274 A N C I E N T M t) N U M K N T S. 



It is true, hardly a year passes unsignalized by the announcement of the' dis- 

 covery of tablets of stone or metal, bearing strange and mystical inscriptions, — 

 generally reported to have a '* marked resemblance to the Chinese characters." But 

 they either tail lo withstand an analysis of the alleged circumstances attending their 

 discovery, or resolve themselves into very simple natural productions when subjected 

 to scientific scrutiny. It will be remembered that some years ago it was announced 

 that six inscribtd copper plates had been found in a mound near Kinderhook, Pike 

 county, Illinois. Engravings of them and a minute description were published at 

 the time, and widely circulated. Subsequent inquiry has shown that the plates 

 were a harmless imposilion, got up for local effect ; and that the village blacksmith, 

 with no better sviggcstion to his antiquarian labors than the lid of a tea-chest, was 

 chiefiy responsible for them. \\ ithin tiie past two years an announcement was 

 made of the discovery, in a mound near Lower Sandusky, Ohio, of a series of oval 

 mica plates, inscribed with numberless unknown characters, which, in the language 

 of the printed account, probably "contained the history of some former race that 

 inhabited this country." These plates were found, upon examination, to be orna- 

 ments ot" that variety of mica known as " graphic " or " hieroglyphic mica," — 

 which is naturally markfd wilh figures somewhat regular in their arrangement. 



The Grave creek mound was also said to have contained a small stone, bearing 

 an alphabetical inscription, which has attracted the attention of a number of 

 learned men both in this country and in Europe. A critical examination of the 

 circumstances attending the introduction of this relic to the world is calculated to 

 Ihrow great doubt upon its genuineness. The fact that it is not mentioned by 

 intelligent observers ■\Ariting from the spot at the time of the excavation of the 

 mour.d, and that no notice of its existence was made public until alter the opening 

 . of the mound for exhibition, joined to the strong presumptive evidence against the 

 occurrence of anything of the kind, furnished by the antagonistic character of all 

 the ancient rt mains of the continent, so far as they are known, — are insuperable 

 objections to its reception. Until it is better authenticated, it should be entirely 

 excluded from a place among the antiquities of our country.* 



A small tablet was discovered, some years ago, in a mound at Cincinnati, of 

 which Fig. 194 presents a front, and Eig. 195 a reverse view. 



This relic is now in the possession of Erasmus Gest, Esq., of Cincinnati. The 

 circumstances under which it was discovered are thus detailed by Mr. Gest in a 

 letter published at the time : 



" I herewith send you what I deem to be a hieroglyphical stone, which was 

 found buried w ith a skeleton in the ' old mound,' situated in the western part of 

 the city, together with two pointed bones, each about seven inches long, taken 

 from the same spot. (See page 220.) 



" In the course of the excavation several skeletons were disinterred ; and their 

 being generally in a good state of preservation and near the surface, gave rise to 



* For a critical examinalion of the question of the authenlicity of this relic, see Transactiuns nj Angli- 

 can Elhnuloijical Socicly, vol. ii. 



