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
FIG. 221. (S. 1–1.) This celt belongs in Class “B.” It is a typical
specimen from the collection of J. J. Snyder, Frederick, Maryland.
Such a celt would serve as a convenient hand-hatchet or tomahawk. It
is sharp, small, and could be conveniently carried on the war-path,
as the weight of the object and the handle, together, would not
exceed two or two and a half pounds. The small, sharp, triangular
hatchets I have always believed were weapons.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 222. (S. 1–3.) A plate of celts from the University of Vermont
collection, Burlington. All of these were found near Lake Champlain.
Several peculiarities are to be noted. The light-colored one in the
lower row was first chipped and then ground and polished. The celt
to the left, in the centre, is slightly indented on either side,
and, as will be shown elsewhere in this book, such forms are not
rare in New England. Five of these celts have straight sides. It is
not necessary that the sides should be equidistant from each other,
or that the poll should be exactly as wide as the blade, in order
that celts may be classified as having straight sides. By straight
sides, I mean sides which may be either sloping or straight, yet not
curved. A tapering celt, a celt with a flaring edge and other forms
may or may not have straight sides.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 224. (S. 1–3.)
]
It will be observed by the illustrations that celts, gouges, and stone
hatchets are all closely related. Yet celts may be subdivided into six
divisions, all of which are different. In adzes and gouges there are
three divisions; in axes, five. But some other observer might place in
two or three divisions what I have classed under C; for there are broad
adzes, broad celts, alike in character, which may or may not have a knob
on the back. There are also adzes slightly grooved, but not broad and
thin. Some celts are thick, and others chisel-like, or pick-shaped. Yet
in certain New England forms the distinguishing knob appears on the
back. An adze may be almost triangular in cross-section. It may have no
knobs on the back. Mr. Willoughby’s classification of these is presented
in three plates,—the first, celts; the second, adze-blades or gouges;
the third, adze-blades with grooves or knobs.
[Illustration:
FIG. 225. (S. 1–2.) Celts and unknown objects from the New York State
collection, Albany.
]
Fig. 218, from W. J. Martin’s collection, Leon, Kansas, exhibits pieces
of sandstone and limestone almost celt-like in form, yet which were used
for grinding and polishing. This illustrates how an ordinary stone could
be worked into a celt and that almost any series can be arranged
beginning with one type and ending with another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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