THOMAS. ] 



INSCRIBED TABLETS. 641 



interesting and most iuipoitant tablet ever discovered in North Amer- 

 ica, for it represents a planetary configuration, the twelve signs of 

 the zodiac, known to all nations of old, and the seven planets, conjoined 

 with six different signs."' 



It must, therefore, be Ijost-Oolumbian or have been obtained in some 

 ancient time through contact with i^eople of the eastern hemisphere, 

 as it corresponds with no native American system of which we have 

 any knowledge. The fact that the diameter of the inner circle is 

 exactly 2 inches, of the next 3.4 inches, and the next to the outer one 

 5 inches, " certainly has a modern look," as Dr. Farquhar.son readily 

 adnuts. The circles have every appearance of having been made with 

 compasses or dividers of some kind, though the hole made at the center 

 by the stationary point has been erased by grinding out a broader 

 depression, seemingly for this very purpose. 



Turnin g next to the large tablet on which are found the " Cremation " 

 and " Hunting"' scenes (Pis. i and ii, Vol. ii, of the Proceedings), it is 

 impossible to avoid surprise, mingled with strong suspicion of a trick, 

 at the incongruities of the inscriptions, especially when taken in con- 

 nection with the '' Calendar." As a whole, except the lettering, the 

 two scenes remind us at the first glance of the rock etchings of the 

 Indians, and have what may be termed " an Indian look." Probably this 

 is mainly due to the form of the dancing figures and sun figure in the 

 cremation scene and the squatting figures in the hunting scene. But 

 the letter inscription (for that they are intended for letters can not be 

 doubted) dispels any such idea. Nor could it long be entertained, even 

 without this, for, inspecting them closely, we notice that the large tree 

 on the one side and the smoke on the other side are not like the usual 

 representation of these things in Indian pictography, but more like the 

 rude efforts of a civilized life. 



There can be little doubt that the animal figaire under the large tree 

 was intended for an elephant; hence it must have been drawn either 

 long ages ago or else since this animal has been brought to America 

 in modern times, or the tablet must be a waif from the Eastern conti- 

 nent. The two figures facing each other near the upper right-hand 

 corner, same scene, bear abetter likenetis to pigs than to any thing else, 

 and the middle one at the top is more like a cow than like a buffalo. 

 It may be said these variations are too minute to be worthy of notice. 

 Alone perhaps they are, but, when they constantly vary in the direction 

 of animals known at the present day and are taken in connection with 

 the numerous other causes for suspicion, they become valuable in mak- 

 ing up a verdict. The interrupted bar across this scene appears to be 

 a stream or waterway, as the animals in it are aquatic, one of them 

 being a seal or possibly a manatee. 



It may not be out of place to call attention to the fact that nearly 



' Proc. Davenport. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. in, p. 77. 

 12 ETH 41 



