FEWKEsJ CULTURE AREAS IN THE WEST INDIES 155 



One of the simplest forms of these implements is shown in the fol- 

 lowing series of Guadeloupe pestles (pi. 77, A, B). Here we have a 

 spherical water-worn nodule evidently gathered from some river Ijed, 

 showing depressions on two opposite sides in which the thumb and 

 forefinger conveniently fit. This stone might have served for two 

 purposes; it may have been a pounding and a rubbing implement, 

 the depressions or pits serving simply to secure a good hold while in 

 use. These handholds are generally situated at the ends of a line 

 passing through the middle of the object. This object, now in the 

 Berlin Museum, is from the Guesde collection and is described by 

 Mason. 



Conical Stones 



Among the peculiar forms of stone objects from the St. Vincent 

 area may be mentioned certain conical specimens, in some instances 

 like the fourth type of three-pointed stones from Porto Eico. These 

 are more like amulets than idols and were possibly used as amulets. 

 A conical stone specimen of this type is figured and described in the 

 author's Aborigines of Porto Rico.- Tlie general form of these 

 stones, as their name indicates, is conical, their longer diameter being 

 about twice that of the shorter. When placed on one side, which 

 forms a natural flat base, their height is about the same as their 

 length. The one feature besides shape that all these objects have in 

 common is the groove girting the whole circumference and following 

 the rim of the base. 



The several variations in shape of these cones are mainly in the 

 breadth of this groove and modifications in the form of the cone, 

 some having bi'oad, others narrow grooves about the margin of 

 the base, while a number have a serrated apex. In a few a 

 ridge separated by deep grooves occurs on the sides of the cone. 

 These conical objects (pi. 77, C) are not always made of stone, a 

 few specimens existing in local collections being of shell and at 

 least one of bone. None of these show any indications of a head 

 or face cut upon them and are devoid of superficial decoration, aside 

 from that above mentioned on the apex. It has been suggested 

 that these stone or shell objects were formerly attached to a handle 

 and served as weapons, but the small size and fragile nature of 

 those made of bone and shell would prohibit their use as striking 

 implements. 



The accompanying figure (pi. 77, D) shows one of these stones, 

 the height of which is somewhat less than the greater diameter, 

 as indicated in the figure. As is common in the majority of speci- 

 mens, the curve of the basal groove is more gradual on the lower 



2 Twenty-fifth Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 98 ; pi. xxili, I. 



