7. From an old village-site at King Hill, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. The difference between the celts is self-evident, numbers 1 and 4 being square, and 5 and 7 oval. ] The hard gray hematite referred to resists the knife and will wear an ordinary file in a short time, yet in the altar mounds of the Ohio Valley, and in the older graves (not graves of the historic period) are found numbers of these slender hematite plummets (see Fig. 700) worked from the hardest and most refractory iron ore. It is unfortunate that the earliest tribes known to the voyagers and explorers in this country had no hematite objects in use among them. If so, I fail to find references to such objects. This is unfortunate because hematite certainly was considered as more than of passing importance. It is quite likely that because it was so difficult to deduce it to the desired shape the so-called plummets were made use of, as Dr. Yates suggests, as stones used in certain ceremonies, or by shamans, or as charm-stones. I have seen unfinished hematite plummets, but cannot work out a satisfactory theory as to their manufacture. [Illustration: FIG. 692. (S. 1–5.) This figure illustrates three grooved axes in the lower row; an unfinished hematite implement of unknown purpose and a hematite nodule above. Hematite axes are frequently found in Missouri, but seem rare elsewhere in the country. The groove may entirely encircle them, or be faintly indicated on the back. But usually they are grooved entirely around. The one in the lower left-hand corner has a broad, sharp, cutting edge. Naturally, because of its hardness, hematite made excellent axes. They retained their edges longer and more nearly approached the modern iron axe than any other aboriginal tool. ] [Illustration: FIG. 693. (S. 1–2.) Hematite objects from the collection of Dr. Henry M. Whelpley, St. Louis, Missouri. Hematite plummet to the left, grooved axe in the centre, a hematite cone to the right, a celt in the lower right-hand corner. ] [Illustration: FIG. 694. (_S. about 1–3._) _Group of nine grooved hematite axes, from eastern and central Missouri. Collection of F. P. Graves, Doe Run, Missouri._ ] I have presented a series of figures covering all the known forms of hematites. No classification was attempted by the Nomenclature Committee, and the following is of my own make:—