REMARKS 

 UPON SOME CHIPPED STONE IMPLEMENTS. 



BY F. W. PUTNAM. 



(.Communicated at the meeting on June 29, 1883.) 



Vice-President PUTNAM addressed the meeting on the 

 subject of "American Archaeology." After a general 

 statement of the importance of studying the works of 

 man in the past, not only in order to obtain an insight in- 

 to the condition and development of the early races, but 

 also, by comparison, to trace their connections and migra- 

 tions over the world, he confined his remarks to the 

 method of manufacture, the character and use of chipped 

 stone implements. The subject was illustrated by several 

 photographs and drawings which he brought from the 

 Museum at Cambridge, and by the local collection ex- 

 hibited to the meeting by Mr. Dodge. 



The first cutting implements used by man, to supple- 

 ment his finger nails and teeth, probably consisted of 

 pieces of stone, broken shells, the teeth of animals and 

 splinters of bone or wood, according to the particular 

 circumstances and surroundings of the individual. While 

 such natural and primitive implements are still in use 

 by the lower savages, and in emergencies are resorted 

 to by us all, the natural wisdom of man, as shown by his 

 great inventive power in his onward march, soon led him 

 to prepare implements better adapted to his purposes. 

 Thus, among the very oldest works of man, of which 

 we have positive knowledge, are the chipped stone imple- 



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