264 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. II. 



None of them show use-marks of any sort and only one has been 

 handled sufficiently to give it any degree of polish whatever. None of 

 the specimens are perfectly true cylinders, the aim apparently being 

 merely to produce a general cylindrical shape. 



PERFORATED AND ENGRAVED STONES. 



Somewhat similar in size to the cylindrical-shaped stones just 

 mentioned is a large series of perforated rectangular stones (PL 

 LVII). These vary from three and one-half to one and one-half 

 inches in length and from one to three-quarters of an inch in thick- 

 ness and breadth. The four long surfaces in all of these stones have 

 been decorated with a row of engraved circles, varying from three 

 inches in one instance to six in another. These circles have a general 

 uniform diameter which varies from one-quarter to one-half an inch. 

 In several of the specimens two sides, always opposite, have been fur- 

 ther treated by the addition of two circles placed on either side of the 

 row. In one instance the supernumerary circles are at the end of the 

 stone, while in another they occupy the center (see Fig. 44). Like the 

 circles on the upper side of the stones described in the first category, 

 all of these have a slight excavation in the center. None of these 

 specimens show any sign whatever of usage, nor does a careful exam- 

 ination of the central perforation lying through the entire length of 

 the stone reveal the slightest trace of a mark such as would have been 

 left by a cord, in case the stones had been suspended. 



Interesting merely from the standpoint of technique are four frag- 

 ments of the stones, being broken through the center, thus making it 

 possible to determine the character of the perforation throughout its 

 entire length (PI. LVIII). In all of the specimens the drilling was 

 done from both ends, the perforation meeting at or near the center. 



PERFORATED STONE BEADS. 



Exactly similar in general shape to the stones just described is a 

 long series of perforated stones which may have been used as beads 

 (PI. LIX). These vary from cylindrical to rectangular in shape 

 and are from one-half to three and one-half inches in length. 

 Although these have been spoken of as beads, it must be admitted that 

 no trace whatsoever of usage has been found, and it is not possible 

 to conceive of stones of material so soft as are these to have been 

 worn, even for a short period, without their showing use-marks. 



