736 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



ar«^ the ones found near rivers. Continually washed by their waters, 

 they have not acquired the coating of rust with which those buried in 

 the ground are covered. 



So true is the above that every fresh break shows the interior of the 

 stone to be of a different color from the exterior. 



All these rocks are volcanic, and are naturally either black, blue, or 

 green. 



This peculiarity does not generally exist in polished celts. Tbe glaz- 

 ing has unalterably fixed the color of the stone. They have, in conse- 

 quence, remained fx^ee from all oxidation, and appear as if just from the 

 hands of the workmaif. 



Axes. — Axes are more numerous than all the other pieces. That may 

 be easily understood, the ax being of prime utility to man. Some are 

 long and narrow, others short and wide. Some are very flat, others 

 very thick. Some are very small, while others are of enormous size and 

 weight. I have two weighing, respectively, 4 kilograms, 750 grams, 

 and 4 kilograms, 775 grams. Some are of very simple construction, 

 merely the natural stone of appropriate form, which a little working 

 transformed into an instrument; while others, on the contrary, are true 

 masterpieces, which will bear comparison with those found in Denmark 

 only. The latter are very rare. They were evidently used for purposes 

 of parade, for it cannot be allowed that the author of such a work 

 would have exposed it to be broken at the first shock, thus losing the 

 product of the labor of several months, I might even say of several years. 



The ax admits of four distinct parts — the head, the neck, the blade, 

 the cutting edge. 



The head is sometimes round, sometimes flat, sometimes very small, 

 sometimes as large as the blade. Some axes have one or several trans- 

 verse grooves, some have none at all, others a single longitudinal groove. 

 The last are very rare. Pierced axes are very rare. The holes served, 

 if they offer any assistance, to fasten the stone to the handle ; if not, to 

 suspend ornaments. The head played an important part in attaching 

 the ax to the handle, for there can be no doubt that all these axes had 

 handles. The small as well as the large ones were fixed, on a wooden 

 handle by means of cords made of cotton or mohot. 



The neck is more or less lengthened. Sometimes it is formed by lat- 

 eral notches only, but generally by a circular depression. 



The blade varies considerably in form, length, and thickness. There 

 is no proportion between it and Jhe other two parts. 



The edge is more or less distinct. In sonie axes it is so perfect that 

 one would think they had been sharpened the day before. 



I have three double-edged axes — two of moderate size, the other very 

 small. I have four axes of which the head is i)rolouged into a long 

 tail, and which resemble (one of them especially) that which has been 

 termed Montezuma's ax. I have also a certain number, both small and 

 very large, with a slight but decided protuberance on the lower part of 



