Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822Mallery, Garrick
History
Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822
Mallery, Garrick
Picture-writing, Indian
In the year 1789 Doctor Ezra Stiles, D. D., visited a rock
situated in the Township of Kent in the State of Connecticut, at a
place called Scaticook, by the Indians. He thus describes it: “Over
against Scaticook and about one hundred rods East of Housatonic
River, is an eminence or elevation which is called Cobble Hill.
On the top of this stands the rock charged with antique unknown
characters. This rock is by itself and not a portion of the
Mountains; it is of White Flint; ranges North and South; is from
twelve to fourteen feet long; and from eight to ten wide at base and
top; and of an uneven surface. On the top I did not perceive any
characters; but the sides all around are irregularly charged with
unknown characters, made not indeed with the incision of a chisel,
yet most certainly with an iron tool, and that by pecks or picking,
after the manner of the Dighton Rock. The Lacunae or excavations are
from a quarter to an inch wide; and from one tenth to two tenths of
an inch deep. The engraving did not appear to be recent or new, but
very old.”
GEORGIA.
Charles C. Jones, jr., (_a_) describes a petroglyph in Georgia as
follows:
In Forsyth county, Georgia, is a carved or incised bowlder of
fine grained granite, about 9 feet long, 4 feet 6 inches high, and 3
feet broad at its widest point. The figures are cut in the bowlder
from one-half to three-fourths of an inch deep. It is generally
believed that they are the work of the Cherokees.
The illustration given by him is here reproduced in Fig. 38. It will
be noted that the characters in it are chiefly circles, including
plain, nucleated, and concentric, sometimes two or more being joined
by straight lines, forming what is now known as the “spectacle shaped”
figure. The illustrations should be compared with the many others
presented in this paper under the heading of Cup Sculptures, see Chapter
V, infra.
[Illustration: FIG. 38.--Petroglyphs in Georgia.]
Dr. M. F. Stephenson (_a_) mentions sculptures of human feet, various
animals, bear tracks, etc., in Enchanted mountain, Union county,
Georgia. The whole number of sculptures is reported as one hundred and
forty-six.
Mr. Jones (_b_) gives a different résumé of the objects depicted, as
follows:
Upon the Enchanted mountain, in Union county, cut in plutonic
rock, are the tracks of men, women, children, deer, bears, bisons,
turkeys, and terrapins, and the outlines of a snake, of two deer,
and of a human hand. These sculptures--so far as they have been
ascertained and counted--number one hundred and thirty-six. The
most extravagant among them is that known as the footprint of the
“Great Warrior.” It measures 18 inches in length and has six toes.
The other human tracks and those of the animals are delineated with
commendable fidelity.
IDAHO.
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