AMERICAN ARCHEOLOGY. 119 



stone discs may have been, used in amusing or gam- 

 bling games. Bark peelers, root and twig cutters, 

 have been so named from the fact that certain hematite 

 implements with a wedge-like extremity, could serve 

 for such purposes. 



Stone mortars, pestles, and rollers are exceedingly 

 common; so are molded and burnt pieces of domestic 

 ware, to answer our use of pots, kettles, stew-pans, 

 mngs, pitchers, and jugs. Globular stones are found 

 which have been used much in the hands, possibly as 

 hand-hammers, nut-crackers, or sling-stones. The 

 stone axes mostly have a deep groove near the head to 

 receive a withe which served as a handle. These were 

 sometimes very large, weighing from twelve to fifteen 

 pounds, though half that weight was more common. 

 Many were light, and may have been employed as 

 hatchets. As compared with modern steel instru- 

 ments, these stone tools are clumsy enough to be 

 laughed at, but in strong hands they were made to 

 serve the purposes of the savage in maintaining a 

 vigorous existence. 



