Use of Copper and Silver by the American Aborigines. 323 
of finding pieces of silver amongst the Virginia Indians, “ grossly 
beaten,’ and used for purposes of ornament. Having shown 
that the copper found amongst the Indian tribes of the north was 
probably obtained from the native deposits around Lake Superior, 
we have little difficulty in accounting for the presence among 
them of small quantities of silver, derived from the same-locality, 
where it also exists in a native form. That the silver in use 
amongst the mound-builders was principally if not wholly ob- 
tained there, seems incontestible. In no instance does it appear 
to have been smelted. 
_ A variety of silver ornaments were discovered some years ago 
in one of the mounds at Marietta, Ohio, under very singular cir- 
Society, dated “ Marietta, Nov. 3, 1819.” 
“Ta removing the earth composing .an-ancient mound:in the streets 
of Marietta, on the margin of the plain, near the fortifications, several 
curious articles were discovered. They appear to have been buried 
ee 
found three large circular bosses, or ornaments for a sword-belt or 
copper. The copper plates are nearly reduced to an oxyd, or rust. 
The silver looks quite black, but is not much corroded, and in rubbing 
. 
in a tolerable state of preservation. Near the side o 
found a plate of silver, which appears to have been the upper part ofa 
Sword-scabbard ; it is six inches in length and two inches tn breadth, 
and weighs one ounce. It has no ornaments or figures, 
longitudinal ridges, which probably corresponded with the edges or 
ridges of the sword; it seems to have been fastened to the scabbard by | 
three or four rivets, the holes of which remain in the silver. 
pieces of a copper tube were also eon 
e 7 
‘GS 
