900 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



in the Uuited States. The large aigillite specimens from Trenton, 



New Jersey, fomul by Dr. C. C. Abbott, belong to this class. These 



are exceedingly interesting and deserve profound study, as they may 



prove the connecting link between the Paleo- 

 lithic and Neolithic periods in the United 

 States. It will be remembered how the leaf- 

 shaped implements were common to both 

 periods. These are of argillite, tlie material 

 used exclusively for the Trenton implements 

 in the glacial gravels of 1he Delaware. 



Fig, 102 is one of these argillite leaf-shaped 

 implements found by Dr. Abbott at Trenton. 

 Its shape is shown in the illustration. One 

 of these specimens is photographed in the 

 classification, leaf-shaped, Class B (Plate 29, 

 fig. 3). The material seems to have been 

 easily chipped; it could be struck off in 

 broad, thin Hakes, shell-shaped, and not long, 

 straight, and narrow as with flint, obsidian, 

 and other chippable materials. Therefore, 

 the chipping appears 

 gross, yet the desid- 

 eratum of a thin, sharp 

 Fig. 102. implement is obtained. 



Fig. 103 is another of 

 the same material and 

 from the same locality. 

 The same remark is to 

 be made as to its flakes. 



Fig. 104 is from Paxton, Sullivan County, Indi- 

 ana. Comparison of these three objects will 



manifest the difference in the chipping of the 



material. Although the surface of the latter 



(fig. 101) is much smaller than that of the former, 



yet the number of flakes struck from it is three 



times greater. The argillite specimens (figs. 102, 



103) have, resi)ectively, but 12 and 13 flakes 



struck from the broad side; the jaspery flint (fig. 



101) has no less than 40. Tlie argillite, contrary 



to its appearance, is quite hard, and takes and 



holds a fairly sharp edge; altogetlier, it was a 



good material and recommended itself for stone 



implements. 



Figs. 105 and 106 represent specimens of leaf-shaped implements 



from Ohio. They are of flint, and, while sharp at the point, are so 



convex at the base as to pass gradually into the disk form so plentiful 



LEAF-SHAPED IMPLEMENT OF ARGIL 

 LITE, WITH STRAIGHT BASE. 



Trenton, New Jersey. 

 Division I, Class B. 5§ x 2i"g x g. 



Cat. No. 19367, U.S.N.M. 



Fig. 103. 



LEAF-SHAPED IMPLEMENT OF 

 ARGILLITE, WITH STRAIGHT 

 KASE. 



Trenton, Now Jersey. 



Division I, Class B. 



4|x2gxS. 



Cat. No. 19a63, U.S.N.M. 



