CHARM STONES. 



NOTES ON THE SO-CALLED " PLUMMETS " OR SINKERS. 



By Dr. L. G. Yates. 



Several years ago an article appeared in the American Naturalist 

 (November, 1872), by J. G. Henderson, on the subject of " plummets," in 

 which, after describing and figuring several specimens found at various 

 places, he offered some conjectures as to their uses, six of which uses 

 he enumerates as probable. 



(1) As slung-shots. 



(2) As sinkers for fishing-tackle. 



(3) In playing some game. 



(4) As sacred implements in performing some religious ceremonies^ 



(5) As personal ornaments. 



(6) As plummets and levels. 



After giving his reasons at some length in each of these supposed 

 uses he dismisses all except the last, which he decides were the uses to 

 which tliey were put. In a note appended to the article. Prof. F. W. 

 Putnam states that "he has considered the implements generally classed 

 under the names plummets and sinkers to represent to a greater or less 

 extent, according to size, material, shape, and fiuish, first, pestles; 

 second, sinkers; third, spinning weights; fourth, ornaments." 



Mr. Henderson gives a number of localities where these implements 

 have been found. My attention was particularly attracted by the state- 

 ment that "about ten years ago one of tiiese implements was found 

 under remarkable circumstances in Woodbridge County, Cal.;" there 

 being no such county in California. 



I commenced an article on this subject at that time, but press of other 

 matters and a desire to obtain as much reliable information as possible 

 have prevented its completion. 



During the years that have elapsed since the inception of this article 

 I have noted the various theories advanced by diiferent writers as to 

 the uses of these singular implements. 



A great many have written on the subject, and all have accepted 

 some one or more of the various theories projected. 



Foster, in his Prehistoric Races of the United States, classes the 

 plummet-shaped stones under the head of " weights which may have 

 been used in the process of weaving," and figures three varieties of 

 them (see Figs. 31, «, fo, c, p. 230), Prehistoric Races, as " weights to 

 keep the threads taut." 



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