262 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. II, 



In two of the specimens the treatment of the region of the crossing 

 of the parallel lines, that is, of the central region of this face of the 

 stone, is somewhat unusual (see PI. XLIX). In one, the two lines 

 meet in a circle one inch in diameter, the central portion of which 

 has been slightly excavated. In the other specimen the lines are 

 bounded in the central portion of the stone by a raised circle which 

 itself is decorated with a row of seven engraved circles. The treat- 

 ment of this space in the other specimens varies from a single 

 specimen, where the square formed by the crossing of the parallel lines 

 is devoid of marks, to another specimen where the square is occupied 

 by an incised circle. 



In no specimen is there any marking on the side opposite the 

 engraved surface, but in four of the specimens (see PI. L) the 

 remaining side has received some sort of treatment. In two 

 instances the surfaces contain five parallel perpendicular lines arranged 

 in pairs at each end, with a single line in the middle, all crossed by 

 a horizontal incised line passing around the stone at its center. In 

 another specimen a horizontal line is carried around the center of 

 four sides of the stone extending down to which is a zigzag line so 

 arranged as to form three triangles on each side of the stone. In the 

 fourth specimen each surface contains two lines which, starting from 

 the upper corner, converge at the center of the under surface of the 

 stone. 



With these stones must be described a single other specimen 

 which in its character more nearly approaches these than any of the 

 other material. This specimen (see PI. LI, a) is circular, measur- 

 ing three and three-quarters inches in diameter and less than one- 

 fourth of an inch in thickness. At diagonally opposite sides notches 

 have been cut into the stone, extending toward the center to a depth 

 of one-half an inch. In each segment thus formed by these notches 

 is an incised circle, the center of which is perforated. The center of 

 the stone is also occupied by an engraved circle similar to the others, 

 which is also perforated. The treatment of both sides of the stone 

 is exactly alike. 



As for the use of these curious stones, which have been prepared 

 with much care, I can form no conclusion which is satisfactorj', but 

 it is possible that they were used in some game though this theory is 

 considerably weakened by the fact that the number of circles within 

 the parallel lines is not uniform, while the spaces outside the parallel 

 lines are in some cases occupied by circles, and in other cases left 

 plain, while, finally, an entirely different category of stones, yet to be 

 described, are found which contain similar engraved circles, but 

 which presumably could not have been used in any game. 



