STONE AGE IN NEW JERSEY. 281 



a doiibly-uotclied base. A third peculiarity of the specimen consists in 

 one side being abnost perfectly Hat, while the other is about as ridged 

 and sloping from a central line as in the ordinary spears and arrow- 

 points. The flat side is not at all the result of a single plane of cleav- 

 age, but has been carefully chipped, with fully as many distinct planes 

 as the other side. Tiiat it was intentional on the part of the arrow- 

 maker appears unquestionable, but what the object was in thus fash- 

 ioning it is a mystery. 



Figure 53 measures three and three-fourths inches in length by one 

 inch and one-half at the upper edge of the base. The material is a 

 brownish-gray jasper, with a delicate veining of light blue. 



As an arrow-point, this specimen would prove too large and heavy, 

 and the crooked point certainly does not suiigest a drill for boring. 



Figure 54 is a beautifully-shaped specimen, chipped from a hard piece 

 of bluish slate-rock. The point and slender stem are admirably finished 

 and well preserved. The large base is also chipped to a sharp edge, as 

 though it were also intended for cutting. While no indication exists of 

 the use of the specimen, since it was found associated with other forms 

 of spears in the bed of Crosswick's Creek, we believe it to be a fish-spear, 

 or, at any rate, an implement of the chase. On com})arison with the 

 jiointed specimens described in Chapter XY, it serves to show how one 

 form of implement merges into another. 



This specimen is three and one-eighth inches in length by one inch 

 and one-half broad at the base. It is quite thin, but, unlike the preced- 

 ing, is equally ridged about the center of each side. 



Figure 55 is a smaller, butbeautifull^^ symmetrical, specimen of fivSh- 

 spear, and forms a good connecting-link between these and the arrow- 

 heads iiroper. We have seen few more admirably-wrought specimens 

 of jasper-chipping thau this one. With the extreme point, now broken 

 off, this specimen measured tw^o and three-fourths inches in length by 

 one inch in width at about its middle. 



That such a specimen could be used as an arrow-point is certain 5 but 

 since the vast majority of true arrow-heads are shorter, or broader if of 

 equal length, we do not believe this to have been intended as such an 

 implement. Glancing over our collection of fish-spears as gathered 

 about Trenton, N. J., we find that a very great mnjority of them are of 

 slate, and well provided with notched or stemmed bases. The narrow 

 portion is not always straight, but, with very few exceptions, the edges 

 are as uniform as chi[)ping will secure. There is but a single specimen 

 of lishspear in our cabinet with a serrated edge. It is now compara- 

 tively soft from being much weather-worn, and the teeth along the sides 

 are blunted, still they show that they were originally a marked charac- 

 teristic of the specimen. 



Mr. Evans has figured* one specimen of fish-spear, which is beauti- 

 fully worked and is very similar in detail to the specimen from the Del- 



*Anc. Stouo Imp. G. B., p. 3139, iig. 'M2. 



