The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-01-20
Curious Indian Relics.
[St. Louis Republican,

Those interested in antiquarian re-
searches will find matter for speculation
in some curious relics dep sited in the
Centennial case in the rOtunda of the
Southern Hotel. The relics consist of
specimens Of aboriginal pot
terry, arrow.heads, implements of stones
for dressing skins, etc. The pottery is
particularly worthy of note, as it be.
longs to a period dating anterior to the
modern Indians-supposed by some to
belong to that mythical period known to
ethnologists as the stone period-while
the arrow heads and stone axes are com
mon 10 a quite recent period, and are
found strewn all over the continent. The
pottery was found in the ancient tumuli
about two miles and a half from Far
mington, in st. FrancoisC County. They
consist principally of drinking vessels
made of baked clay, and are in general
gourd. shaped, with the neck extending
out straight from the center of the
globular vessel. The head of the up
right neck is frequently capped with the
rude head of the fox or other wild ami
NAL, forming a very correct likeness.
One of the vessels represents bird stand
ing on its legs, the body forming a capa-
cious vessel for the holding of water.
with the tail on a level with the claws,
and assisting in keeping the vessel up
right. The vessels are of valions sizes,
from eight inches in diameter across the
swell of the globe down to a miniature
pot the size of a modern salt. cellar. In
one of these vessels was found a speci-
men of c~ale-spar, and in another a frag-
ment of a quartz crystal. The larger YES
sci, which is a very perfect oblate
spheroid, is surrounded with colored zig
gag bands, tinted with blue, vermillion,
and white, bat whether the colors are
imbedded in the material OF put on with
a brush is uncertain, though on casual
inspection the former conjecture seems
to- be the true one. Besides the drinking
dishes there are some shallow vessels re-
semblipg the chemists evaporating dish,
and also a small spoon, silicified wilhthe
bowl adapted to a capacious mouth, and
with a very short handle. There
are also numerous fragments Of pottery,
Among others a 1attened stone, rough
ened on one side with geometrical lines
and said to be a piece of a coffin found
in the tumuli. The person who was dig
gipg in the locality struck two inclined
stones, and keeping on with his work al
length came to a stone slab, and remov
ing the slab found underneath a ston,
coffin. The coffin was filled with sand
but having nothing but a grubbing-hoe
as fast as he hauled out the sand tn
everything dirt tumbled down and inter
rupted his work. He became Discourage
and, replacing the slab and. shoveling OF
the dirt, allowed the old mummy, who's
sands of life were running too fast TO
him, to sleep away until some future ex
plorer resurrects him. 1t is to be re
GREETED that these examinations are nc
made by persons qualified to makes not
: of the associated relics, their exact pos
ton, and other data. with a view of d.
e termiuing and settling the question {
1 their origin. Otherwise they are con
: paratively worthless, except as object
. of curiosity. 1t is said that many {
i these remains are found very plentiful
throughout Southeast Missouri, particI
larry near st. Genevieve and in SEQ
County. In fact, these vestiges of a one
: numerous and powerful race are trac
able from the rude fertilization of Canat
and Northern New York to the extensi'
e rivers of Central America. But accor
ing to Professor Gage, who examined Il
specimens at the Southern yesterday, a
Is the Peruvian type of pottery found
the continent of North America are CO
n fined to the Mississippi Valley. IT
a specimens referred to were brought
D. by Captain A. L. Whitney, of st. Lou
t, who is acting as a volunteer agent f
the Centennial.