New-York tribune., 1901-01-09

n. Y;
Steiner the Rev H c. Meredith. G. e Laid
fessOr T H Lewis, With 63l Figures; Showing
5000 Specimens Octave. PIP. AL Cincinnati:
TIE Robert Clarke Company
Thousands of Americans have made colec-
tions Of the weapons, domestic and industrial
implements and ornaments once used by the
aborigines Of this country. Nearly all Of those
who have engaged in this fascinating pursuit are
amateurs. with little knowledge of the relative
abundance and scarcity of what they find, of
the extent TO which their own specimens differ
from those picked up elsewhere. 1t is for this
class and not for the professional archseologist.
that Mr.. Moorehead has prepared his book He
wisely disavows any intention to make il
treatise races and cultures. He has aimed
only TO compile an illustrated catalogue repre-
sentng typical examples of prehistoric imple
ments of the United States and a part Of
Canada. The text betrays some evidence of
haste in preparation; the typography is open to
criticism and the relics Of the several districts
into which the author divides the territory are
not all sharply differentiated from each other.
Nevertheless, the book will admirably serve the
purpose for which it was written. Beginners in
American archaeology viii find in its pages in
formation of much value in determining the
character and rarity of their finds, because COM
parison with thousands of such objects is rem
dered possible. The pictures are excellent.
Caution is shown in dealing with mooted ques-
tions, like the antiquity and nature Of the
turtle backs" found near Trenton. and assigned
by authorities TO the glacial period
wide range OF literature has been consulted, and
is cited for reference Finally. Mr.. Moorehead
has secured the cooperation Of number OF ex-
perts in the archaeology of different localities.
With limited means of transportation and
traffic, the scattered aboriginal tribes Of this
country were forced TO use such material as they
could obtain in their immediate neighbor-
hoods. Little was seen Of copper except in the
upper lake region, where it was wrought into a
variety Of articles that the white man now
makes out of iron or steel. The abundance Of
easily manipulated slate in Vermont afforded
exceptional facilities to the Indians Of New
England for producing certain stone ornaments.
while the ohsidian ledges of the Yellowstone
gave to the inhabitants of the Upper Missouri
Valley a much coveted substance for the manu-
facture of arrow heads and knives. The infiu-
ence of locality is shown also in the nature Of
the articles produced. Along the lakes and
rivers that yielded sturgeon and other large
fish remarkably fine spearheads were manu-
factured wherewith to slay and capture this
class of game. Out on the Western plains,
where agriculture as we'll as the chase was re-
sorted to for food. it is possible to find ebert
blades as large if not as keen as a modern hoe
The most significant differences from purely
scientific point Of view, no doubt, were those III
the taste, skill and ingenuity Of the various
tribes In New-England. for instance. pottery
was not decorated in relief or by painting, but
only by etching. and the jars were usually
rather small. Very few specimens have been
found. In the Southwest, however. pottery
was abundant and also richly and elaborately
decorated while in Southern and Central Cali
fornia they had pottery at all. In the last
mentioned region have been discovered stone
vessels designed 10 be placed on fire. whereas
in other localities it was customary TO boil food
only by imlnersing il in water whose tempera-
ture was raised by dropping hot stones into il.
Central California without axes and
hatchets and rarely used the figures Of animals
for decoration; but the people there made splen-
did obsidian knives, some of which were twenty
little material regarding the Indians of the
Northwest coast. which have been the subject
Of elaborate but unfinished Investigations
through Mr.. Jesup's munificence but it is clear
that the forms of their implements differed con-
siderabIy from those of the East and South, and
were inferior to those of California. Again. in
nearly all parts of the country ii Gus
tomary to use fnaces, stones perforated that
they might be suspended from the neck bird
shaped stones. and other articles for ceremonial
purposes. But Mr.. Moorehead is satisfied that
the Iroquois Of Central and Western New-York
employed objects Of this kind which were unique
and superior 10 those Of any other locality