Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1892 — An Ancient American Idol. [ARTICLE]

An Ancient American Idol.

The State Historical Society was enriched yestorday by an image of pottery supposed to be an idol of some prehistoric race, probably the mound builders. The idol was found near Aron, Independence County, Ark., and was dug from a mound by relic hunters along with a number of decayed human bones, copper arrow honds and broken domestic utensils. It is the property of G. W. Hume, of Strasburg, Mo. The idol is seven inches in height by fivo inches in diameter. It is rudely constructed, having evidently been formed by hand or at best very crude tools, from common olav, and afterwards hardened by being dried in the sun. The idol represents a human figure in a kneeling posture, the arms extending at the siue. The features are rudely formed, yet, notwithstanding this, are not altogether repulsive, the noso being gracefully aquiline and the lips well formed. The ears are missing, out the remnants show that they were adorned with rings. The body is squatty, and might be said to resemble a toad. At the top of the bond there is a hole which seems to have served a purpose, probably that of fastening a headdress to the figure. The image would hardly be catalogued with the works of art, but it is nevertheless an interesting relic. The race whose deity was represented by this clumsy bit of clay inhabited the Mississippi Valley from the great lakes to the Gulf at a time to which the traditions of man runneth not. Who they were, where they came from, what their manner of life was is all a mystery. True, many mounds, excavations and burying grounds of this lost people have been discovered, but so far they have given but little of their history. That they lived and died before the race of American Indians existed is proved by the fact that the traditions of the latter race contain no reference to this lost people, although their mounds and relics are mentioned. Muny mounds of this kind are found in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana,and a few have been discovered in nearly all of the States of the Mississippi Valley. —[Topeka (Kan.) Capital. Sleeve buttons representing ears of corn are seen in profusion.