THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 



395 



typical decorative scratching. The pipe shows a rarer form of 

 engraving and the figures may be symboHc as well as decorative. 

 With the advent of European tools many aboriginal articles were 

 carved and engraved. This is particularly true of shell ornaments, 

 many of which were cut and carved with metal implements. So far 

 as engraving and " picture-writing " is concerned, the native peoples 

 of this region seemed to prefer wood and other morc easily worked 

 m_aterial. 



Fig. 54 Engraved pipe bowl found by W. T. Fenton at Con/iewango. x.7,4, 



European contact. The coming of white men from Europe to 

 the New York area shortly after the opening of the seventeenth 

 century wrought a considerable change in the culture of the Indians. 

 Hitherto they had utilized the simple materials found about them to 

 ■satisfy their simpler needs. They labored long with flint tools to 

 carve their utensils and weapons ; their game was killed with club, 

 spear or arrow. They had no easy means to accomplish anything 

 that required change of form; life was a hardship best endured by 

 him who complained least and was best aware of his resources. 

 At the same time the more vital needs were jealously guarded both 

 by rational means and by use of charms and ceremonies. 



The coming of the European caused a cultural upheaval among 

 the American natives, and they saw themselves poorly equipped in 

 many material things, to compete with the pale visitor. The white 

 man valued speed and had sought the means to attain it. He 

 rode horseback and outdistanced his swiftest human pursuer who 

 had none; he had guns and powder — a terrifying means of killing 

 his foe, and even animals. 



But what w^ of more immediate value was his steel axe and 

 knife. With these trees could be felled and he could hew, cut 

 and carve. The finest flint tool was a clqmsy, inefficient com- 



