is from Lawrence county, Ohio. Its range includes Miami and Scioto valleys, Ohio; northwestern Georgia and Savannah; eastern Tennessee; Kanawha valley; southwestern Illinois, and Brown county in the same state; western North Carolina; Coosa valley, Alabama; southwestern Arkansas; South Carolina; northeastern Kentucky; and eastern Wisconsin.

_Z._ Very rough finish; blade more or less worked by first chipping (there being usually no secondary chipping) to convex edges; base generally the natural surface of the nodule or pebble from which the implement was made; notches worked in roughly on the edges. They were probably knives or spears, or in some cases celts or chisels, though none show polish. With these are placed a few that seem to be the points of larger rough implements, broken and having notches worked in the fragments. A typical form, shown in figure 244, is from Mississippi county, Arkansas. It occurs also in northeastern Arkansas; Scioto valley, Ohio; western Tennessee; southwestern Illinois; and Kanawha valley, West Virginia.

PERFORATORS.

CHARACTER AND USES.

The implements variously classed by different writers as awls, drills, needles, rimmers or reamers, and the like, seem to represent a graded series, and as no distinction can be made in the different kinds, if, indeed, there is any room for distinction, they are grouped under one term, “perforators.”

Very few of the specimens could be used as drills, as most of them are too thin; only those with a rhomboidal or triangular section would seem adapted to this purpose, and the majority even of these seem too fragile. It is more probable that drilling was done with a stick or horn, with sand as a cutting medium, except in the thin tablets of slate or similar stone and in shells. The thicker flints would answer very well for this purpose, and the countersunk holes appear to indicate such an instrument. For sewing, bone would be more easily worked, and better suited than flint. The double-pointed slender specimens may have been used for bait-holders in fishing; bone implements of a similar shape, with a hole drilled at the middle for attaching a line, have been seen in use among the Indians of Florida.

Some such implement was no doubt used in the manner of a burin, especially in making the fine lines on the ornamented shells or stones; certain flints in the collection may have served such a purpose.