The stone age in North America, vol. 2 of 2Moorehead, Warren K. (Warren King)
History
The stone age in North America, vol. 2 of 2
Moorehead, Warren K. (Warren King)
Indians of North America -- Antiquities; Stone age -- North America
Frank Hamilton Cushing illustrated bird-stones and flat tablets, and he
thought the bird-stones were tied on flat tablets and these worn on the
head. I inclined to that opinion when I published “The Bird-Stone
Ceremonial,” but now I do not believe this, for the reason that most
bird-stones could not be conveniently tied to flat tablets.
[Illustration:
FIG. 417. (S. 1–1.) Phillips Academy collection.
]
That they are found in regions where there are many mounds used to be
stated, but this is hardly correct. They have never been found in a
mound, and I do not know of an instance where they have been found in
graves. They occur more in northern Ohio, Canada, and New York State
than elsewhere except Michigan and Wisconsin. I firmly believe that they
were not made and used by mound-building tribes but antedate the
mound-building period. As to the exact purpose of these things I leave
others to judge.
ANIMAL AND HUMAN EFFIGIES
There are many crude effigies, many grotesque sculptures found in this
country. There are also stones that are in the border-lands between
highly developed problematical forms and effigies. Fig. 413 presents a
group of these from the Peabody Museum at Cambridge, Massachusetts. The
upper row appears to be whale effigies. In the lower row are small stone
bowls or paint-cups.
[Illustration:
FIG. 418. (S. 1–2.) shows four peculiar stones from the Salt River
Valley, Arizona. The one in the lower left-hand corner illustrates
an armadillo; in the upper right-hand corner, an owl. The others are
unknown effigies. These Arizona specimens are all of volcanic tufa,
and are typical of the region. Large numbers were found by Mr.
Cushing during his explorations of the ruins of the Salt River
Valley, and something like a hundred were dug up by me for Mr.
Peabody when I visited the region. The purpose of these is unknown.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 419. (S. 1–1.) Front view of the “Owl Ornament,” found in a grave
at Fort Ancient, Ohio, 1882. Collection of the Ohio State
University. One of the first specimens collected by W. K. Moorehead
at Fort Ancient. Material, graphite slate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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