Part 4

+----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | +----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |Eastern Tennessee | 10| 10| 2| 1| | | | | 1| | |Western Tennessee | | | | | | | 1| | | | |Northeastern Kentucky | | | 1| 1| 1| | 1| 1| | | |Green River, Kentucky | | | | | 1| | | | | | |Southwestern Illinois | | | | 2| 1| | | | | | |Miami valley, Ohio | | | | 2| 2| 1| 1| | | | |Kanawha valley, W. V. | 1| | | 8| 4| 4| 1| | | | |Northwestern Georgia | | | | | | | | | | 1| |Savannah, Georgia | | | | | | | | | 1| | |Central Arkansas | | | | | | | | | 1| | |Northwestern North Carolina | | | | | | | | | | 1| +----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Sandstone. B = Argillite. C = Porphyry. D = Granite. E = Sienite. F = Diorite. G = Hornblende. H = Limestone. I = Jasper. J = Serpentine.

_I._ Thickest at top (wedge form), section elliptical or nearly rectangular; sides straight or curved, widest at edge or nearly parallel. A few are roughened for handling, and one or two are battered at top by hammering; most are small. The type is shown in figure 58, of granite, from Carroll county, Indiana. This class of celts also is widely distributed and diverse in material.

+------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | +------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |Eastern Tennessee | | 3| 4| | 1| | | | | | |Northeastern Arkansas | 1| | | | | 1| | | | | |Southeastern Arkansas | | 1| | 1| | | | | | | |Butler county, Ohio | | | | 1| | | | | | | |Green river, Kentucky | | | 1| | | | | | | | |Northeastern Kentucky | | 3| | | | | | 1| 1| | |Crawford county, Wis. | | | | | | | | | 1| | |Southwestern Illinois | | 3| 1| | | | | | | | |Savannah, Georgia | | | | | | | 2| | | | |Kanawha valley, West Virginia | 1| 7| 5| | | 1| | 5| 2| | +------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Hornblende. B = Granite. C = Sienite. D = Comp. quartzite. E = Argillite. F = Greenstone. G = Sandstone. H = Diorite. I = Porphyry. J = Basalt.

_J._ Flat on one side, convex on the other, giving a semi-elliptical section; sides nearly parallel; top flat or rounded. These were evidently intended for scrapers; none are at all chipped or battered from use, and with very few exceptions the whole surface is highly polished. The flint and jasper specimens, which have been first chipped into shape, have the facets and edge as smooth as though finished on an emery wheel. Similar forms, except with flat instead of convex upper surfaces, are known to have been used as adzes, but these have no marks of such use. The length ranges from 2 to 8 inches, but most are small. The type is shown in figure 59, of brown flint, from a grave in Alexander county, Illinois.

+-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | +-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |Eastern Tennessee | | 4 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |Central Arkansas | | | | 1 | | | | | |Northeastern Arkansas | | | | | 4 | 1 | | | |Southeastern Arkansas | | | | | | | 1 | | |Southwestern Illinois | 1 | | | | | | | | |Butler county, Ohio | | | | 1 | | | | | |Northeastern Kentucky | 2 | | | | | | | | |Tuscaloosa district, Alabama | | | | 1 | | | | | |Northwestern North Carolina | 1 | 2| | | | | | 1 | +-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Graphite. B = Argillite. C = Porphyry. D = Compt. quartzite. E = Yellow jasper. F = Gray jasper. G = Novaculite. H = Sienite.

_K._ Similar to last, except that the sides come to a point at the top; length, 3½ to 9 inches. Very few of either pattern are above 5 inches long, the larger ones being mostly of flint (figure 60, of sienite, from Warren county, Ohio).

+-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | F | +-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |Northeastern Arkansas | 2 | | | | | | |Western Tennessee | | 1 | | | | | |Eastern Tennessee | 1 | | | 2 | 5 | | |Kanawha valley, West Virginia| | | 1 | | | | |Southwestern Illinois | | | | 2 | | 1 | |Warren county, Ohio | | 2 | | | | | +-----------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Yellow jasper. B = Sienite. C = Diorite. D = Gray jasper. E = Argillite. F = Compt. quartzite.

