The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-11-19
Indian Relics.

N turther examination OF MI. hlCn-
mond's relic collection, writes a Can
ajoharie, N. Y, correspondent of the
Albany Journal. showed hanging over
the door fine card of arrows, spears,
knives, and scrapers, from tho banks
OF the Congaree river, North Carolina.
In form and material they are quito
like many heretofore described. they
are arranged in the form of the symbol
of the holy trinity. On the casing of
tho door, covering almost the entire
space to the floor, hang grooved axes;
they arc of various sizes and material,
nearly all in good state of preserva-
ton. Many States and territories are
represented, ono of the most perfect
being from the cliff dwellings of Ari-
zona. 1t is symmetrical in form, has G
good cutting edge, so made from
grinding down from both sides, with q
deep groove running entirely around
1t. In size it is about six inches long
by three wide. Another, about the
same size, Is from Kansas, and note
very large one from Michigan, unus-
ual In form and not worked to as
sharp an edge as those spoken of
above. Instead of being grooved it is
80 formed by depression on the sides
that it could easily be held in place by
witho. Tho material resembles
granite. In size it Is ten inches long
by four in breadth. Some are thick,
heavy, and seemingly clumsy, while
others are so small as to give an idea
that they were intended for ornaments
rather than use.
Many OF them are made with tho
sides alike, while several havo ono side
square, that is they arc straight down
from tho head of the AK to tho blade
Others have groove down one side.
The object of making them in this
manner is that wedge may he insert
ed for the purpose of tightening the
witho. Tho manner of holding the AZ
that was made with rounded sides, or,
as before stated, with sides alike, was
to insert the AK in split in a small
growing tree, allowing it to remain
there until the wood had closed tightly
around tho groove. Another method
was to insert strong witho in tho
groove, letting it follow around tho AK.
bringing tho ends together, when they
were firmly lnshed by means of deer
sinews or thongs of buckskin.
GrooVed axes Were extensively used
In deadoning forest trees aud bruising
the outer fiber near the roots, SO that
fires kindled around them might tho
more readily eat into tho trunks and
insure their carly fall, also removing
the charred surface from timo to time,
thus affording fresh fuel for the flames.
Often the head of the AK is splintered
or bruised, which indicates that they
were used as clubs or wedges for split.
ting wood, iii tho latter case the edge
being placed and held in position by
the wooden handle. Tho AK was driy.
en- into the wood by blows struck upor
Its head by some other object of wooc
or stone.
In parts of this country the grooyod
AK is found in goodly numbers, either
in graves, upon tho sites of old Villages
or in cultivated fields. In this immc.
diate section l do not think any have
been found; neither do / think that
New York has over furnished many.
10 my knowledge | do not now think
of but two. They are also very rarc in
Europe; in fact but one or two arc
! known to have been found there.
What makes this seem singular is that
SO many objects are found in all parts
OF the world that arc similar in shupo
to those found at great distances from
each other. Axes more than anything
else seem TO differ in form in different
countries. While this country had
plenty Of grooved axes, Europe had
none, and the perforated Ak found
there is not known here. In almost
everything else used by primitive man,
tho world over, similarity in form of
objects existed, for instance, arrow and
spear heads, colts, gouges. bono avis,
beads, pottery, mortars, pestlcs, ohis-
els, etc.