RELICS FROM THE MOUNDS AND STONE GRAVES. 



141 



Fig. 80. 



Implements of Stone employed for Mcelianlcal Pniposes. 



Tools. — In Fig. 80 is represented a symmetrical plummet-shaped implement of 

 magnetic oxide of iron, highly polished, with a hole through the upper end. 

 Length 3.4 inches. 



It is supposed that these implements, a number of which have been found in 

 middle Tennessee, in the cultivated soil, and also in the stone graves, were used in 

 spinning thread, and in weaving. It has also been suggested that 

 they may also have been employed as weights to the lines in fishing. 



The testimony of Du Pratz' and Adair' establishes the important 

 fact that the Indians inhabiting the Southern States and those border- 

 ing on the Mississippi lliver and its tributaries, as far as the Ohio 

 and beyond, understood the art of weaving beautiful and substantial 

 fabrics, from vegetable fibre, from the hair of the buffalo, from the quills 

 of the porcupine, and from feathers. It is still further evident that, 

 so far from these arts being derived from the Spanish, French, Dutch, 

 and English explorers and colonies, tliey were possessed and exercised 

 in the greatest perfection, before the arrival of Europeans, and were 

 gradually abandoned, on account of the introduction of cheaper and 

 more abundant supplies of foreign fabrics. 



The colloidal implement with a flat base represented in Fig, 

 black magnetic oxide of iron. Height, 1.2 inches; diameter 

 inches. 



The surface of this object is smooth and highly polished, and 

 it may have been used in games, as a quoit, or for the purpose of 

 rubbing and grinding the pigments used by the aborigines. 



In previous chapters we have figured and described the dis- 

 coidal stones with plane and biconcave surfaces. Some of these 

 were biconcave, and perforated in the centre with a small, romid, 

 carefully drilled hole. INIany of the biconcave discoidal stones, 

 especially those of the largest, size, have been, with reason, su|> 

 posed to have served the purpose of mortars for crushing Indian corn, or for 

 grinding paint. In some instances they have been found with a carefully con- 

 structed round stone fitting accurately in the concave excavation ; and it is probable 

 that this stone was used as a pestle to grind or crush the corn, paint, or dried 

 herbs used as medicines. 



The discoidal stones, with plane surfaces, were fashioned of various materials, 

 such as pudding stone, silex, jasper, sandstone, chloritic slate, and serpentine. 



These stones were used in games by the Indians, as in the game called Chunhe, 

 by the Chactaws. 



' Bernard Romans gives an interesting description of this game, as practised by 

 the Chactaws.^ 



81 is 

 of the 



PIuT7imot of 

 black magnetic 

 iron. 



made from 

 base, two 



Fig. 81. 



Cono of h;rm,atite, 

 from the Cumberland 

 valley. 



' Tho History of Louisiana, etc., vol. ii, pp. 22fi-232. 



' History of American Indians, p. 424. 



' Concise Natural History of East and West Florida, ITTt'i, p. 19-80. 



