Synoptic series of objects in the United States national museum, illustrating the history of inventions / by Walter Hough.

  • Hough, Walter, 1859-1935.
Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Synoptic series of objects in the United States national museum, illustrating the history of inventions / by Walter Hough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    VKT.'J. took place no doubt when the shaping of wood became an important feature in the savage economy. In the most primitive forms tin¬ stone blade is flaked into shape (No. 1), and in the more highly de¬ veloped (Nos. -1 and 5) it is pecked and ground, the distinguishing characteristic of the implement being the single bevel of the edge. The hafting is accomplished in a variety of ways. One of the highest forms of the simple tool is the steel hand ad/ of the present period (No. 12). This implement may be regarded as the prototype of the modern planing machine, which is a compound adz, several blades being mounted on a revolving shaft. A model of this device appears in No. 13, which is the working part of the superb machines of to-day. No. 1. Blade of Hint, reduced to a beveled edge by linking. .Simpler forms are sharp stones identical with (ho earliest axes. Virginia- ... 1,073 No. 2. Adz made of column of conch shell by grinding an edge, mainly from one side. Simple style of liafting. Florida-- 3,687 No. 3. Adz made of diorite ilaked into shape and sharpened by grinding. Primitive hafting. Samoa_ 10,342 No. 4. Stone adz, pecked and ground into shape; wooden handle attached with twigs. British Columbia_.._88,720 No. f>. Polished stone adz, neatly lixed to an effective wooden handle. New Guinea_- 73,355 No. 6. Stone adz, with hollowed blade, curved edge, and shell adz, showing origin of this form. Rhode Island and West Indies_ 17,087, 747 No. 7. Copper adz blade, shaped by hammering; well specialized form: curved edge. New York_ 18,960 No. 8. Copper adz blade, shaped by hammering: socket for handle, made by in¬ curving margins. Wisconsin_ 32,615 No, 9. Iron blade fixed on primitive handle by means of buckskin thong. Indians of Washington---.- 130,988 No. 10. Iron blade of modern type, with highly specialized handhold attached 1>.\ leather strap. Indians of Washington . . ......._ 74,770 No. 11. Small, rudely halted adz; blade and method of hafting advanced shape. Ceylon - 168,68 ! No. 12. Common steel adz for use in one hand; highly specialized shape. United States. No. 13. Cutter head of modern planing machine. May he regarded as a com¬ pound adz. SElilES t.-HAUMKi:. Plate 1.0. The hammer has been from the beginning an important factor in human progress. The earliest known forms are round stones, which were employed in various useful arts, for shaping; implements, in war. and in the chase. Identical forms are used by such living tribes as still occupy the first fewr rounds of the ladder of culture. As the pioneers of civilization advanced step by step to higher levels the hammer was modified and improved. The simple rounded stone gave way to the specially shaped stone, and then the art of liafting