HAMMER-STONES. 



205 



Hammer-stone. 



smaller and more nearly globular, like many from California, were possible 



sling-stones, though the history of this weapon is so involved in obscurity 



that it is scarcely safe to classify any globular or grooved pebble as such. 



It must be remarked that two of the eig. 78. 



specimens, found in the graves, bear 



no marks of use. nor do they appear 



to have been artificially brought to 



their present shape by any pecking or 



grinding, and they may be simply 



water-worn pebbles. 



[A large amount of material, illus- 

 trating the various forms of hammer- 

 stones and sinkers, has been received 

 from the ancient village sites in Cali- 

 fornia since Dr. Abbott wrote the above. 

 Among the most interesting is a round 

 grooved stone of the size shown by Fig. 77, that still has a portion of 

 a cord made of twisted fibres, which was wound round the stone in 

 the groove and held in place and preserved by asphaltum. This stone 

 (P. M. 13291) was taken from a grave on the island of Santa Catalina. 

 The presence of the small cord secured by the asphaltum is pretty good 

 evidence that this stone was used as a sinker. Another form of sinker is 

 probably represented by a stone nearly 3 inches long and 1\ wide, which has 

 a deep notch at each end and a groove cut from side to side on one surface 

 within an inch of one end. This sinker (P. M. 13499) was found by Mr. 

 Schumacher in the shellheap. at San Clemente. Another • stone which was 

 probably used as a sinker was found in Pots Valley, Santa Catalina Island 

 (P. M. 13429). It is an oval mass of basalt, much changed by long expo- 

 sure, about 6 inches long and 3 in its opposite diameter. The groove extends 

 lengthwise round the stone. 



Among the specimens which, most likely, were used as hammers, are 

 several circular masses of flint from Santa Barbara (P. M. 13580), and 

 three pieces of hard stone from the island of San Clemente. Of these last, 

 one (P. M. 13514) is evidently simply a water-worn pebble weighing four 



