STONE AGE IN NEW JERSEY. 251 



lated instances of rude stoue implements bearing- peculiar markings; 

 altliougli in a large series there will of course be some even possibly 

 more rude, and again others that seem a i)artial transition from the 

 "turtle-backs" to the ax, or the latter to the spear-headshaiied speci- 

 mens. Other than the sj)e('imen last figured, (figure 5.) we have now 

 lying on our table two specimens with about the same amount of work 

 upon them, but varying somewhat in details. The larger of these is of 

 the same length as figure 5 ; but the blade narrows gradually toward 

 the back, which is about two-thirds of the width of the front or cutting 

 edge. There is no defined spot to show where or how a handle has 

 been fastened, but such must have been attached in some manner to 

 render the stoue at all available as a war- weapon or an implement of the 

 chase. The other, smaller specimen of a rude ax is five and one-half 

 inches in length, with a front or cutting edge of three and one-half 

 inches in extent ; and from this edge the specimen tapers to an acute 

 point, giving it the form of an acute, nearly equilateral, triangle, with a 

 slightly-curved base. It shows clearly that it has had a handle attached, 

 as in case of figure 5, and, with the pointed back and curved edge in front, 

 well represents the tomahawk of the Indians in use after the introduc- 

 tion of iron, and still in use among the wilder tribes of the West. 



Figure 6 represents a small ax, showing that occasionally considerable 

 labor was expended in even this class of rude implements. The general 

 outline is good, much resembling that of the preceding figure. Unlike 

 that specimen, however, it clearly retains the ma7'ks of the hammer- 

 stone, showing that it was slowly pecked into shape, and not formed by 

 hard blows and large fragments broken off. One side is flatter than 

 the other, indicating that it approaches the specimens we have figured 

 as the types or starting-points of this series of stone relics. The cut- 

 ting-edge is still well preserved, but shows no indication of having been 

 polished or sharpened otherwise than by pecking fresh fragments off 

 as the old edge grew dull by use. This specimen measures three and 

 three-fourths inches in length, by two and one-half inches in width at 

 the front or edge, and tapers then to a back about one inch iu width, 

 which has also been chipped to a moderately sharp edge. 



Figure 7 represents a common form of" rude imi)lement,"that returns 

 to the "turtle-back" variety in the characteristic of a perfectly liat 

 bottom or under surface, which in this case appears to have been the 

 face of a smooth fracture effected by a single blow upon the rock from 

 which the specimen was detached. The object of the specimen is wholly 

 different from the " axes" we have been describing; this being a spear- 

 head apparently, as the well-defined point is unquestionably the impor- 

 tant feature of the weapon or implement of the chase. It is not easy to 

 comprehend why spear-heads should have been thus fashioned, that is, 

 flat upon one side, and so ridged upon the other as to make the greatest 

 thickness equal to half the length, as in this and many other instances. 

 We will find, however, that this character re-appears in other specimens 



