Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-25
Remarks tpon the AFehnOiOgS OF term6Bi.
By PROF. GEORGE H. PERKINS, OF THE uSrvER-
sITY OF VERMONT.

Remarks tpon the Archaeology 81 term6ni.
By PROF. GEORGE II. PERKINS, OF THE UNIvER-
sIrY OF VERMONT.
From the Proceedings of the American Association
for the Advancement Of science, Il. Louis Meet
ing, Augus,, l51s..
The object OF this paper was to present in
briet review the various classes of, sO-called,
Indian relies found in Vermont. and draw
ings OF many of the more peculiar forms
were exhibited. These objects, though not
occurring in .erllont al SUCH proilsIJn or
variety as i'll many parts oI the vest, have
nevertheless been found III many parts OF the
State in considerable number and variety
Rock inscriptions are rare, but two examples
being known, one at Bellows Falls, where
two large granite rocks near the Connecticut
river bear, o.a single large head. the other,
and larger rock, twenty Le.,.S ci VARIOUS
sizes. some with two ray-likc objects extend
ing upwards from the head and one in the
centre of the group with six. These figures
are rudely outlined by broad, shallow
groove, the eyes and mouth being in most
cases circular depressIons, and in most the
nose is left ont. The LARGEST of these heads
is nearly twenty inches long, the smallest
about five inches. The other specimen Is ut
BratteborO, and is known rs Indian Rock.
This bears ngUres q! eleven objects, -birds,
mammals and snakes. 1t is near the June
ton of West and Connecticut rivers. Cop
per articles are rare but chISeis, gouges,
spearpoints Of different patterns, bars and
short tubes. have been found. all OF native
copper beaten iuio shane. Shell beads have
been found in only one locality ami are ,e.y
similar to those iound IL the vest. Pottery
III fragments is not very uncommon IN the
western part of the state but of entire Jars
| know OF only two. though several others
formerly existed. hut have since been de-
stroyed. In Vol. NV, u. 325, OF the Pro-
ceeding5 o. this association. the chief types
of pottery axe described nhl CLe o. The gar }
figured. This eartLen-wGre seems to have
always been made Of pounded quartz, mica
and other substances in varying proportions,
and mixed with clay and the finished jar
received a coating of clay over both sides.
1t rrunblai very easily. and on this account
most of the Jars, which wh-u Lu..eI wore
entire, have fallen to pieces. ltseems always
TO have been ornamented about the upper
part, with impressed lines o: narrow grooves,
circles, squares, triangles, crescents, key
shaped figures, etc, arranged ma great
variety Of combinations, sometimes quite
complicated .s m4y e seen by reference to
the figure Of the Jar mentioned above. The
color IS most commonly dark red, or brown,
sometimes becoming black. Pots OF soap
stone much more rarely occnr and are ust-
ally unornamented. The usual varieties OF
stone objects are found in Vermont. Pipes
ere very rare The few that have been found
are cnely finished and nf handsome stone,
Ia. arc deliberately carved. stcn5 iul'es.
which by some are supposed 10 have been
used rs pipes, have been found, Il dozen or
more i'll all, varying from six to thirteen
inches III length, and from one Inch to nearly
an inch and half III diameter. the bore be-
ing small at one end and quite large at the
other. Three OF these tubes are figured on
page ~ of the Portland olr..Ae Of the no
ceedings One end of those tales is inyari-
ably stopped by stone plug. o: "gorgets,
'shuttles, or 1.-TWO hole-stones. many diff
ferent forms occur Nearly all OF them are
OF handsome stone and are well made. SINH
larry shaped stones with one hole, and others
with none. also C~Cuf. : si-g.e jfS-!:::an OF
a quartlite discoidal stone. p!ec:selT Ike
some that have been found IN the mounds,
was found in grave at Swanton. Banner
stones'I of various shapes, some without,
some with rerioration, occur. some OF these
are OF VERY Eaid stsGe and all are finely lin
ished. BOat-shGFed stGne5 Vi elegant inlsh
are sometimes found, some yery long and
narrow, others shorter and deeper. Nest Of
these are more or less followed out on the
Hat. or upper. side. Carved heads, some
what brd-hke. of smoothly carved stone. are
rarely ioun,,. one OF these is figured on
page - of the Portland =. o!Ec.e. Of nipple
ments, the gouges are much the most eGTa-
fully made and elegantly finished. a great
variety of these articles has been found.
Some are OF basalt or other hard stone, but
are nevertheless very regular IN form. In
some, the grOove eTteEdG Though only
part of the length, ana in such cages The
couge is usually of about equal width
throughout in others, the groove extends
from end to end, and some OF these have an
edge at ,aun lnJ In some specimens both
surfaces are Hat, il Gthe!s GJ;h are convex,
sometimes slightly, sometimes very strongly.
Most ,ara. rom the edge to the opposite end.
rbcv VI: :" IL length ,rCIa fHUr or live inches
to over n foot, ana ~ more elegant -pecl-
mems than some of these gougeS nave ever
been found in the State. In marked contrast
with the pouges are the oni@els, which are of
ruder material and much less carefully wade
Most nre widest al the edge, which Is usually
we'll formed, the opposite end often beng
left with very little finish. rE!Seis made
from hard stones nre more cylIndrlcGl th%n
those oi soft stone. The length varies from
A few inches 10 IL foot OF more Some OF the
larger specimens are very clumsy AHes are
IuIte uncommon and are rarely grooyed. or
even notched, nud are generally rudely
made. Pestes of different forms are found,
some tnperng from the middle to each thd'
some larger ut one end than The other. some
cylindrical, others nearly square.
A few have the upper end carved III the form
II the head OF an animal some are made
IF soft stone but most are OF trap, granite,
pr some hard material ScTapcrs, rImeTs,
iniyes, etc. are often found. SpearpoInts
If various sizes, styles and degrees OF eie-
sance are found. some very beautiful, others
,ery rude and coarse of the smaller arrow
points u great variety OF forms occur. All
of the various types gwen 10y Poster are
ound. The most common form Is umhsu-
ar with. most often. broad, Indonted base.
,,.t tins Graduates ON the one hand into II
,ery wide, low form, ana ON the Other into
our. narrow form The most common ma
crinl Is a bln.sh JunrtLite Stemmrd arrow
points are ahuuiintly found, harbed ones
ess commonly. and leaf shaped points are
are. A very interesting and, J think uni
me form has been found in several localities.
N these the stem Is notchcd on each side
more on less deeply and regularly. while the
.urflce il rubbed smooth and beyellrd at The
dies The material of all thcSr Is slate
Ike common roofing SLATE There Is u very
resemblance between many OF the
'imIht Sl',,nien1 "n' ,i'. w.st NAM
n u n t tmn J', str's banner stones
-, ,n .,,.n, opJ nrrowpoints copper
hills nnd snr,rb,ads. are entirely identical
n form with specimens from the mounds
,ut mounds llkr those of the West do not
,ccur in Vermont, and w do not ind here
many forms which are not uncommon l III 'h'
West SpnJyS amt other nsI i naIn | fnnnd
menus n'o "' ,, % IT," ',, i' inbaI,t,nt4 nf