254 SAVAGE WEAPONS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 



is shown a double-ended dagger (b), bound with copper, and obtained 

 from the Kutchin Indians of Northwest British America. Such daggers 

 are forged by the Indians from old files obtained from sawmills near the 

 settlements. They are in general use among the northern and north- 

 western tribes. 



Copper seems to have been the earliest metal to be fashioned into 

 tools, and its alloy, bronze, the first efficient tool material. Molds of 

 mica schist for easting copper weapons and ornaments were found by 

 Dr. Schliemann iii the hill of HissaiTik. 117 There are also many such 

 specimens in museums. The modern supposition that the ancients had 

 a method of tempering copper as we do steel — or with analogous 

 effects at least — is a myth. The metal acted upon was the alloy, 

 bronze, and the range of effects is far inferior to the capacity of steel. 

 The Assyrians wore a profusion of daggers, two or more in the same 

 sheath. 118 The handles were elaborate, made of ivory, inlaid, set with 

 precious stones, carved the shape of heads of animals, etc. One of 

 copper was found by Layard at Nimroud. The Assyrians, like the 

 Persians, probably used them as knives. 



Copper knives were found by Schliemann 119 in the lowest stratum of 

 the excavations at Hissarlik ; one of them was gilt. Also a number of 

 copper (luggers at a depth of 28 feet. 

 Egyptian knives were of bronze and of copper. 120 

 A comparison of the forms of knives of the ancients and moderns 



shows that what may be termed 

 the "leaf-shape" has been very 

 general. 1 1 is true that the variety 

 of shapes of leaves is so great that 

 the term may be held indescript- 

 ive ; it suits the case, however. 



Fig. 7.") shows, in the upper row, 



a number of Roman knives of the 



classical period, and in the lower 



row a number of African knives of 



the present day. a is the secespita, 



a sacrificial knife with an iron blade 



and an ivory handle ornamented 



with gold and silver ; b is the ptigio 



or two-edged dagger worn by the 



officers of the army and by persons 



of rank ; c is the culter apquinarius, 



or cook's knife; d, the cultraritts, 



for cutting the throat of the sacrificial victim; e, the c. venatorius, or 



huntsman's knife; /, the falx mniioria^ or vinedresser's knife; g,th.efalx 



arboraria, for pruning and hedge-trimming. 



The swords of the bronze age, dug up from the lacustrine village 



FlG. 75. — Ancient Hainan and modern African knives. 



» 7 Schliemann'a "Troy and its Remains," p. l'.3 ( J. 

 '"•Troy and its Remains," 150; pp. 332,333. 



" •• Nineveh," vol. ii, p. 264. 



- Wilkinson. Kitto, vol. i, p. 372. 



