The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-02-02


and for all implements that do not
require a smooth or even finish.
No Market Of Tools.
From the many different types we
are led to believe that all made their
own tools and weapons to suit their in
dfvidual taste. While they are made
In the same general ann and OF the
same kind of material, yet there is al
ways q difference more than there
would be from the same tools of the
same material with the same work.
man.
The more Industrious would put a
smooth finish and a polish on their ine
struments, while the indolent would be
satisfaction with the pecked or battered
condition, leaving the work. rough and
uneven
The groove in the pecked hammers
and mauls is made by pecking entirely
around the hammer. The groove and
body are left rough n uneven. We
many other uses. Among the more
important was the grinding of corn
which was done in the following man
ner: A good sized boulder with a de-
preston, either natural or artificial,
was secured and placed under h limb
of a tree; To the limb was fastened
a rope of deer hide. and to this rope
at the correct height so that 1t
would be a few inches above the
boulder, was fastened the hammer by
its groove. The corn or roots to be
ground were placed ON the boulder and
the operator taking the hammer in his
right hand would bring 1t down on the
corn with a slight rotary motion, the
limb Of the tree assisting In the work.
When a tree was not convenient, then
one of the long poles used for building
the tepee was pressed into service.
Without doubt there were many other
uses for this instrument Of which we
do not know.
The Flaking Hammer.
The hand hammer was a very diff
ferent thing from the one just de-
scribed, and is what Is known as q
taking hammer" There are many
sizes, depending upon the size of the
original stone, strength and skill of
the user, and the purposes for which
they were intended to be used. The
larger mes are called gathering ham,
mers" by some of the a-rchaeologists.
The larger ones are pecked rough;
the smaller ones are rubbed and poll
ished. Three have been taken from
this mound. The smaller one is tx
inches In diameter and 6 inches In
circumference. weighing 2k ounces.
chipping and is highly polished. An
other is 2A inches in diameter, 8 inches
in circumference, is much thicker and
unpublished and weighs 8 ounces. The
largest one is 4 inches in diameter
and 11A inches in circumference, is
over three inches thick n weighs "a
ounces. All these hammers are made
in the same m Their circum-
ference is circular and there is a slight
depression In the center of each side to
keep the hammer from slipping out of
the fingers. They are used in the fol-
lowing manner: The thumb and sec
ond finger are placed in the depres-
sions on either side, the first finger
on h top to prevent slipping, and
the blow is struck with the wrist. the
fingers simply guiding the hammer and
remaining loose In the depresslons and
not holding the hammer tightly. To
have the fingers tight and the wrist
stin would In a few minutes render
the arm useless and would ~paralyze
the hand and wrist.
Found All Over the World.
In the manner stated rapid blows
could be struck effectively and with
precision without injury to the arm.
1t might be added that these ham
mers have been found in all parts Of
the world, and from the earliest places
inhabited by man kind they are found
dams II in the ruins of ancient Troy,
fifty feet below the surface. 1t seems
to hav been the universal tool of the
uncivilized man, and is in all probable
tiles the oldest. Battering one stone
against another was. of course. the
In cracking nuts gathered in the pri-
NAL forests and grinding herbs and
bark, the primitive man did what the
small boy (who In a measure is a saw
age} does today, laying the object on
one stone n crushing it with an
other.
This battered tool is without doubt
the oldest form of tool making. 1t
came before man learned to peck
or Chip and flake" Its usefulness
made 1t permanent until 1t was sup
| planted with steel and iron of the later
and weapon in the hands of an expert.
Used with the hammer n closely
resembling it was the ak, several of
which have been taken from this
mound. They are made out of diff
ferent material and are different in
strument rubbed down and polished.
Unlike h hammer, the groove is
around the sides and one end. the 9TH
err end being smooth. The grooved
enc vas always away from the handle.
The bitt or cutting edge. is worked
would be In the center of the instru-
ment. The bitt close to the handle is
lower than that part further away.
This is to give it more power in fell
ing trees and the other work for which
ii is designed. It would be interesting
to know how the discovery of many of
these little points was made. but 1t
Is impossible. Some of the axes have
their groove on an angle SO that in
fixing on the handle the bitt would
be thrown much closer to the handle
than fixing It at right angles. This,
too. for the better working OF the tool,
the pole OF these axes shows that they
have been used for hammers.
Among the stone fnds 10 a pecked
stone. oblong with the ends n~attened
by pecking and battering. Used for
polishing and grinding. and might have
been sewn into a skin and used as the
modern policeman uses his sling shot.
Tools ussd In Farming.
There are celts Of many shapes and
sizes. Some OF the instruments 80
called are no doubt agricultural Inn
Elements and tools for various pur-
poses. but not knowing what else to
call them. the archaeologtsts have called
them ~"celts." Some OF them are
pecked n unpublished. the others are
rubbed and polished to a high degree.
\ The latter ones were no Doubt used in