, 1879-06-07


PREHISTORIC MANUFACTURING.
:. IT. HtHklfHta Ms american Antiquarian.
ID various parts OF Europe, but moro es-
pecialy In France, localities exist which havo
been recognized rs the sites OF prehistoric man
ufaetory villages. They arc distinguished by d
prolusion Of implements and ornaments of
stone, and. In eonc instances. bone aud horn;
and by the debris resulting from tho prosecu~
ton Of this branch Of primitive industry.
Evidences Of sta,i!ur character are occaslon4
ally discovered in widely separated parts OF our
own country. The most interesting Of this clast
Of antiquities in tllc Mimi Valley, so far na !
know, Is situated neaF West Carrollton. Mont.
gomers County, Oh the farfn Of N. Z. Dodds,
Es9 Thu locality Is elevated md comma,ds M
extensive nad enchanting prospect. Here. over
uu area Of several acrcs, hare been found nu
uierous specimens Of prehistoric ha,ldWork
some vi which are OF rare excellence.
TUE eyileuccs of Its manufacturing character
constat 10 tue immense quantity Of brokun stono
with which, The soil to tile depth OF ten or
lsIled spee,Iucns which exhibit Tie inctp!rnt
stagts of progress. Thus, while some Ara
roughly chipsed into shapc, others aru rcady
for lIse po'ls!icr: But the most remarkable
feature hitherto Developed consists IN the nutn-
bcr ot dcfaced md broken II ecmens. 1lrtr
appearance Is strongly suggestive IF stu'l!ed,
malignant design. such results could INT haya
been produced BY legitimate use.. Some Of tIle
mutitatcd speeimens-two small grooyctl axes
iii particular-nad been perfect geu,a Of sytnrne-
t1y md elegance AMI highly polished; hence It
Is appaErn. That these were not broken In tho
procrss ot manufacture, as llas been suggested.
Tho circumstances that lei to this act OF YaIal
ism must necessarily bt left to conjecture. The
most fcustbe TUT hos presented Itself refcrs It
10 pTacttcc c6eval With inas1, namely, the do
structlhn Of everything that would give MD u
,F<~f tn ftIt.tk
Many Of these specimens are sprsnkled over
with minute crys1a!s OF sulphlret OF Iron,
which, although 1t Is not decisive Test, may bo
accepted rs evidence Of a considerable antiquity.
Tic question Is MI interesting oiie as to what
race these operations should he referred, The
urovurbial fntloIcncr Of the Indian tribes. anl
their known hostility to any permanent method
teal pursuit, would seen to exclude tllcn, from
proximity 0f the extensive works at Alexunllcrs-
Willie, n The discovery OF implements and urrn-
nsrnta lcnt!ca! With those occasionally met with
In the nlnunds, maF be- acccpted ns prcsumptivo
evidence that here, In the misty past, tho
Mounl-b1iltlcss exercised tl!elr mechanical
genius III manufacturing the various implements
und ornaments which their simple wants or
tastes required.
rnny here remark TINT the specimens rccoy-
cru.l from ti!ia locality comprise axes Eroovcd
anl plain, ilcshors, EoltEss. estlcs or inllfela,
hatnmera. and nlanv cgE-shaptd picks or lt!utl-
hanllncFs; alao, ornaments anl arroW-polnts
lated. A1tlous the many specimens tn my chhi-
net from, this locality there Is one which,, from
its peculiar s1lale,. appears to have becn Used
Us ss: nsisf % nycrsss s,ss'; thrss H aae'ef o Is
inches; circular In form; margin convex; stlea
Hut ntl worh smooth; tnaterla, Csauite. The
cylindrical pcstfe or ruler tnay have been en-
plosea. IN ,tlls casc IN crushing tl'er bread
stuff. which was preserved upon ttr aklu Or
cloth on which the betl-stuuu rested. This
primitive mill appears to hare been ~ universal
favor nt ONE tii,!c or nnuttler; Significant Tact
which. while II does not necessarily imply as I-
tcrellunge Ut thuutht, Is strungty suggestive Ut
saEir,lesa IN the great brotherhood Of ncu.
Auusler interesting feature that las somo
bearing UPON the slate 0f civilization tu which
tile Mound. .3ull!rrs hAd attal,,ed namely,
number Ut ltllrato notclles Oh tr margin III u
forated plate nr slah. Mas t!,is u rrcordi lf
40, 1t implies knowledge Of 1llHtIess. W.
ktlt,w tllat they lad sulnr unit Of measure, ns
without this Knowledge 1t would have beull itli-
possible to tH,Rtrllct tlerirCt square.
The description Of thu garden beds (pnbliated
III tie first tssntl rernfnds tne Vt the 'ulu
tIclls" of l:nnsaster , COUNTY. ra. In tho
Isolated patches, varying IN nrea from ten 70
ftY or more Arres, surrounded b. u letss for
est. Tic entire snrfacn was ln!I OH til 6Ginres
ot satnr fur fret, anl elevated. presenting =
BtrIItin,, resemblance to q chtekcEeu c1rn1tid.
Ilry were mostly destitute Ut t!Iaher, III
some instances u few cclar trees ur
venerable cl,cssnut. Tic ground was corcrcd
with short, wirY Erass, MOSES, n,nl licleus.
Those tlelds presented tliu san!e appca atcc to
t!Ie first fnlTtgruut tint they do thctr mud
crn SUCCESSORS, A,l1 were rcferrcd to tho
1mliats. At present sha,l ollsr ITO augEes-
ttuns as to tho probable nut!onality Of these
aucIuut gardens. But 1t Is difficult to cs'nrclsn
Of tho object that prompted tn thu selection Of
sl,cs extremely stero soil. while thousands of
acrcs Ut the best laila In the county lay only
few miles to the orth. Tllnt they were not In
Nnrrui fInIr y3I,lIIn
fact as sa', 'sf's t so s% Ss9'S an@portaas s
exceptions, tho cntttu country was
tied By Europeans. il is not probable sl'at
those ancient pioneers were pUsLri in agrlcul-
tFal chemistry, therefore It IL allowable to pre-
snn,a tltak they Wero governed extensively BY
appearances. dlhc beauty VI situation, tho co.
rous tountan, and tho stately timber, may be
referred II us pasiiatyes.
Thu specimens referred to as having
| hesu broliua "to lot the soul cut" arc
tion with tiiu relIqup uf man. But thoss ti,at
lsscr,l,ei wcru scattered over thc suslare,
Among ths relics recovered with ,uy Mound
bus!ds,s' skeletuas tlcEc atc two Lrolseu e!,vst
arrow POINTS. 1''c remaining objects comprise
fragments OF acers' horu (eardtn!ng toolstj;
QUO perfect hona bo4lktu and twu hrokpn ones;
QUE flat, perforated atone; fragments of bear's
tusk; small I!lete tabout Two ouuces} u brown
hrII.atlru. n,ll n part tabout IN ineh) OF thu rr-
curved tnsk of beaver. Ihcsu wets fouuII
between The fon,oral honest besides thu aeoyo,
J fnlu1 one perfect arr0W-po!nt All! small Ak
III tho body of the MOUND, ev!ucntiy, thrown III
~ yottvu offerings. The mods Of buriai was
unique, aHtl clearly accounts fur the excellent
htata u preservation in %Alci. fouad l's gs-
Hinlns.
pA1N AND THE WEATHER.
II Ia q fuIn.llar experience that certain bodily
paius vary In tlIcr phuscs according tn Ills
Hcather. bit urr1,ably few bayb u,alfo exarE