46 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



large concli shell, probably the same species from which the beads were 

 made. I have recently received from Mrs. Haines, for the Academy, a 

 portion of the frontal bone, which is half an inch or more in thickness ; 

 also a piece of the lower jaw. These are from the same skeleton above 

 mentioned. 



COPPER BEADS. 



In this connection we must not forget the copper beads found with the 

 infant bones in the mound on Mrs. Cook's land here at Davenport, and 

 which still contain pieces of the cord upon which they were strung ages 

 ago. These have heretofore been fully described.* 



The descriptions to wtiich I have referred, and some other considera- 

 tions suggest a possible use of the copper relics, axes so called, as a me- 

 dium of exchange, and representing, no doubt, if so used, very high val- 

 ues. As they have apparently not been used as tools, not being adapted 

 for actual service, being too soft, and showing no signs of wear, perhaps 

 we might look upon them as copper coins, fashioned into the form of 

 some of the stone implements, and made for the especial purposes of 

 exchange and commercial transactions. If made for such a purpose 

 they must have some definite form, and perhaps some useful article in 

 everyday life would be as likely to furnish the model form which would 

 be adopted, as any other object or idea. 



Prof. Jevons says : " Some of the most extraordinary specimens of 

 money ever used are the large plates of pure copper which circulated in 

 Sweden in the eighteenth century. They were about three-eighths of an 

 inch in thickness, and varied in size, the one-half daier being three and 

 a half inches square, and the two daler seven and one-half inches square, 

 and three and one-half pounds weight. 



Mr. Bancroft says : " Ornaments are in the form of rings, gorgets, 

 medals, bracelets and beads, with a variety of small articles of unknown 

 use, some of them probably used as money. Very small models of larger 

 implements like axes are often found, and were doubtless worn as orna- 

 ments. Mr. Dickeson speaks confidently of gold, silver, copper and 

 galeiia money left by the mound builders. He further says that " Accord- 

 ing to Cogolludo, copper bells and rattles of different sizes, red shells in 

 strings, precious stones and copper hatchets often served as money, 

 especially in foreign trade. Doubtless many other articles, valuable and 

 of compact form, were used in the same way."' 



That all of these articles, copper axes, beads.and awls, and stone pipes, 

 etc., would sometimes be exchanged between individuals or tribes for 

 various kinds of property, value for value, is, of course, not to be 

 doubted, but to what extent this was a custom in the case of each of these 

 objects, is as yet little more than a mere speculation. 



These ground shells seem to be more adapted to that purpose and less 

 suited to any other than any other article we have found, excepting, per- 

 haps, the shell beads so common in many mounds. 



*See these Proceedings, Vol. I, page 134, plate VI. 



