1883.] natural sciences of philadelphia. 55 



February 20. 



The President, Dr. Leidy, in the chair. 



Forty-nine persons present. 



The death of B. Howard Rand, M. D., a member, was announced. 



Notes on Prehi.sloric (Jopper Tmplt'ments. — Mr. H. T. Cresson 

 made some remarks upon a hammer of native copper found in the 

 Bohemian Mine, at GreenLand, Michigan, in ISfifi, by Mr. S. F. 

 Peck, and now in the Academy's collection. It exhibits a distinct 

 laminar surface, caused by hammering pieces of native copper 

 together while in a cold state, a process in which our aborigines 

 living in districts north of Mexico, seemed to have accpiired great 

 proficiency. This is shown hy the numerous wedges, chisels, 

 hammers, and other articles found in the ancient mining-pits at 

 Keewenaw Point, Lake Superior, and at Isle Royal, together with 

 axes, spear- and arrow-points, ornaments, etc., in Ohio, and 

 throughout those sections of our country which at one time were 

 inhabited by the mound-builders, a race of people whose remains 

 indicate a state of advancement in the arts and manufactures 

 superior to the savage nations who succeeded them. It is a very 

 interesting fact, that recent discoveries have shown upon various 

 forms of copper implements, deposited in their burial places by the 

 mound-builders — markings similar to those left by moulds in the 

 process of casting. It may, therefore, be supposed that these 

 people were acquainted with the art of smelting, besides that of 

 hammering copper. Professor Foster in his " Prehistoric Races 

 of the United States," mentions the fact, that in a collection made 

 by Mr. Perkins, he saw copper implements of mound origin, that 

 bear well-defined traces of the mould. . . . " It is impossible," 

 he adds, " to infer after a careful examination of tliese specimens, 

 that the ridges have been left in the process of hammering or 

 oxidation." • . . " The more I examine their arts and manu- 

 factures the stronger becomes my conviction that they were 

 somethiiig more than a race of barbarian people." From these 

 observations of Professor Foster, a skilful and cautious observer, 

 it would appear that two processes were used, not only of ham- 

 mering, but that of smelting, which latter process was in all 

 probability suggested by their supposed method of extracting the 

 masses of copper from their pits — remains of wliich may still be 

 seen in the Lake Superior copper regions before mentioned. Some 

 of these pits have been explored by Colonel Whittlesey, an account 

 of which was j)ublished in the " Smitlisonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge for 18(53." They were found to contain, in all cases, 

 among the debris, fragments of charcoal and ashes, with tiaces of 

 fires against the sides thereof, indicating the use of heat in the 

 process of extracting their ores, thereby aiding tlie wedges and 

 copper chisels which were driven in by means of stone mauls until 



