428 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Sir John Evans ^ shows representations of these flakers. Capt. John 

 Smith, writing in IGOO of the Indians of Virginia, says : " His arrowhead 

 he uiaketh quicklj' with a little bone, which he ever weareth at his 

 bracer." Sir John Evans- says: 



No sculptor ever haiidlecl a chisel with greater precision or more carefully meas- 

 urod the weight and effect of every blow than did this ingenious Indian; for even 

 among them arrow making was a distinct profession in which few attained excellence. 



SCANDINAVIAN FLINT CHIPPING. 



Scandinavia stands at the head of prehistoric European countries for 

 excellence in flint chipping during Neolithic times. The specimens 

 from that country stand as models of such art work. 



Daggers. — Plate 23 represents a dagger or poniard of flint from 

 Copenhagen. Its length is Sf inches, width of blade 2J inches, and 

 thickness of blade ^ inch. The implement has been made entirely by 

 chipping, the blade in its finishing has been flaked always from the 

 edge, forming a perceptible ridge in the center. The smallness and 

 thinness of the flakes may be imagined from the regularity and smooth- 

 ness of the edge. Plate 24 represents other specimens of flint from 

 Scandinavia — poniards or daggers. They are of the flint of the coun- 

 try, and the chipping thereof is of the same style and exhibits the 

 same high degree of manual dexterity as the specimen in plate 23. 

 The chipping of the handle of specimen No. 191044, U.S.N.M., is to 

 be noted. It shows how by artistic treatment different effects can be 

 produced. 



MEXICO. 



Leaf-shaped^ Class A, — The Solutreen leaf-shaped imi^lements have 

 already been described and figured (Plate 9). They belong to the 

 Paleolithic period, but the same kind of object, of equally tine art and 

 difficulty of fabrication, was made in the Neolithic period.^ This 

 applies equally to America as to Europe. Plate 25 represents these 

 implements from Mexico. They are of the same general type as the 

 Solutreen leaf-shaped imiflements which forms Class A of the leaf- 

 shaped division in my " Classification of Arrow and Spear Heads." 

 They are shaped like a laurel leaf, are ellii)tical and pointed at both 

 ends. Their widest place is one-third or one-fourth the distance from 

 the base. The specimen on plate 25 is from Oaxaca, Mexico, and 

 is 12^ inches in length, 3f inches in width, and f inch in thickness. 



THE UNITED STATES OF AJIERICA. 



Leaf- shaped, Glass A. — Plate 26 presents a remarkable specimen of 

 stone chipping. It was found. May 20, 1891, on the farm of and is 

 owned by Mr. Gr. F. Arvedson, of Carpentersville, Illinois. The mate- 

 terial is quartzite, which increases its interest, as quartzite is more 



1 Ancient Stone Implementa of Great Britain, p. 35, figs. 9 and 10. 



2 Idem, p. 36. 

 « See p. 422. 



