14 



AN ANCIENT QUARRY IN INDIAN TERRITORY. { 



B0REAn OF 

 ETHNOLOGy 



merstones, was some form or blade or <lisk — a blank — intended, in most 

 cases, no doubt, to be subsequently elaborated into an implement of 

 more liiglily specialized form. 



The product of the Peoria chert quarry was more than usually varied, 

 but still remained strictly witliin these limits. The wide range of form 

 is in a measure probably due to the nature of the material, which is 



Fig. 7. — Fra^iiuut of thin blade froiii triiimiiuj;' sliop. 



exceptionally tractable, yielding to the will of the workmen with much 

 ease. If long, thin blades were desired, they could be made; if broad, 

 strong, discoidal forms were needed, they could be shaped with equal 

 facility. But no matter what tlie iiual forms in view were — and it is 

 evident that such forms were generally in view — the quarry work cov- 

 ered only the incipient stages of shaping, i. e., the roughing out. 



It IS furtlier evident that all the work was professional — that it was 

 carried on by skilled specialists and intended to supply a general and 



