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The Indians of Manhattan Island
and Vicinity
By Alanson Skinner
American Museum Of Natural History
Editor, Edmund Otis Hovey
New York, Published by the Museum, September, 1909
The Types of Indian Relics Found in and about New York City
POLISHED STONE ARTICLES.
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Gorgets. Two types of the gorget occur. These are the single-holed pendant form,
which is the less abundant of the two, and the double-holed type. The latter is flat,
rectangular in shape and generally well polished. It usually has two perforations a
short distance from the middle. The modern Lenape of Canada claim to have used
these as hair ornaments. Probably the two-holed variety is typical of the Algonkian
peoples of this region, the single-holed form being on the other hand, the most
abundant on" old Iroquoian sites. Specimens of the latter have been obtained in use
among the Canadian Iroquois, and some. of them are in the Museum collections.
Amulets. Certain problematic articles of the "bar" and even "bird amulet" type
have been found, but these are probably exotic in origin and are not characteristic of
the archaeology of the region in question.
Banner Stones. These beautiful polished stone implements of unknown use may
be divided into three great classes, with several sub-types as follows:
Notched banner stones.
Grooved banner stones.
- Groove on both sides
- Groove on one side.
Perforated banner stones. - Plain.
- Butterfly.
All three types seem equally abundant, but the notched banner stones
appear to be the oldest form and occur under circumstances pointing to
great relative antiquity. They are found, however, on the more recent sites
as well. Both notched and grooved banner stones are usually more rough
in appearance than the perforated type, and the writer has never seen a
polished specimen of the first class. On the other hand, the grooved va-
riety frequently exhibits the high degree of finish characteristic of the perforated forms. Banner stones grooved only on one side are less common
than the other forms. While the latter class is generally made of slate,
steatite or some similar soft and easily worked material the notched and
grooved forms, especially the former, are often formed either from natu-
rally-shaped pebbles or chipped roughly into shape. Implements, usually
naturally-shaped stones with little working, without notches, grooves or
perforations, but greatly resembling the notched and grooved banner stones
in shape, are not infrequently found on aboriginal sites hereabouts and
may have served as banner stones. There seem to be neither records nor
plausible theories as to their use.
Pipes. Stone pipes, invariably made of steatite, are very rare. Four types have
been noted as follows:
- Monitor or platform pipe, platform not projecting before the bowl.
- Monitor or platform pipe, platform projecting before bowl, with or without
tiny carved stem or mouthpiece. Of the latter, one specimen is known.
- Trumpet-shaped stone pipe.
- Rectangular stone pipe, human face carved on front of bowl.
It may be remarked that more stone pipes have been reported from the Indian
cemetery at Burial Ridge, Tottenville, Staten Island, than from all the rest of the area
put together. The second and third types are represented by one specimen each from
Burial Ridge and from nowhere else in this region. Four or five pipes of the first class
have been found there as well. The last class is represented by a single specimen
obtained by Mr. W. L. Calver at Inwood, Manhattan Island. Undoubtedly the clay
pipe was the most common form used in this locality.
Steatite Vessels. These are not at all abundant, though occurring almost
everywhere. They were doubtless all imported from New England, as there are no
steatite quarries within the range of the New York Coastal Algonkin. The single form
found is that common in the east, an oblong, fairly deep vessel with a lug, ear or
handle at each end (Fig. 14j). Occasionally, such ,vessels are ornamented by rude
incisions along the rim.
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