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. 360 in the upper right-hand corner is an engraved spool-shaped
object of sandstone. Numbers of these have been found in the United
States. They are of various sizes and diameters for the most part
engraved in various lines, circles, etc. The best of the shorter
articles dealing with these was published in _The Antiquarian_
(Columbus, 1897) page 172, and was written by Mr. A. F. Berlin.
Dr. Thomas Wilson in _The Swastika_, page 975, speaks of these
spool-shaped ornaments and draws comparisons between those found in
America and foreign countries. Wilson thought that they were bobbins on
which thread was wound. They appear to have been highly appreciated by
the aborigines, for they are always carefully made and decorated with
Maltese and St. Andrews crosses, zig-zag lines, sun symbols, etc.
[Illustration:
FIG. 354. (S. 1–1.) Collection of W. F. Matchett, Pierceton, Indiana.
]
The “Handbook of American Indians,” page 157, contains brief
descriptions of boat-stones, written by Gerard Fowke and Professor
Holmes. I quote their remarks:—
[Illustration:
FIG. 355 is a group of six objects from the Andover collection. (Size
1–2.) These illustrate the type of problematical form, a straight
body sloping toward the ends, and running the perforations
invariably at right angles to the grain. The two on either side are
ordinary crescent-shape. The one at the bottom is a winged type, but
is not cut down on either side to bring the wings into review.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 356. (S. 1–2.) The evolution of the crescent from the rough block
of red slate at the top, which has been pecked into shape, down to
the completed crescent at the bottom. Phillips Academy collection,
Andover. This series, arranged from the Andover collection, is made
up of specimens from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 357. (S. 1–2.) From the collection of Rev. James Savage, Detroit,
Michigan. Three pick-shaped objects, half-size, which are described
elsewhere in the text.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 358. (S. 1–2.) is a highly specialized crescent with flaring
ends. It is beautifully worked, highly finished, and was found by
Willard H. Davis, near the mouth of the Muskingum River in southern
Ohio.
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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