The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-09
RELICS OF ANTIQUITY.
a st. Paul Arch9oloSist's Collection of
Curious Specimens, Gathered During a
Years Tour in the Northwest and South

Years Tour in the Northwest and South
west.
Mr.. L. H. Lewis, st. Paul archaol-
ogist, has lately returned from a tour
of exploration of almost a year, and
he brings with him some rare and valu-
able specimens obtained from the an
cient mounds that are scattered about
in almost every section of the South
west and Northwest. Undoubtedly he
has now the largest and most valu-
able private archaeological collection
in the Northwest, and the reports of
his seasons work are regarded as
most valuable contributions to scien-
tific records and history. Mr.. Lewis
has surveyed l, $50 mounds during the
past year-125 of which were etfigies
and eight or nine fortified points and
forts. His travels embraced explora-
tons in Minnesota, Dakota, Iowa, Wis
consin, Illinois and Arkansas. He
brings back with him, as the result
of his tour, large collection of draw
ings of effigies and curious relics of
the days of the mound builders. In
the line of effigies he discovered a
outlines representing the form of fish.
The few fish effigies that have been de-
scribed by explorers heretofore have
never shown the fins; but Mr.. Lewis
discovery has the fins very accurately
marked, being the first ever noted by
archpologists. Its extreme length is
109 1-2 feet, the greatest width So feet,
from end to end of fins. Mr.. Lewis
considers this one of the most interest
ing and valuable effiges ever discov-
cred. Another one represents frog
the only perfect specimen ever de-
scribed. 1t is SO feet in length, 81 feet
in width between the tips of the fore
legs and % feet between the tips of the
hind legs. The body of the largest bird
efligy is 70 feet from beak to the end of
the tail, and III feet from tip to tip of
the wings. Another of bird is the
most symmetrical of any surveyed, the
length from the tail to the tips of the
wings being exactly the same. A draw
ing of a rattlesnake effigy, found on Lake
st. Croix, in Minnesota, shows length
of 44S feet, the section of the mound
representing the head swelling out to
width of fifty-three feet. Three mounds
at the rear end denote that number of
rattles. The effigy is very well de-
veloped to show the natural proper
tons of snake. Another interesting
and striking effigy was found short
distance west of st. Paul. 1t is group
of five mounds, bearing the appear
ance of large birds in motion in the air,
with wings extended and necks
stretched forward. Three of them are
in line-as geese fy-one a
little to the left, and the other little
IN advance, bearing off to the right.
Mr.. Lewis says that it is one of the
best and most natural effigies he has
ever discovered or seen described. The
shape of the mounds is different from
any that have ever before been dis
covered in the way of bird effigies. The
highest point is near the upper portion
of the wing. the slope of the wings
being propOrtioned so as to show which
way the long feathers run. These de-
scribed are only the more striking ones
of the 125 effigies surveyed.
In the matter of archaeological relics
dug from the mounds mostly by Mr..
Lewis himself-there is collection
that to enumerate each object would
require a column of space. The curl
Gus specimens embrace a wide variety
of drinking vessels, bowls, dishes,
plates, dippers, agricultural imple-
ments, pipes, shell beads, axes, arrow
heads and chisels, made of different
clay, mussel shell. stone and
copper having been principally used. !
The Minnesota collection was secured
principally in the southeastern part of
the State. There is large drinking |
vessel, basket-shaped. the handle set
ting off from the vessel four or five
inches. The only opening is small |!
aperture on the top of the handle.
Another drinking vessel is painted a
deep, glossy red, che color being well |
except on the handle, where |
it was evidently worn of by usage.
This is polished very nicely, and evil
IDENTIFY belonged to a nabob's outfit. 1t
stands upright, the handle being much |
INHALER than the bowl Another vessel,