Butler County, Ohio - Chapter 5: Works of Art, 1879

Contents of the Mounds - Spear -hexids - Flint - Arrow-heads - Rlmmers - Knives - Axes - Hatchets - Hammer - stones - Chisels - Festles - Mortars - Pottery - Pix>es - Scidpture - Gorgets- - Tubes - Hoes - Discoidal luij^lemcnts - Metals - Articles of Bone - Clothing.

It has already been stated tliat the Mound Builders deposited various articles of use and ornament with the dead. Hence, we find that the mounds are the principal depositories of ancient art. The same mounds have been used in later times for places of burial, and also for depositing the implements and ornaments of the more recent dead. The difference between the ancient and more recent deposits is easily told. In the latter the stratification is broken up, while in the former it still preserves its original integrity.

The implements and ornaments found in the mounds are made out of minerals, clay, bones, fossils and shells. The first implements ever used by man - unless the club be excepted - and the ones chiefly employed by all savage nations, are made from stone. Among the Mound Builders, who are not numbered along with the polished or enlightened nations, we must expect to find many and various implements of stone, having a great variety of forms, and used for different purposes.

*The real flint does not occur in the United States. Under this general term, in this country, is embraced horn-stone, jasper, chalcedony, etc.

into tlicir weapons of warfare and the chase. Ninetyfive per cent, of the arrow- and spear-heads found in Ohio are composed of the different varieties of chert. Many points of obsidian have been found, which, judging from the fragments, must have been of Lirge dimensions. The ready fracture of this mineral, upon exposure to strong heat, has been unfavorable to the recovery of entire articles composed of it. Chalcedony also occurs, but not in abundance. The weapons or implements made of flint are found in great abundance. They are of every variety of form, and for the most part wrought with care.

The spear-heads have been divided into three classes, viz., lance-heads^ fishing- and htinthig- spears. The first is formed without the notched or stemmed base. They are sometimes wrought with care, and in length range from two to fourteen inches, the width varying according to the design of the workman. Some of them taper at both ends, and are supposed to have been used for battle axes, having been fastened to the handle at the middle. The second class, or hunting-spears, has either a notched or stemmed base. They are found scattered over the whole country, and their form indicates their use. The third class is characterized by a certain long tapering form. While every archaeological collection contains them, yet they may be said to be comparatively rare. They may be picked up along the shores of creeks and rivers, being doubtless used in spearing fish. It is a singular fact but very few spear-heads, or any weapons of stone, are met with in the sepulchral mounds. They occur, however, in many of the so-called altar or sacrificial mounds. From one altar was taken several bushels of finely-worked spear-heads. In another mound were found six hundred sjiear-heads, or discs of hornstone.

Arroio-IIeads, - Weapons of this class are less abundant than the spear-heads. They are found throughout the West, especially in the valleys where the mounds occur, and are met with in the mounds themselves. They possess a great diversity of form, and any attempt to classify them is useless, for Avhatever series of charac- teristics may be adopted there will be presented so many exceptions as to make void the rule. Their form has given rise to different names, and the following eight varieties have received their appropriate appellations : parent quartz, and obsidian. Every variety of quartz found in this country, embracing every shade of color and degree of transparency, from the dull blue of the ordinary hornstone to the brilliant, pearly light of the chalcedonic varieties, has been used. They rarely ever exceed two inches in length.

Many of the flint implements classed as spear-heads, or arrow-heads, were doubtless used for daggers, fleshers and knives. For these purposes they could easily be used by first fastening them upon suitable sticks or handles.

Rhnmers. - Many stone implements are found perforated, showing that there must have been some instrument used for that purpose. There have been found flint implements having a long shaft and ending in a point which are supposed to have been used in boring or drilling holes. Some are very beautiful in execution, exhibiting artistic design.

Knives. - Knives and other cutting instruments made of flint and obsidian have been taken from the mounds. The edges of some of these are as sharp as razors. Their pattern varies; some arc semi-circular in form, and may be grasped in the middle. A flint knife''^ is given in the accompanying engraving, reduced to one-half the diameter. It is from the surface found in Huron County, Ohio. Another kind called chisels is formed of brown hematite, some of which have a very sharp, smooth edge. In the shaping of these, great labor has ix-'cn required. They have a sub-metallic lustre, and *Iii the Author's Cabinet.

Axes. - Among the most efficient utensils was the axe. They are not abundant in the mounds^ but occur in great numbers in the valleys. They have been fashioned with great skill out of rare and beautiful materials, the granitic series of minerals predominating. They are found with and without grooves for the adj u s t m e n t of handle s. Those designed to be wielded with both hands have an average weight of from six to ten pounds. They vary in weight from one pound to sixteen. Fig. 14 is a representative axe, which may be found in the vicinity of the mounds, along Indian trails, or around their villages.

