20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.60. 



No. 10. Scraper used largely by merchants in erasing marks from packing 



boxes. 

 No. 11. Scraper in use among greengrocers and butcliers to clean their blocks. 



HISTORY OF HAND WEAPONS WITH BLADES. 



Omitting the employment of fire, smoke, poison, etc., to destroy 

 life, the weapons of mankind are of three kinds — pointed weapons to 

 pierce some vital part; edged weapons to cut the muscular tissues 

 and even to chop the bony structure ; and striking weapons to stun, 

 to bruise, and to break the bones. 



They are (1) held in the hand; (2) attached to the end of a shaft; 

 (3) hurled from the hand, as a javelin; (4) shot from a bow, 

 arbalest, catapult, or gun, or (5) thrown from a sling, throwing 

 stick, or balista. 



Natural objects, slightly modified, were the first cutting or slash- 

 ing weapons. In one area they were shark's teeth fastened on a 

 handle ; in another silicious stones, used singly or on shafts, did the 

 murderous work. Weapons of this class, however, were crude until 

 the age of metals, when they assumed the first rank. 



In the two series here exhibited hand weapons for piercing and 

 cutting are shown. The first sets forth the development of the 

 dagger, the second that of the saber and the sword. The two series 

 run into each other so that there are no sharp lines of demarcation. 



SERIES 1. HAND WEAPONS FOR PIERCING OR STABBING. 



Plate 21. 



Daggers undergo various modifications, according to the grade of 

 culture, the materials at hand, and the taste or idiosyncrasies of 

 peoples. The series here shown is suggestive of the steps of progress 

 in hand weapons for piercing. The first forms were pointed spines 

 of vegetal or animal substances, either in their natural state or 

 ground to a point. Metal weapons of this class for merely piercing 

 are scarce. The function of cutting as well is easily added by mak- 

 ing the blade triangular and sharpening the sides. The effect is 

 then to pierce a vital organ or to sever a blood vessel. The bayonet 

 is the modern expression of the hand weapon for piercing added to 

 a musket or rifle. 



No. 1. Frasjments of flinty stone slightly sharpened at one end to form a 

 point 100,257 



No. 2. Prongs of antlers, one end sharpened, the other serving for a grip, 



99,568, 137,208 



No. 3. Split thigh bones ground to a point at one end, the other serving for a 

 grip 58,241,167,760 



No. 4. Pointed bone and antler, with grip cut out into forms 156,624, 19,269 



No. 5. Long blades of chipped stone pointed at one end 20,419 



