Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/198

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��HISTOKY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��Implements, known as " fleshers " and " skin- ners," chisel-formed, commonly called '' celts," were probably used as aids in peeling the skins of animals from the meat and bones. For the purpose of cutting- tools for wood, they were not sufficiently hard, and do not sliow such use, excepting a few flint chisels. They may have been applied as coal scrapers where wood had been burned ; but this could not have been a general thing without destroying the perfect edge most of them now exhibit. The grooved axes were much better adapted to this purpose.

Stone pestles are not plentiful in this county, while stone mortars are rare, indicating that they were made of wood, which is^ lighter and more easily transported. Most of the pestles are short, with a wide base, tapering toward the top. They were probably used with one hand, and moved about in the mortar in a circle. The long, round instrument, usually called a pestle, does not appear to be fitted for crushing seeds and gi'ain by pounding or turning in the moTtar. It was probably used as a rolling-pin, perhaps on a board or leveled log, not upon stone. It is seldom found smooth or polished, and varies from seven to thirteen inches in length. In out- line they taper toward each end, which is gen- erally smooth, and circular in form, as though it had been twirled in an upright position.

There is almost an endless variety of perfo- rated plates, thread-sizers, shuttles, etc. They are usually made of striped slate, most of which have tapering holes through them flat-wise, the use of which has been much discussed. The accompanying plates exhibit several specimens of these; but there are, doubtless, many other forms and styles. They are generally sym- metrical, the material fine-grained, and their pro- portions graceful, as though their principal use was that of ornamentation. Many of them may well have been worn suspended as beads or ornaments. Some partake of the character of badges or ensigns of authority. Others, if strung together on thongs or belts, would serve

��as a coat of mail, protecting the breast or back against the arrows of an enemy. A numl^er of them would serve to size and twist twine or coarse thread made of bark, raw-hide, or sinew. The most common theory regarding their use is, however, lacking one important feature. None of them show signs of wear by use. The edges of the holes through them are sharp and per- fect. This objection applies equally well to their use as suspended ornaments. Some of them are shuttle-form, through which coarse threads might have been passed, for weaving- rude cloth of bark or of fibrous plants, such as milk-weed or thistles. There are also double- ended and pointed ones, with a cross section, about the middle of which is a circle, and through which is a perforation.

A great variety of wands or badges of dis- tinction are found. They are nearly all fab- ricated from striped and variegated slate, highly finished, very symmetrical and elegant in pro- portion, evidently designed to be ornamental. If they were stronger and heavier, some of them would serve the purpose of hatchets or battle-axes. The material is compact and fine grained ; but the eyes, or holes for handles or staves, are quite small, seldom half an inch in diameter. Their edges are not sharp, but rounded, and the bod}' is thin, usually less than one-fourth an inch in thickness.

The form of badges known as " double-cres- cents " are the most elegant and expensive of any yet brought to notice. They were probably used to indicate the highest rank or office. The single crescent perhaps signified a rank next below the double. In Mr. John B. Mat- son's* collection there is a rough-hewn double one in process of construction, the horns of which turn inward. In nearl}' or quite all the finished ones the points turn outward. The

��* Mr. Matson resides in Springfield Towneliip, not far from Spring Mills. He has one of the largest and finest collections in the connty. Dr. J. P. Henderson, at Newville ; Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, Dr. J. W. Craig, the Library Rooms, and Mr. Edward Wilkinson, at Mansfield, have large and interesting collections, showing quite lully the archajology, not only of this county, but of Ohio.

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