_L._ Sides concave, top narrow. Nearly every specimen has the upper portion pecked rough; one from Bradley county, Tennessee, and another from Mississippi county, Arkansas, are entirely polished. The latter has the scraper-form edge to be described later and is of exceptionally large size; it measures 5½ inches, being the only one exceeding 5 inches in length.

_M._ Top flat, round, or pointed; the blade usually begins a little below the middle, and is perfectly smooth in every case; in some the blade is not over an inch in length, probably reduced by continual sharpening. They may have been scrapers, though they do not have that form; if used as weapons they were probably set into the end of a piece of antler, which, in turn, was set in a club. The type is shown in figure 61, of argillite, from Monroe county, Tennessee.

+------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | +------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+ |Eastern Tennessee | 7| 1| 2| | | |Kanawha valley, West Virginia | | 1| 1| | | |Northeastern Arkansas | | 1| | 1| | |Southeastern Arkansas | | | | | 1| |Southwestern Illinois | 1| | 2| | | +------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Argillite. B = Sienite. C = Granite. D = Quartzite. E = Hornblende.KEY

_N._ Ground down thin, with a flat-elliptical or nearly rectangular section; sides straight or slightly curved, nearly parallel or tapering considerably to the top, which is either rounded or flattened. All are polished over the entire surface; none show any marks of use as wedges or hatchets, and most of them are too delicate for such use. The longer ones can be readily grasped in the hand, and are as well adapted to stripping off the hide of an animal, dividing the skeleton at the joints, or stripping the flesh from the bones, as anything made of stone can be; while the smaller ones, set in a handle to afford a grip, would answer the same purpose. There are three which are sharp at both ends, one having one symmetrical and one scraper-form edge; one having a scraper-form edge at each end on opposite sides; and one of rather soft argillite, unfinished, which has marks of pecking, chipping, and grinding, showing that any of these methods were practiced, as was most convenient. All these are from eastern Tennessee. The features are illustrated in figures 62, of argillite, from a mound, Caldwell county, North Carolina; 63, of black flinty slate, very hard, from a mound, Poinsett county, Arkansas; and 64, of argillite, from a mound, Monroe county, Tennessee.

+---------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | District. | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | +---------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |Northwestern | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | North Carolina | | 2 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |Montgomery county, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | North Carolina | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |Eastern Tennessee | 1 |53 | | | 5 | | 1 | | 4 | | 7 | 2 | | |Western Tennessee | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |Northwestern Georgia | | | | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | |Savannah, Georgia | | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | |Union county, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mississippi | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | |Butler county, Ohio | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | |Northeastern Arkansas| | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | |Southeastern Arkansas| | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |Kanawha valley, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | West Virginia | | | 2 | | | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |Northeastern Kentucky| | | 1 | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | | | |Green river, Kentucky| | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |Coosa district, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alabama | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | +---------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

KEY: A = Marble. B = Argillite. C = Sienite. D = Quartzite. E = Serpentine. F = Diorite. G = Porphyry. H = Granite. I = Sandstone. J = Hornblende. K = Compact quartzite. L = Slate. M = Chert.

GOUGES.

While there are perhaps no true gouges in the collection, there are some examples of a form between a celt and a gouge, illustrated in figure 65, of serpentine, from Caldwell county, North Carolina.

Implements of this form are known to have been used to tap sugar maples, and also to hollow out wooden troughs, and are very common in the north, though less abundant in the south.[20] It is in those localities in which bark instead of logs was used for canoes that they are most numerous. Sometimes they were hollowed the whole length and used as spiles.[21] They were also employed instead of celts in hollowing wooden mortars and the like when a more regular concavity was desired.[22]

CHISELS AND SCRAPERS.

The aboriginal implements known as “chisels” are round, elliptical, or rectangular in section. The flint and jasper specimens are generally widest at the edge, the reverse being usually the case with those of other material. Most of them have marks of hammers at the blunt end, though some are polished at the top and a few, from eastern Tennessee, are sharp at both ends. The top (except in the double-edged ones) is usually flat, though a few are pointed or very thin, almost with cutting edges. Jaspers and flints are chipped, with the facets polished, the edges highly so. Any form may occur in any locality. Almost invariably they have scraper-form edges. The length is from 2 to 6 inches.

