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

Various Tools, Weapons and Oman
City
This paper on the Indian mounds along
the Broken Kettle road near Sioux City
was read before the Sioux City Academy
of Science and Letters by Wesley I. Stat
ford, %recounting the results OF his own In
Vestigations.1
A closer examination of the indian
remains in the mound at the Broker
Kettle creek suggests so many new
thoughts and conclusions that 1t seems
impossible to leave the subject in such
an unfinished state.
Before going into the details OF the
examination and finds of the past sum-
mer. it has been thought best to give
an outline of h conditions and use
existing now and IN the past, with the
Idea of making clear the conclusions
and deductions herein.
Primitive man was not a nomad. at
least not in the common application OF
that term. He did not wander far from
his usual haunts. The reason suggests
Itself on little reflection. Man, out OF
necessity must have existed first In the
warmer climates and was confined to
the locality that would furnish him
food, water and shelter from the sun
and the rain. Not until he began to
max water Jugs and grain sacks out
Of skins Of wild animals did he under
take long Journeys. The subject OF
Of the problems confronting man. only
In different forms, but until he could
carry food from place to place his
migrations were limited. Undoubtedly,
Wien food and wood became scarce in
one locality, they moved to a more con
venient camp, but 1t vas only a little
further along the same stream or lake.
When pots and jugs n bags We're
made, then began the movements to the
solder zones accompanied by the man.
hfacture of clothing and h domesti-
eation of animals.
Weapons First Made.
About the first thing primitive man
did was to fashion himself a weapon
Tor the purpose of taking some of the
wild animals for food, and to defend
himself from becoming food for some
of them, and it would be unreasonable
% say that he made his war club and
Ratchet before his mill stones and
mortar. his arrow n knife before his
needle, wampum or his pottery. AS
hey drifted further and further north,
hey We're obliged to build shelter, and
provide clothing that would protect all
esty. fashioned their clothes. Out of
this necessity grew a custom. Long
continued custom made habits which
anally grew into religion and super
stttion. Hence we account for many
II the cruel and ,barbarous practices
Including cannabalism among the In
Ians of the past and which nave con-
nnued In a modified form down to the
present day.
Another thing that should be said to
sisabuse your minds of a COMMON fall
lacy, is that the Indian had few tools
and weapons and he put to every pos
sible use such as he had. He did not
have a different tool for every kin of
work, but made his larger arrows serve
ls s~pearheads and knives; his bone
Needles as drills, avis, punches, etc.
Being lazy 1t was easier to adapt the
6ols they We're obliged to have to as
many uses as possible than to make
new ones and their weight was always
1 factor in the transportation from
place to place. Broken implements
nnf1t for their original use were made
over for some other purpose. No labor
br material was wasted.
g.. No iron or Glass Found.
In the entire Investigations of the
mound at Broken Kettle not one article
Or iron or steel, not one glass bead or
copper trinket, sold and traded to the
indian in the early history of America,
has been found. This is Important, for
1t tells US that these people We're living
Ind building this mound before the
white man settled or even traded in
this community. And when we re-
uiGliAOCl lI1dI E1eIGIl dllu EIlSllSH ITdQ-
srs and trappers were all over this
section of the country in the middle of
The 18th century,, it gives US an idea
of the time when these articles were
used.
One Of the most Interesting and sug-
gestive finds In the mound was a salt
water shell. AS we are almost in the
center of the continent, 1T would be in
teresting to know where this shell was
obtained, whether by a long journey of
Some OF the tribes, or the more prob
able way by trading with some wander
Ing tribes that hunted and f1shed over
the entire continent.
These people made the most of ma
ture, that is, they tool advantage, as
tar as their intellect would allow, of
the water worn pebble. somewhat of
the shape desired. was the one used
for tools and
How Rocks Wers Battered.
Fol- battering and pounding he used
the harder rock on the softer; for
grinding, the softer lime and sand
stones. and for bone needles the ar
stone that could be obtained. We are
at a loss to know the use Of many of
these u when it is remembered that
there were numerous games, rites, GER
emonials, etc., which may hav claimed
the articles as part of them, games
that are now extinct, we unhesitatingly
place them In this classification.
-Four prime colors have been discov-
cred; red, yellow, white and black. The
white, rec and yellow We're made by
burning different kinds OF colored rocks
IN the fire until they disintegrated.
They were then placed in a stone NOR
tar n ground until they were pull
verified into a very fine powder. This
powder was mixed with animal grease
and this mixture was used to paint
their faces, feathers, skins. etc. This
painted the original color, but the In
dian soon learned to boil his paints,
and the color would remain perman-
ent.
Black was made from charcoal and
lamp black gathered from the pots and
~ 10y Is. ..,,i ApeIa.nn.lh alone