Figure 15''' is a. very beautiful adze-shaped axe of compact green stone found near Florence, Preble County, Ohio. It is handsomely finished, and remains in a perfect condition. The wood-engraver has not brouo^ht it out as he should have done. It is reduced to onehalf its diameter.

The smaller varieties, called luitchets, were used in war, as well as for domestic purposes. They weigh from one to two pounds; are Fig 15.-ADZE-SHAPED Axe. destitute of grooves, and are of all *In the Author's Cabinet, sizes, from two inches to a foot in length. They vary greatly in design. Some have holes for the reception of handles. These implements, for the most part, are polished, and some have been ground and polished with elaborate care.

Hammer-stones or manls are also found, matle of the same material as the axes. They were intended for domestic purposes, and, if used in war, must have been formidable weapons. luj form they vary, some having the groove around the middle, and well finished, others oval, irregular or flat. ___^

To all these implements a handle ric. le-GRooYEB hammer. or helve was fastened, by thongs of (One-haif Nature.) rawhide. The handle was either a split withe or forked stick, passing along the groove. The grooved axe is not generally well balanced, and was probably as much used for breaking as for cutting wood. The ruder hammer-stones may have been used as net-sinkers.

Chisels. - There are many implements found resembling chisels. They are generally longer than the hatchet, and are often beautifully polished. These have been termed "fleshers^^ and '^bark-peelers." The smaller ones may have been used in dressing the skins of animals, and the larger for peeling bark. Flints have been used in cutting and scraping the skins preparatory for use as clothing or other purposes. These various implements fastened in the end of a straight stick would greatly assist in tearing off hides or peeling bark.

rcstl'cs. - Pestles are almost as common as the grooved axes, although they do not occur in the mounds. They are mostly rude, but are frequently found polished and wrougat with care. They are of various sluipes, but the prevailing form is that of a bluntly-pointed cone, with a knob-like expanse at the base. They are quite common having the knob-like expanse at both ends, one being larger than the other. The so-called ^^rolling-pins^^ are another variety. They are long, straight and round, taperin g to war d s th e e n d . They are seldom polished, and vary from seven to thirteen inches in length.

Accompanying the pestles are the mortars, which consist of stone slabs or boulders exhibiting platter - shaped depressions. These were used for holding the grain while it was being ground or crushed by the pestles. The ^^ rolling-pins,^^ however, could not have been used in conjunction with the mortars, but instead Fig. 17. -QuAiiTz Pestle. of them they probably

Fottery. - An interesting feature of the works of art is the pottery, comprising kettles, water-jugs, cups, vases, urns, etc. In this branch they attained to a considerable degree of perfection. This class or kind of works exhibits a variety of forms and is elegantly finished. These remains are composed of fine clay, and some of the most delicate specimens are worked pure. In some of the coarser specimens the clay is intermixed with pulverized quartz, and in others with salmoncolored mica in small flakes, which gives a ruddy and rather a brilliant appearance. The surfaces are orna- merited with curved lines, and upon some have been mouklcd the images of birds, quadrupeds, and the human form. These vessels were ail moulded by hand, for there is no evidence that the potter's wheel was known. From the marks on some of tlie vessels, it is pro])able that baskets were first made and then the clay moulded in the basket, and during the process of baking or burning the basket was consumed, leaving the indentations upon the hardened clay. None of these vessels arc glazed.-

Pipes. - The stone pipes present the most interesting feature of all the contents of the mounds. U]>on these the Mound Buiklers lavished their greatest skill. The workman in every case has portrayed the object he desires to represent with great faithfulness. Besides the plainer pipes are the more elaborate ones delineating the squirrel, opossum, raccoon, beaver, otter, wild cat, bear, elk, wolf, panther, manatee, grouse, duck, swallow, raven, buzzard, owl, heron, hawk, eagle, and many others. Some of the pipes are small, while others weigh from three to six pounds. The human head and form also occur on these pipes.

falls ill a broad fold over the back of the head, as far down as the middle of tlie neck. It rises into protuberances upon each side of the top of the head, which may rej)resent some particular style of plaiting the hair. A row of holes, fifteen in number, some of which contained pearls, encloses the forehead, and extends as low as the ears. Deep cut lines mark the face, the brow is contracted and the mouth compressed, which give the face an aspect of severity. These heads also vary. In some the muscles of the face are well exhibited, and the forehead finely moulded. The human form is represented as well as the head. Sometimes there is a figure with the body of a bird and the head of a man delicately and symmetrically carved. Masks made from sandstone are found. Among animals are sculptured figures of the manitus or sea cow, the beaver, otter, elk, bear, wolf, wild cat, panther, raccoon, opossum and squirrel. The sculptures of birds are much more numerous than those of animals, and comprise between thirty and forty different kinds. There are also several varieties of the same species: for instance among the owls are the great owl, horned owl, and the little owl. Sculptures of serpents, turtles, frogs, and others have been discovered in abundance.

