ETHNOLOGY. 387 



ANTIQUITIES OF CHARLES COUXTV, MARYLAND. 



By Oliver N. Bryan, of Marshall Hall, Maryland. 



The following paper does not propose to be an entire summary of all 

 the Indian relics in this county, but only to present a list in part of 

 such as have been found upon my farm on the Potomac, opposite Mount 

 Vernon, and of a few found upon the adjoining estates. What I propose 

 is simply to give a glance at my own cabinet, which I have been accu- 

 mulating for the last ten or twelve years, and at a few specimens I, from 

 time to time, have sent to the Smithsonian Institution. 



Some ten or twelve years ago I became interested in gathering up, as 

 opportunity offered, the stone arrow-heads, axes, &c., that happened to 

 lie in my jjath, scarcely without knowing why I did so. At that time 

 an interest in archaeology had not developed itself in my mind, but now, 

 with a taste somewhat cultivated in that direction, and more sharply 

 eyed by practice, I take great pleasure in gathering up everything of 

 the kind that falls under ray observation bearing evidence that it can 

 be referred to human ingenuity. I have become deeply interested in 

 the subject, and earnestly desire to add my mite toward developing 

 the history of the ancient people who lived upon the ground which I now 

 call my own. 



Among the articles I have gathered in my walks are axes, hoes, arrow 

 and spear points, scrapers, and lances of stone and bone, wampum and 

 pottery, pipes, needles with two holes, mortars, sinkers, hammers, chisels, 

 paint-material, bones (human and brute) from Indian graves, and speci- 

 mens from muscle-shell heaps. I have also found axes of greenish jasper, 

 of various shapes and sizes, one of which I sent to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution ; found about three miles from my house. It was double grooved 

 and very long, and in respect to the extra groove was unlike any other 

 that I ever saw. The arrow-points show a greater diversity of form and 

 mineral than the axes or any other implement. I have them of quartz, 

 jasper, agate, chalcedony, hornstone, flint, lydian-stone, and a very rough 

 one of a granitic character. They vary in length from ^ inch to 4 

 inches. 



It is evident that the makers of arrows could not work the stone, by 

 chipping, to any desired form, as is proved bj^ the fact that no two points 

 can be found exactly of the same shape and size in all respects. Com- 

 pare two of the same length and material and you will find one more 

 umbilicated than the other, hases differently notched, points not true 

 with the base, and many other difi'erent phases, which plainly show that 

 the character of the mineral contr oiled the makers at least in part. This 

 is not, however, the case with axes, pestles, or other implements sub- 

 mitted to a rubbing or grinding process. The makers of these had evi- 

 dently a mechanical eye as good, as far as their range extended, as that 

 of the mechanic of the present day. Nearly all the rubbed implements 



