142 ISLAND CULTURE AREA OF AMERICA [eth. ANN. 31 



The ax shown in figure 17, from the Guesde collection, now in the 

 Berlin Museum, may be considered one of the most highly developed 

 of the eared axes. This blade has all the essential features of an 

 eared ax, but its form is regularly spatnlate and its edges crescentic. 

 The margins of the shaft are parallel, the head projections extending 

 outward, recurving slightly at their extremities. Small rectangular 

 elevations are to be noted on the upper edge of the projections, and 

 these are separated by a median notch, the walls of which are straight 



and more or less angular. 



^0^^^^^ j-^'yv^-^'^^f^ This fine symmetrical speci- 



'■ ■Ss-v '^0^ men was probably used cere- 



-^ menially, for it presents no 



% evidence of having been at- 



^ tached to a handle, and the 



-' blunt edge shows no sign of 



";| use.'' 



f ""^^s Only one known eared ax, 



^' ' "^^, that is here described, has a 



/ ^_ perforation on one edge of 



-1 the blade and in the head 



-i, as well. This specimen (fig. 



i^ , • % 18) was first descnbed by 



■*■- '"' ^* Prof. Mason " in the follow- 



rE 



-^j->v< , '^^ ing lines : "An elaborate 



*' ' '-'^^ blade of deep brown color. 



This specimen really belongs 

 to three of our classes. The 

 butt is two-beaked and per- 

 ^ ., forated, the beaks with long, 



■^< , ,>>^ prominent crests. There is 



''-w..,.rt^,.,<..«, 1, > ^'■'■' j^Q wide extension of these 



Fig. 17. — Massive stone eared Implement. (11.2 heaks, however, and the long, 



'"'^'^'^ ' tapering haft-space or neck 



is abruptly shoiddered. The body is of the meat-chopper form to be 

 seen further on. Its upper side has the countersiink perforation to 

 be observed on several specimens in this collection. Length, 63^^ 

 inches; width, 44 inches." 



The peculiar serrated edges of the head in this specimen (fig. 19) 

 are rightly interpreted by Prof. Mason as ornamental, but in the 

 following reference to the object he fails to mention the rarity of this 



"Op. cit.. p. 759. fig. 39. 



»» Attention may be called to the fact that multitudes of similar implements have been 

 found in caches, ks if hidden in this way intentionally, either for concealment for subse- 

 quent use, or for some other purpose. It has been suggested that they are partially 

 finished imph-ments, which seems improbable, as most of them are perfectly made and 

 symmetrical in all their parts. 



