The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-11-30
RELICS IN PORTO RICO

New York possesses the only com
plete collection in existence of arch
geological treasures from Porto Rico.
This is now in the American Museum
of Natural History. It was largely
made since the Spanish-American
war. and an explorer who reached
New York recently from the island
says there are further archaeological
remains left there.
The native American people of Por-
to Rico are extinct. They could not en-
dure Spanish oppression and become
submissive slaves, as might an Afri-
can native. But at one time they
were an interesting people, we'll adj
vanced in certain arts, as New York's
new collection testif1es. Some years
ago the museum had a collection of
ancient stone implements, but the
treasures secured since the island
came into our possession complete
and round out that collection.
The stone objects were probably
made by the ancestors of the Caribs.
They differ greatly in fineness of fin
ish, polish and artistic form from
stone objects found in other places.
The use of many OF these objects is
unknown. There was no written Ian
guage on the Island before it's discov-
cry, and the millions of Caribs and
Arawaks who lived in the West Indies
have since vanished. There has not
been single full-blood descendant Of
these people living in the region dur
ing the last half century The names
of places preserve few of their
words. But there is no tradition about
the stone objects. .
Strange Relies of Stone Age.
Among these specimens of the stone
age are many peculiar rings Or ovals
of stone resembling horse collars in
size and shape. Some weigh twenty
pounds, others seventy, and they are
found as deep in the ground as nine
feet. Many are strangely and beauti-
fully carved. Some of these resemble
a coil or loop, with one end projecting
beyond the coil where it seems to be
tied, r.
Such fine stone carvings must have
been intended for serious and import
ant use, possibly religious, as religion
above all other powers has led man
to execute difficult and permanent
work. They could not be collars to
be worn for punishment, as too much
art is laVished upon them, but they
may. have served in religious sacri-
fees. g.
Mystery of the Rings Unsolved.
The mystery which surrounds these
curious stones is not yet solved, al
though over forty years ago the sa-
wants of Copenhagen, London and
Paris were struggling with the prob
lem, having but few specimens In
1873 Ortey y Tapia of Porto Rice
brought some to New York. We now
have many of them in the Museum Of
Natural History. The mystery .ot
their use remains unsolved.
But there are other interesting
forms. One resembles the lower hal
OF such a collar as above described
but the carving seems to occupy a diff
ferent position.
There isa little four-legged metate
or food-grinding stone, and pestles
which could have been used upon it
There is also one with four legs ant
the head and tail Of an animal, while
the back is fiat or even dish-shapee
and useful for grinding.
Beautifully Carved images.
B But these objects, the use OF which
may be surmised, are not SO interest
ing as certain peculiarly carved am
polished stones, reminding one D