88 THE WINNEBAGO TEIBE [eth. axn. 37 



Following Brown's classification, we note the following copper ob- 

 jects in Wisconsin: Axes or hatchets (the most common), chisels, 

 "spuds," gouges, spiles, spatulas, knives, spear and arrow points, 

 harpoon points, pikes and punches, awls and drills, spikes, needles, 

 and fishhooks. 



The most important types of axes were the following: Those oblong 

 in outline, with edges nearly parallel; those with straight edges and 

 tapering, widest toward tlie cutting edge and becoming narrower 

 toward the head. The head itself may be either flattened, rounded, 

 or roundly pointed. This is the most common type found. The 

 third type, according to Brown, resembles the second, "with the ex- 

 ception that the margin at the edges is slightly but distinctly elevated, 

 thus giving a slightly depressed or concave surface in the center and 

 from end to end on one or both broad faces of the ax. In some ex- 

 amples this margin is fully one-half inch in width at or near the 

 middle.'"^ 



Three principal types of chisels were found: Those broadest at the 

 cutting edge, with edges tapering gradually from this cutting edge 

 to the head; those of nearly uniform width with straight parallel 

 edges; and those with a more or less prominent median ridge. 



According to Brown there can be no doubt as to their use. "It 

 probably included the hollowing out of wooden canoes, troughs, and 

 vessels . . ."" 



Knives are quite common, there being two principal types — one 

 with a straight back and oblique, curved, or straight cutting edge; 

 and another distinguished from the latter by a greater breadth of its 

 broad curved blade and terminating in a broadly rounded point. 



Spear and arrow points are found in great profusion and fall into 

 many types: The leaf -shaped, the stemmed and flat, the ridged, the 

 beveled, the eyed, the notched, the toothed, the spatula-shaped, the 

 short-stemmed, the barbed or pronged, the conical, the rolled 

 socketed, and the ridged socketed. 



Earthworks and Mounds 



Aztalan. — Apart from the mounds there is one very famous earth- 

 work in Wisoonsin called Aztalan (pi. 12) which has for many decades 

 puzzled archeologists. We will not enter into any of the numerous 

 explanations given at different times by observers, but wall confine 

 ourselves exclusively to quoting the rather clear description given 

 byMr. G. A. West:>5 



The inclosure and associated earthworks at Aztalan, on the Crawfish River in 

 Jefferson County, have long been considered among the most interesting and important 



1* The Wisconsin Archeologist, vol. 'i, no, 2, p. til. 



"Ibid., p. 62. 



>5 "The Indian authorship of Wiscousio antiquities," Wisconsin Archeologist, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 219-222. 



