282 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



measure, a matter of conjecture. They were bardly less tUaa the totems 

 of clans, the insignia of rulers, or the potent charms of a priesthood. 



The gorget in question is unfortunately without a pedigree. It 

 reached the National Museum through the agency of Mr. (J. F. Williams, 

 and is labeled "Mississippi." On it face, however, there is sufficieut 

 evidence to establish its aboriginal origin. The form of the object, the 

 character of the design and the evident age of the s])ecimen, all bespeak 

 the mound-builder. It was in all probability obtained from one of 

 the multitude of ancient sepulchers that abound in the State of Mis- 

 sisipi)i. The disk is four and a quarter inches in diameter, and is made 

 from a large, heavy specimen of the Biisycon j)errei-sum. It has been 

 smoothly dressed on both sides, but is now considerably stained and 

 pitted. The design has in this case been engraved upon the convex 

 side, the concave surface being i)lain. The perforations are placed 

 near the margin and are considerably worn by the cord of suspension. 

 In the center is a uearly symmetrical cross of the Greek type inclosed 

 in a circle one and one-fourth inches in diameter. The spaces between 

 the arms are emblazoned with groups of radiating lines. Placed at regu- 

 lar intervals on the outside of the circle are twelve pointed pyramidal 

 rays ornamented with transverse lines. The whole design presents a re- 

 markable combination of the two symbols, the cross and the snn. Sur- 

 rounding this interesting symbol is another of a somewhat mysterious 

 nature. A square framework of four continuous parallel lines, sym- 

 metri<!ally looi)ed at the corners, incloses the central symbol, the inner 

 line touching the tii)s of the pyran)idal rays. Outside of this again are 

 the four symbolic birds placed against the side of the square opposite 

 the arms of the cross. These birds, or rather birds' heads, are care- 

 fully drawn after what, to the artist, must have been a well recog- 

 nized model. The mouth is open and the mandibles long, slender, 

 and straight. The eye is represented by a circlet which incdoses a 

 small conical pit intended to represent the iris, a striated and pointed 

 crest springs from the back of the head and neck, and two lines extend 

 from the eye, down the neck, to the base of the figure. In seeking an 

 original for this bird we find that it has perhaps more points of resem- 

 blance to the ivory-billed woodpecker than to any other species. It 

 is not impossible, however, that the heron or swan may have been in- 

 tended. That some particular bird served as a )nodel is attested by the 

 fact that other specimens, from UKjunds in various parts of Tennessee, 

 exhibit similar figures. I have been able to find six of these specimens, 

 all of which vary to some extent from the type described, but only in 

 detail, workmanship, or finish. The specimen presented in Fig. 2, Plate 

 LIX, was obtained hy Mr. Cross from a stone grave on Mr. Overton's 

 farm near K^ashville, Tenn. Professor Putnam, who secured it from Mr. 

 Cross, has ])ublished a cut of it in the Eleventh Annual Report of the 

 PeabodyJInseum. It is made from a large marine shell, i)robably a Busy- 

 con, and is represented natural size both by Mr. Putnam and myself. 



