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
The human head shaped out of flint is such as is occasionally found in
Tennessee in the stone graves. Some similar heads are shown on a smaller
scale, in Fig. 157, of Mr. Reeder’s collection. At the top to the left,
in Fig. 160, are two of those problematical forms in flint which have so
puzzled archæologists. These, together with the slender dagger-shaped
objects of prodigious length, have for many years been listed under that
opprobrious name, “ceremonial swords.”
[Illustration:
FIG. 158. (S. 2–3.) This illustration represents three animals and
four birds, all chipped out of flint, and in the possession of H. M.
Braun, East St. Louis, Illinois.
]
The remarkable problematical forms in flint which have been called
“stone swords,” shown in Figs. 161 and 162, deserve special mention.
These are part of a series of forty-six flint implements which were
found in Tennessee. I surrender the pen to Mr. W. J. Seever, former
curator of the Missouri Historical Society Museum, who furnished the
following description:—
“On the banks of the beautiful Duck River, Humphreys County, Tennessee,
near Painted Rock, on the farm of Mr. Banks Links, are the remains of an
extensive, ancient, stone-grave cemetery, which at one time contained
hundreds upon hundreds of stone cists. The land having been in
cultivation for many years, wagon-loads of flat rocks used in building
the graves have been carted off and the human remains scattered;
innumerable objects of prehistoric art have been turned up by the plow
and are now among the collections of the Ohio Valley.
[Illustration:
FIG. 159. (S. about 1–4.) Effigies in flint, from the collection of J.
T. Reeder, Houghton, Michigan; from stone graves near Waverly,
Tennessee.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 160. (S. about 1–3.) From John T. Reeder’s collection, Houghton,
Michigan. I know of few more remarkable finds in American archæology
than this series of flint implements which were collected in
Tennessee by Mr. Reeder.
]
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