It is worthy of remark that of all the Avorks of art there is a remarkable avoidance of obscenity. AVorks of this class are met with among the South American antiquities. Among the Mound Builders there are but two cases known to me. One is referred to by Dr. Foster in his ^^Pre-Historic Races,'' that of a female figure, modeled with some artistic skill, upon a clay pipe. The other is engraven upon a stone pipe, now in the possession of G. W. Yan Vleck. It is the representation of a female, who apj^ears to be bound with bands about her arms. I carefully examined the j^ipe; it is very large, weighing about four pounds, and skillfully carved.

GorgciSy or Breast- Plates. - Implements principally composed of striped slate with tapering holes through them have been variously named, and caused much discussion. The most common forms are given in

Figs. 18 and 19. Some have thought they served to size the coarse thread made of bark, rawhide, or sinew, or such material as was used for making cloth. Others argue that they were held in the hand that grasped the bow in order to protect it from the string. By others they have been regarded as ornaments which were strung together and worn suspended from the neck. By others it has been supposed that they were shuttles used in weaving; and, again, as badges'of authority. There is no doubt but that this ])eople were superstitious, and why may they not have been used as charms to keep oif evil spirits, or as snfeguards against some unforeseen danger? If tliey had been used for domestic purposes the edges of tiie holes wouhl have been considerably worn ; but, on the other hand, they are sharp and perfect.

Various other forms are found, such as crescents, single and double blades, etc., which luive been regarded as wands or emblems of authority. They are composed of variegated slate, are not numerous, and well finished.

Tubes. - A great variety of stone tubes are picked up on the surface and found in the mounds. They are polished with care and composed of a fine grain striped slate. The short oval ones were doubtless ornaments, strung like beads upon cords. Others may have been

Hoes and Spades. - The largest implements made out of chert or quartzite are the hoes and spades. They are slightly oval on one side and flat on the other, generally tapering towards the ends, the smaller end being attached to the handle. Some of them are finely finished. The size and shape seem to indicate that they were used for agricultural purposes.

DiiiGoieleil Implements. - Numerous discs of stone are found scattered over the country from the valley of the Ohio to Peru, South America. A few of them also occur in the mounds. They are circular in form, capsuleshaped, and pierced in the center with a hole, and are often symmetrically wrought and polished from the hardest materials. They are from three to four inches in diameter, and about one inch in thickness. A^arious other articles of stone occur, such as rings, pendants, etc.

Metals. - The Mound Builders were acquainted with several of the metals, and had their implements and ornaments of copper; silver in the form of ornaments is occasionally found ; galena occurs in considerable quantities, while no trace of iron has been discovered. They wrought copper into knives, axes, chisels, awls, spear-heads, and arrow-heads. The copper, for the most part, was hammered out cold, although some of the implements show the mark of the mould. Hence the fact is established that the art of smelting was known to them, probably during the latter part of their occupancy of the Mississippi VaHey. These implements, as usual, display skillful workmanship, and are made after difierent designs.

Ornaments of copper are comparatively abundant. They display considerable skill and are in the forms of bracelets, pendants, beads, gorgets, etc. The bracelets consist of a simple rod of copj^er, hammered out with more or less skill, and so bent that the ends approach or lap over each other. Some of them are smooth and uniform, and appear to have been originally highly polished. They are usually found encircling the arms of skeletons, in the sepulchral mounds, and also upon the so-called altars. A large number of discs or medals have been obtained from the mounds and average about one inch and a half in diameter. They are found on the altars where they seem to have been placed together in pairs. They ap})ear to have been pressed into shape, and the sandstones have been discovered in which were circular depressions, where doubtless the plates had been formed. Buttons, also, are found, similar to those worn a generation or so ago.

Articles of Bone. - Awl-shaped implements made of the bones of the deer and elk have been obtained from the mounds. They were used for perforating the hides of animals, and supplied the place of our awl. Many kinds of ornaments abound made out of shells, pearls, sections of the small bones of birds, and the teeth and claws of various animals.

Clothing. - The Mound Builders, in part, used the skins of wild animals for clothing, but for their principal raiment used cloth regularly spun with a uniform thread, and woven with a warp and woof. Fragments of clothing have been taken from a low mound near Charlestown, Jackson County, Ohio. In constructing the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad, a mound was cut through near Middletown, Ohio, and in it, among other things, was found cloth connected w^ith tassels or ornaments. The cloth was in thick folds, and very much charred. The fibric appeared to have been composed of some material allied to hemp, and the separation between the fibre and the wood was as thorough as at this day by the process of rotting and hackling. The thread is coarse, uniform in size, and regularly spun. The process of spinning and weaving as carried on by them is not now known.