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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

��nearly as liable as iron. Only a part of the tlead Mound-Bnilders were placed in burial mounds, and of these only a part were buried with their copper ornaments and implements on and about them. Of those that were, only a small part have been discovered, and, in many instances, the slight depth of earth over them has not prevented the decay and disappearance of the copper relics.

��sertion of a helve or handles, but were grooved to receive a withe twisted into the form of a handle. Under the head of axes, archgeologists include all wrought stones with a groove, a bit and a poll. They are found unpolished, partly polished and polished. The bit was made sharp b}^ rubbing, and the material is hard and tough, generally of trachyte, gi-eenstone, granite, (pinrtz or basalt. Most of them are straight

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Articlcis of bronze or brass are not found with the buildei-s of the mounds. It is evident they knew nothing of these metals in the Ohio Valley, nor did they possess any of the copper that had been melted or east in molds.

Stone relics are very numerous and well preserved. Stone axes, stone mauls, stone hammers, stone chisels, etc., are very plentiful yet, and were the common implements of the prehistoric man in this part of the West. None were made with holes or eyes for the in-

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on one edge. In Ohio, it is very rare that stone axes are found in the mounds, indicating that they are modern, or were not so much prized by the Mound-Builders as to be objects of burial. Occasionally, axes of softer material are found, such as slate, hematite and sand- stone, but these are small in size and not com- mon. They appear to have been manufactured from small, oblong bowldei's, first brought into shape by a pick, or chipping instrument, the marks of which are Ausible on nearly all of

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