Typical examples are shown in figure 66, of yellow jasper, from a grave in Mississippi county, Arkansas; figure 67, of novaculite, from an unknown locality in Arkansas; figure 68, of serpentine, from Bradley county, Tennessee; figure 69, of sienite, from Caldwell county, North Carolina; and figure 70, of gray jasper, from Bradley county, Tennessee. Some specimens are sharp and worn at both ends, and could have been used only with handles.

The Bureau collection includes the following specimens:

+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+ | District. | A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M| N| O| P| Q| -----------------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+ Northwestern | | | 1| 2| 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | North Carolina | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Northeastern | | | | | |32| 5| 2| 4| 1| 1| 1| | | | | | Arkansas | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Southeastern | | | 1| | | 2| | | | | | | 3| | | | | Arkansas | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Coosa district, | | 1| | | | | | | | | 1| | | | | | | Alabama | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Warren county, | | | | | 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | Ohio | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Southwestern | 2| | 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Illinois | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Eastern Tennessee| | | |40| | | 1| | | | | | | 2| 1| 3| 1| Union county, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1| | Mississippi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Kanawha valley, | | | | | | | | | | | | 5| | | | | | West Virginia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Northwestern | | | | 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Georgia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Savannah, Georgia| | | | 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | -----------------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

KEY: A = White flint. B = Serpentine. C = Sienite. D = Argillite. E = Granite. F = Yellow jasper. G = Gray jasper. H = Mottled jasper. I = Red jasper. J = Silicified wood. K = Quartzite. L = Black flint. M = Novaculite. N = Compact quartzite. O = Porphyry. P = Sandstone. Q = Hornblende.

The high polish sometimes found on the top of a round-pointed celt may be due to its working slightly in the socket in its handle of wood, deerhorn, or other material.

By celts having a scraper-form edge is meant those having the edge to one side of the median line, due to constant use of one face. This face, at the edge, is in a straight line from side to side; it may have a chisel-like flattening, or may curve toward the middle of the celt for a short distance and then have the same form to the top as the other face, which is convex or curved, as in the ordinary hatchet-celt. They form a medium between celts whose faces gradually curve from top to edge, and the celt-scrapers which are flat on one side. Among the thicker celts this form is quite rare, though several, especially one from Kanawha valley, West Virginia (represented in figure 74), are quite pronounced. In the thinner specimens, however, a majority are of this pattern, while in some types, nearly all indeed, even those up to 6 inches long, are so beveled. The type, of which an illustration is shown in figure 71, is of very hard black slate; the same form is presented in figures 66 and 70.

From Bartow county, Georgia, is a scraper made from the edge of a celt which has been broken diagonally across from one face to the other. A stem like that of a spear-head has been formed by chipping away the sides of the part broken, which gives a convenient attachment for a handle; the original edge is unchanged except in the wear which has resulted from its new use.

The specimen shown in figure 72 (of argillite, from McMinn county, Tennessee) is introduced on account of its undoubted use as a scraper, and because it is much smaller than some of the chipped flints thus classified, the edge being less than an inch wide; the sides are roughly incurved.

In Bradley county, Tennessee, there were found over 200 specimens of very small, thin, flat, waterworn sandstone pebbles, which were mostly in their natural condition, except that they had one side rubbed to a sharp edge. A few, more slender, were ground to a point. Some of them have a handle chipped out on the side opposite the edge, sometimes with nicks in it, made for attachment to a handle by means of a cord. Most of these specimens are less than 2 inches in length. No suggestion is offered as to their use.

A granite implement from Union county, Illinois, with nearly rectangular section, slightly curved sides, rounded corners, and high polish over the entire surface, having nearly the same thickness (about an inch) at every part, would seem to be a polishing or rubbing stone. There are, however, one from Warren county, Ohio, and three from Kanawha valley, West Virginia, of almost exactly the same size and pattern, which have had one end ground off to a sharp edge; so the specimen may be only an unfinished celt. One of those from Kanawha valley has had the edge partly broken away, and one face has been pecked considerably in an attempt to restore it for use; but the intention was not carried out. Some celts, not of the scraper pattern, which have the edge to one side of the median line, are perhaps broken or blunted specimens redressed on one side only.

