Chai'tkr VI 



DISTRIBUTION OF STONE IMPLEMENTS 

 THE AREA INVESTIGATED 



The tidewater portions of Marylaud and Virjiinia have an area nearly 

 equal to that of the state of Maryland. Abont one fourth of the area 

 is occupied by broad arms of the sea, chiefly Chesapeake bay and its 

 tributaries, and the land is a much diversified plain, broken by erosion 

 into hills and terraced valleys. It extends inland from the Atlantic 

 seaboard to the base of the highland or Piedmont plateau, which rises 

 on the west to the Ai)palachian mountains. The curved line separat- 

 ing the two topographic divisions — the lowland and tiie highland — is 

 marked by falls in all the rivers, and by the location of town and cities 

 through which pass the great highways of travel connecting the north 

 with the south. On this line are located Philadelphia, Havre de 

 Grace, Baltimore, Laurel, Washington, Fredericksburg, Richmond, and 

 Petersburg (see plate i). This was the shore-line of the Atlantic when 

 the lormations constituting the lowlands were laid down. 



The separation of the lowland from the highland is not a topographic 

 separation only; there are pronounced biologic and geologic distinc- 

 tions, and these combined in archaic times to produce marked anthro- 

 pologic distinctions. The tidewater region furnished a plentiful supply 

 of game and fish, and in the brackish and salt water areas an abun- 

 dance of oysters. The natives lived much on the water, and were per- 

 haps more nearly a maritime people than any other group of tribes in 

 the east. Their peculiar biologic environment had a marked influence 

 on their ai't, giving it unique forms and exceptional distribution; while 

 their unusual geoh)gic surroundings had a still more ])r()nounced eflect 

 on their implements, utensils, and weapons, limiting the forms and 

 sizes and determining to a considerable extent the kinds em])loyed in 

 the various districts, independently of biologic and other conditions. 



In early historic times the tidewater country was inliabited by 

 numerous tribes of Indians,.mainly of Algonquian stock, subject to the 

 renowned Powhatan. A few other nations were located about the 

 headwaters of Cliesapeakebay and others appeared at times along the 

 western and southern borders. The period covered by this occupancy 

 practically closed about the middle of the last century. I ts beginning is 

 not determined, but it i)robably does not date back very many centuries. 

 Of antecedent or prehistoric peoples, if such there were, we have uo 

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