32 perforated stones 



nothing of the highly finished disks of the same general eharaeter from 

 other parts of the world, arc to he classed as the heads of ceremonial 

 staves or medicine sticks or as "banner stones." While no such sweep- 

 ing generalization is permissible, enough has been said to show that in 

 the grouping of many of the perforated disks as weapons too much has 

 been assumed on the strength of superficial resemblances, and that some, 

 of them, at least, are to be classed, with a fair degree of certainty, as 

 ceremonial stones. 



While it is undoubtedly true that we now know all we are ever likely 

 to know respecting these relics from sonic sections, and that an insight 

 into their former functions is to be derived only from the speculative 

 inquiries of the archaeologist, it is also probably true that in other lo- 

 calities, as in California, a partial knowledge, at least, may be gained 

 by interrogating surviving individuals of the tribes, or cognate tribes, 

 among which they were used. If the present paper accomplishes no 

 more than to call attention to the uses of perforated stones in California 

 and to the conflicting opinions of their uses elsewhere, and the conse- 

 quent need of farther light, its main purpose will be fulfilled. 



ORIGIN OF PERFORATED STONES. 



In the present imperfect state of knowledge respecting the perforated 

 stones, when even their uses are to a large extent conjectural, it would 

 seem to be idle to speculate concerning their origin and the course of 

 evolution they have followed. Could it be proved that they have served 

 generally, or even extensively, as the heads of war clubs this might, 

 perhaps, be regarded as one at least of their primary uses, if not the 

 most important one, while their other functions would naturally be re- 

 garded as of secondary character. 



The conversion of a weapon to a ceremonial use is natural enough 

 and quite in keeping with savage usage In fact not rarely weapons 

 are made for no other than ceremonial purposes, if, indeed, the term 

 weapon properly applies to an implement primarily designed for other 

 than warlike purposes. Thus Col. Lane Fox 1 states that "many of the 

 clubs in Figi are constructed for ornamental and state purposes rather 

 than for use, and are dedicated to a spirit when they are deposited in 

 the 3Il)iu r." The (dubs intended for use are generally smaller and more 

 portable than the others. II. IJ. Schoolcraft notes a similar usage 

 among the North American Indians, 2 and states that '• (dubs exhibited 

 at the war dance or other ceremonial exhibitions are always larger 

 than those intended for practical use and partake decidedly of a sym- 

 bolical character." 



Moreover the National Museum contains specimens of fictitious clubs 

 "which in some cases are nothing more than imitations in soft pine 



'Cat. Anthrop. Coll., 1877, p. 7:!. 



3 Indian Tribes of the United States, Part 1, p. 