Figure 73 exhibits a specimen of argillite from Carter county, Tennessee, probably an adze or scraper, with a projection to keep the implement from being forced into the handle. The edge is symmetrical, though much striated. The specimen shown in figure 74 (of granite, from Kanawha valley, West Virginia) represents a peculiar form. There are several like it in the collection, all but this one from islands in the Pacific.

CHIPPED CELTS.

On account of their shape and undoubted use, a class of celts, although neither pecked nor ground, is introduced. Many of them resemble, in most respects, the so-called paleolithic implements, though sometimes of better finish. They are made with a rounded top and nearly parallel sides; rudely triangular; or with the sides curved to a point at the top. The edge may be straight or curved, and is usually chipped, though sometimes ground; a few are chisel-shaped. Usually they show no signs of wear; when they do, it is always in the form of a polish at the larger end, or on the exposed facets. One of black flint, 8 inches long, from Kanawha valley, has a scraper-form edge, smoothly polished. Many, even of those scarcely changed from their original form and natural surface, have the edges dulled and polished from use as scrapers or adzes.

The collection includes the following examples: 36 of argillite, flint, porphyry, and compact quartzite, from Montgomery county, North Carolina, some with the wider edge sharp (figure 75, of flint); 12 of limestone and flint from Mason county, Kentucky; 70 of argillite, a few with the edges ground, from southeastern Tennessee (figure 76, from McMinn county); over 300 from Kanawha valley, nearly all of black flint, a few being of diorite or quartzite--some are partly polished, or have ground edges (figure 77, of black flint, from a mound).

HEMATITE CELTS.

With the exception of two from Iowa and a few from Preston county, West Virginia, the hematite celts in the collection are from Kanawha valley, and are small, ranging in length from 1 to 2¾ inches, except one 4½ and one 5½ inches. They are illustrated in figures 78, 79, 80, and 81, the last from a mound. Nearly all have been ground directly from the nodule or concretion in which this ore of iron so frequently appears. Occasionally one of homogeneous structure has been chipped into form before grinding, the facets in some cases being rubbed nearly away. Sometimes they have a rectangular outline, but usually the sides taper from the edge to the top by a gradual curve, or are parallel a part of the way and then taper either by a straight or, oftener, by a curved line. The section is rectangular or elliptical.

These implements were probably used as knives or scrapers, being set into the end of a piece of antler, which may in turn have been set into a larger handle of wood. That some were knives is shown by the edge which is dulled to a flat polished surface extending from side to side; and that many were scrapers is shown by their celt-scraper shape, a half elliptical section, or by the scraper-form edge, seen in the largest specimen. Some, however, have the edge symmetrical, as in the hatchet-celts. One has incurved sides, and is roughened on the sides and on the faces near the top.

PESTLES.

The fact of the ordinary conical or bell-shaped, long-cylindrical, or somewhat pear-shaped stones having been used for pestles is so well settled that no confirmatory references are needed. A few citations may be given in regard to certain forms sometimes differently classed, especially some of the discoidal stones to be hereafter described.

According to Stevens, the corn crushers used by the Swiss lake dwellers are spherical; some are flattened on two sides, like an orange, others almost round with depressions on four sides. They are about the size of a man’s fist or rather smaller. The Africans have a piece of quartz or other hard stone as large as half a brick, one side of which is convex, to fit the hollow of a larger stone used as a mortar.[23] Evans observes that disks sometimes show marks of use as hammers or pestles;[24] one found at Ty Mawr was thick, with a cavity on each face.[25] In preparing pemmican, the American Indians are known to have pounded the dried meat to a powder between two stones.[26] This gives the impression that any suitable stones may have been used; and the ancient California Indians worked out a round stone as an acorn sheller, modern tribes using any smooth stone.[27]

The pestles which have the bottom round or convex are generally found in the same localities as the hollowed stone mortars. Several forms of pestles are represented in the collection. They may be grouped as in the following description and tabulation.