312 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



In Bohemian sepulchres of neoHthic age at Lobositz, 

 Melnik, and Gross Zernosek many imitation bone teeth have 

 been found as well as natural teeth of the horse, the hog, 

 and the dog; occasionally stag's teeth occur. All these are 

 perforated for suspension and were worn as amulets, and 

 perhaps as ornaments also.* 



The Mound-builders of Ohio have left relics testifying to 

 the use of animal teeth as amulets among them. In the 

 Seip Mound in Point Creek Valley, Ohio, Mr. William C. 

 Mills found several such teeth, some of the bear, and others of 

 the alligator, which had been perforated for suspension or 

 attachment; one of the alligator's teeth was 2§ in. long and 

 nearly f in. in diameter. This appears to be the first 

 instance of the finding of alligators' teeth in Ohio. The 

 bears' teeth were cut horizontally into halves, each section 

 being carefully polished. The Seip Mound covers the site of 

 a charnel house, consisting of three distinct sections. Here 

 the bodies of the dead were burned and their remains laid 

 in graves within the building. After a time the edifice itself 

 was destroyed by fire and an immense mound raised over it 

 as a monument to all the dead whose remains rested in it.f 

 The use of bears' teeth for adornment or as amulets was very 

 widespread among the American Indians, and human teeth 

 also, perforated so as to be strung and suspended, have been 

 met with among the relics of the Southern Indians. J 



With the Norwegian Lapps also, bears' teeth are valued 

 for their supposed curative powers. In cases of toothache 

 the application of such a tooth to the swollen gum is highly 

 recommended. It must first be warmed slightly and then 

 wrapped up in a thin cloth and pressed firmly against the 



*Weinzierl, "Neolitische Schmuck und Amulette in Biihinen," in Zeitsschrift fiir 

 Ethnologic, 1895, pp. 352-357. See Fig. 1, p. 353. 



fMills, "The Seip Mound"; in Putnam Anniversary Volume, New York, 1909, pp. 121- 

 122. 



JJones, "Antiquities of the Southern Indians," New York, 1873, p. 520. 



