326 CERTAIN ABORIGINAL REMAINS OF THE ALABAMA RIVER. 



"Hoe-shaped Implements? — Always with burials, were three "hoe-shaped 

 implements " or ceremonial axes, as we believe them to be, each perforated through 

 the shank somewhat above the blade and none showing breakage or chipping. 

 Plainly visible on two, were marks where a handle had encircled the shank, leaving 

 part of it projecting behind. The length of each is about 5.5 inches; in breadth 

 of blade they vary between 4.5 and 5.3 inches. 



The material in one case is Granulyte ; in the other two, Felsite. 

 A part of a " hoe-shaped implement" made from the soft blue clay of the bluffs 

 of the Alabama river, lay loose in the earth. 



Gorget. — A beautiful gorget of Felsite. 2.6 inches long and 2 inches across the 

 blade, is modelled exactly after the "hoe-shaped implement" in shape, though the 

 perforation comes higher on the shank. Its length is but 2.5 inches; its breadth 

 across the blade, 2 inches. Should we consider this a 

 " hoe-shaped implement," it is the smallest on record 

 (Fig. 47). It was found with the bones of an adult. 

 Discoidal Stones. — Three discoidal stones, hand- 

 somely polished, were met with and a number of flat 

 pebbles rounded by chipping. 



Miscellaneous. — During the excavation were 

 found several rude arrowheads ; a neat little one of 

 black flint; a rude cutting 

 implement of quartz ; ham- 

 merstones ; and a curious 

 little object of silicious rock, 

 1.4 inches in length, resem- 

 bling a fiddle bow, seemingly 

 of artificial design (Fig. 48). 



V,„ 







Fig. 48. — Unidentified object of 

 stone. Mound on Charlotte 

 Thompson Place. (Full size). 



At all depths in the mound were ornaments of sheet copper, always with 

 interments and often associated with shell, stone, glass or iron. On one side of 

 some was a coarse woven fabric preserved by copper salts. 



Pendants. — Eleven pendants of sheet copper in fairly good condition, and a 

 number of fragments of pendants were met with. Nine of these pendants resem- 

 ble in shape a spearhead with rounded point. One pair of these found together 

 has rude incised decoration uniform in type though differing slightly in detail. In 

 each a part of the conventional aboriginal eye is represented as shown in Fig. 49. 

 The two pendants, which differ slightly in size, are about 4 inches in length and 2 

 inches in maximum diameter. Like all pendants of this type, each has a single 

 perforation for suspension. 



Three of the pendants, somewhat smaller than those described, have a decoration 

 conferred by pressure, including a section of the human eye toward the upper end. 



