58 ANTIQUITIES IN TENNESSEE. 



one marked H was thoroughly explored, the earth being removed and its entire 

 contents laid bare. 



In the centre of this mound was a carefully constructed octacjonal stone grave, 

 3.5 feet deep, 4 feet in the longest, and 3 feet in the shortest diameter, walled 

 around with eight large Hat limestone slabs, standing on edge. This grave con- 

 tained a skeleton which appeared to have been buried in a sitting posture ; the head 

 had fallen down upon the lumbar vertebrae; the arms rested at the sides; and the 

 legs were crossed in front. On the right side lay a long dark-brown silex imple- 

 ment or weapon (spear-head, or sword-blade"?), 22 inches in length, and 2 inches in 

 width at the broadest portion, being abruptly pointed and serrated at the cutting 

 end, and tapering at the handle (Fig. 24). The edge of this formidable ''stone 

 sword" was uppermost, and the bones of the fingers rested around the tapering 

 portion or handle. 



Fig. 24. 



" Stone sword," or spe.ir-btad, from the ancient earthwork, on the Big Harpeth Kiver. About one-fourth the 



natural size. 



This appears to be the largest and most perfect chipped stone implement of this 

 kind ever discovered either in America or elsewhere. 



During the summer of .1870, I carefully examined the collections of antiquities 

 in the museums of Paris, London, Liverpool, Cambridge, Oxford, and Edinburgh, 

 but found no stone implements equalling in size and perfection the " stone sword" 

 just described, and the battle-axe with the stone handle, which I exhumed from the 

 mound on the banks of the Cumberland, opposite Nashville. Many forms of stone 

 implements are common to both Europe and America. Thus I obtained a stone 

 celt from the bed of the Thames at London, and another stone implement of a 

 similar character from the bed of the Seine, in the heart of Paris, formed of hard, 

 semi-transparent light-pink jasper. Upon comparing these implements with 

 hundreds of similar ones which I have seen and collected in various portions of the 

 United States, I have been able to discern little essential difference, either in the 

 appearance or in the probable use. The London celt is probably older than the 

 Christian era; for, although the true date of the origin of London is unknown, no 

 doubt can be entertained that it was founded in times long prior to that period. 

 The stone celt from the Seine dates back perhaps to the days of the Parisii, for it 

 was found in the bed of the river. 



The European stone celts were, no doubt, used for various purposes, such as 

 crushing bones, cutting small limbs of trees, excavating boats, felling trees, and 

 for warlike purposes; and were bound to handles of wood after the methods 

 practised by the North American Indians. Both in Europe and in America, the 

 stone implements were frequently perforated ; and the perforation was probably 

 accomplished in a similar manner, that is, by whirling a stick in a cavity kept 

 constantly supplied witli wet sand. Upon careful comparison, I concluded that 



