The stone age in North America, vol. 1 of 2Moorehead, Warren K. (Warren King)
History
The stone age in North America, vol. 1 of 2
Moorehead, Warren K. (Warren King)
Indians of North America -- Antiquities; Stone age -- North America
Some of the hammers have flat backs, as have axes, and wedges could be
inserted for securely fastening them to the handle. As has been
previously stated, primitive man was economical, and when he broke an
axe he could make the edge round and use it as a hammer. The finer
grooved hammers (Fig. 212) were undoubtedly used as weapons and lashed
in sticks to serve as clubs or maces, the handles being more or less
ornamental. Much is to be learned from a study of the hammer-stone and
the grooved hammer, and I agree with Mr. McGuire’s statement, “the
hammer is homely at best, yet the hammer tells us more of ancient times
than does the celt.”
Mr. Charles E. Brown, the able archæologist, says of these grooved
hammers:—
“They closely resemble grooved stone axes in shape, but have blunt
edges. Examples are to be seen in all of the larger Wisconsin
collections. Several specimens are ornamented with flutings.
“Mauls and club-heads were made of pebbles or small boulders and have a
groove about their middles. The smaller are said to have been used as
club-heads. Some are very rude, and others smoothed or polished.
Specimens are found in most parts of the state. They are most numerous
in northwestern Wisconsin and along Lake Superior, where they were
employed as weapons in the early struggles between the Chippewa and
Dakotas. From the Lake Superior aboriginal copper mining-pits hundreds
of stone mauls have been recovered.
“A rare type of stone club-head has two grooves. A few specimens have a
ridge on either side of the groove. Another unusual form has
intersecting grooves.
“Specimens of these hand-hammers or hammer-stones have been found on
every Indian village-site in the state. They show every stage of work,
from the ordinary pebble with its surface scarcely altered to those
dressed into convenient shape and provided with grips or hand-holds.
“Good series of these spherical stones or stone balls, from the size of
a marble to that of an orange, are in all of the larger public and
private collections. They are found on Indian village- and camp-sites,
and occasionally in mounds.”
CHAPTER XIV
CONCLUSIONS AS TO CHIPPED IMPLEMENTS
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