Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-03
COPPER IMPLEMENTS IN WISCONSIN.


Copper relics. unlike those of stone,
being more sectional in their distribu-
ton, have not been as extensively
sought after and studied az the more
numerous articles of stone. 1t is true
that occasional finds have been made
in sections widely distributed, out the
main source of copper relics of utility
is closely confined to the eastern half
of Wisconsin. Many fine implements
have been recovered from northern
and western Michigan, northern Min
nesota, northern Illinois and eastern
Iowa, but the great bulk Of these i'm
plements has been secured from three
or four tiers OF counties closely bur-
dering on Lake Michigan. in Wiscon-
sin. The chief characteristic of cop
per relics from this section is their
construction for the purpose of utili-
ty, and the articles for ornamentation
found in more southern localities are
strangely wanting. 1t is this fact ana
the abundant supply which VIII ma
turly lead an investigator to the con-
cluston that ut some remote period,
how far remote it Is impossible to
state, people inhabited this section
who used copper in it's native state
extensively for economic purposes.
/ believe that copper implements are
now found in greater abundance than
ever before, and is 1t not significant
that the latter finds, those which We're
puu HOS sql ny p5pp5qtuI fldoop 9Ioul
last to appear, are of copper? 1t is
common occurrence for n copper mn
plement to be picked up in field
that has been under cultivation for
fifty years. This applies to surface
finds; those implements which are
seldom found In graves. Mounds and
earthworks are numerous in the sec
ton where copper implements are
most abundant. In fact, they are al
most unknown in the counties OF
Washington. Fond du Lac, Sheboygan,
Calumet, ManitowOc. Winnebagp,
Waupaca, Outegamie, Brown, kewau-
nee and Door, in Wisconsin, which are
situated in the heart Of the copper inn
plement field. In these counties ar
ticles of sheet copper are almost un
known. Probably not one per cent
could be considered as coming under
this class. II is equally significant
that at least ninety eight per cent of
the implements found in these coun-
ties are strictly articles of utilitysuch
as fish hooks, avis and needles,
many of the latter with eyes, ar
rows, spears, knives. chisels, axes.
spuds, etc. Many of these implements
are massive in construction, especially
the chisels, gouges and axes, weighing
from one to six pounds, and beautiful
ly wrought
A singular fact regarding the shapes
is the lack OF the usual forms found
in stone. This is especially true of
axes. The grooved stone axe is COM
mon to the section, but there is but
SINCE grooved, copper axe in exist
ence so far as the writer has been able
to ascertain. The spears, of which
there are several forms, do not resem-
bic those of stone, being as rule
longer, generally rubbed on one side
and Nat on the other. Although there
were evidently several modes of at
taChment TO the shaft, they lacked the
ho n xsta
two-thirds Of them We're fitted with
sockets into which the shaft was
thrust. These are further divided into
two forms, those which are ribbed on
the back and possessing no rivet for
fastening the shaft, and those posses
sing a rivet and which are never
ribbed. The presence of the rivet Is
made manifest by the hole which is
found in the sockets of these spears
The writer has one in his possession
with the rivet still in place. The
ribbed spears are the most numerous,
OF the spears which do not possess the
socket, and which constitute about
one-third Of the whole. there are sew
cral forms, all terminating in n taper
ing shoulder or spike for thrusting in
to the shaft. They are not usually
ribbed.
The knives are also found in both
these forms, but the order of number
is reversed and most of them have the
spike for thrusting into the shaft,
while small percentage possess the
socket. The fish hooks are bent in
much the same forms in use today,
but lack the barb. They are often
grooved at the end for tying the line.
The avis are round and also fiat
Some of them possess an eye and they
are fine specimens of workmanship
This class of implements seems unllm-
tied in size, and undoubtedly repre-
sents implements intended for widely
different uses They are found from
the tinlest implement scarcely one
inch in length, to large bars three
feet long and one inch in diameter
Axes, with one exception mentioned
above. are celt like, with flaring bit
The chsels are among the most
beautiful forms. They are generally
long and slender. from four to four.
teen inches in length, GENERALLY
ribbed on one side and convex on the
other. There are other curious forms
and many pecullarities about these
coppers, mention OF which must he
omitted in this paper
There seems to be an utter want NJ
evidence of the use of these nrticles
of copper by the aborigines, within
historic times. The records left hy,
La Sale, Charlevoix, Hennepin' Al,
loue2 and other explorers. an cite Inc
use of stone and bone In the making
of arrows and spears. and no tradi-
- -----------------------