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RH O D E I SLAND H I STORI CAL SO CI E TY n M U S E U M I L L U S T RAT I NG T H E H I S T O RY O F T H E S TAT E “4 05? 6 8 WA T E R M A N ST R E E T PR OVI D E N C E 1 9 1 6 H E PURPOS E of an Historical M useum is to visualize to the people of tod ay, by exhibiting objects of historical interest , the life , the habits and the important occurrences of former times . Such exhibi tions create in the mind of the observer a stronger appreciation of the reality of the principal facts , of the chronology , and of the significance of history . They give a sense of intimate touch with the past , and aid in under s tanding the present and future , through an understanding of that which has transpired . I t is necessary to discriminate in selecting material for such n a museum . Objects should ot be shown simply because they are old , but because they either illustrate some mode of i l fe now cha nged or forgotten ; or else , by actual association ' fixin with some significant event in history , aid in g in the mind of the observer the reality , importance and circum oi v . stance tha t e ent Thus , i n its museum , the Society aims to display visually the h istoryof the State , a s , at Washington ’ the National M useum visualizes the Country s history . The obj ects in the museum have been arranged chrono logically as far as their size and shape woul d permit , so that l a wa k around the balcony , keepingalways to the right , will give a general idea of the chronological occurrence of events and use of obj ects . While the Society has attempted to verify as far as practi cable the descriptions that have accompanied the objects placed in its museum , it can not guarantee that these state ments are entirely correct in every instance . The name of the d onor of an object is given only when such information bears on the authenticity of the obj ect . T the right of the entrance of the M useum hangs a photograph of the Viking ship which was recently excavated at Cokstad near Sandiford in Southern f Norway . I n such a ship as this , Leif , son o Eric the Red , in 1001 discovered Vinland , which has been identified as New England . Many students of the subject believe that n Leif landed o the shores of Narragansett Bay . There are n h o remains of this Norse visit , alt ough at one time the Old Stone M ill at Newport and the rock i nscriptions at Dighton , Massachusetts , and at Bristol , Rhode Island , were supposed to have been made by the Northmen . Upon entering the M useum , one passes between two flags , the national flag on the right , and the Rhode Island state flag on the left . These flags were carried for many years in the processions of the military cadets of the English and Classical School of Providence . The United States flag has - ad forty fou r stars , which number was used between the - 1 1 18 9 0 mission of the forty fourth state , Wyoming , July , , - f 4 1 fi h 8 9 6 . and the forty t state , Utah , January , The Rhode 1 8 2 1 Island state flag was blue from 8 to 8 9 7 , when it was 1 78 0 changed to white , the color that had been used from 1 2 to 8 8 . Beside the staff of the United States flag stands an instr u - f ment called a cross sta f , used by mariners in finding the ’ ship s position . I t was superseded by the quadrant , which 1 was invented by Thomas God frey of Philadelphia in 730 . This instrument was used by Caleb Harris when he surveyed 1 9 the state in 7 5 . 1 2 Turning to the right , one comes upon Cases and , contain ing stone implements used by TH E I N D IANS . When the first English settlers arrived , the Indians who lived about Narragansett Bay had not progressed beyond the stone age . All their tools were of stone , and were made , either as the axes , by constant rubbing ; or as the arrow 4 RHODE ISLAND H I S TORI CAL SOC IETY - i . i , heads , by flint chipp ng Besides making stone mplements . the Indians wove mats , baskets and cordage They also hollowed out logs by alternately burning and gouging them , thus making canoes . The Narragansetts were foremost in m ea e . the production of wampu p g , or Indian money This - was made by rubbing small pieces of sea shells into the shape of beads and drilling holes in them , after which they were strung on threads . This currency of the Indians was adopted and used by the early white settlers . The black beads were worth twice the value of the white ones . The heads for axes , hatchets , tomahawks , adzes , hammers and clubs were made by gradually rubbing stones into the required shape , and attaching them by thongs or cords to the ends of sticks . Often the sticks were partly split so as to allow the stone head to be more firmly wedged between r the two parts of the stick , which were then bound togethe at the end above the stone . Sometimes holes were drilled s through the heads of the tomahawks and the handle inserted , as is done i n a modern hatchet . Two very fi ne examples of - w 2 . drilled stone tomahawk heads are sho n in Case Gouges , chisels , pestles , and rollers were made i n the same manner - as the axe heads . Spear- heads and arrow- heads were usually made of flint or quartz , although sometimes slate was used . The large black - f arrow head near the center o the card is of slate . M any Indian arrow- heads can still be found along sandy wastes i n f the less inhabited parts o Rhode Island . Pipes were perhaps the most difficult to make of all the articles manufactured by the Indians , as they had to be both shaped and d rilled . and They made mortars bowls quite easily out of soapstone . The bowl exhibited in the case is ornamented with two small handles . A few stone heads similar to the photograph have been found in Rhode Island . These may have been attempts at or portraiture , they may have been idols . The two skulls in Case 1 were dug up at the Indian burying - ground in Charlestown , Rhode Island . M O D E L O F F R I G A T E W A S H I N G T ON I M A G E ’ W cfo m o m hi h r erl y rna en ted the d oor of Kent C ou n ty Jail MUSEUM 5 The - I ndians who were living here when the Europeans came could neither read nor write , but tribes living here at an earlier period were much more civilized and left many - a rock inscriptions in New Engl nd , several being in Rhode Island . The only one now extant in this state is situated in B ristol on the shore of M ount Hope Bay . The stone heads were doubtless made by these earlier tribes . We have no mementos of the v oyage of Giovanni da 1 24 Verrazano , who visited Narragansett Bay in April , 5 , 16 14 nor of that of Adrien Block , who explored it in , and after whom Block Island was named . r With these ea ly explorers , as well as later with the Dutch and English settlers , the Indians traded furs for the various articles of European manufacture that appealed to their or . fancy suited their needs I n this manner , the Dutch bottles and other objects of glass and copper exhibited in 3 a Case c me into the possession of the I ndians , and were buried with their owners ; for i t was the custom of the natives to bury with the decea sed th e more Valuable part of his property . When the I ndian graves in Charlestown , Westerly , and Tiverton were opened , these objects , together with the 1 I ndian skulls in Case , were exh umed . The small copper bell is without doubt the first bell in Rhode Island . The wampum and hair on the u pper shelf were also found in I ndia n graves . On the wall hangs a map showing the I ndian names for places in Rhode Island . The third shelf holds an idealized picture of Metacom of Pokanoket , who was called King Philip by the English . I t ‘ was engraved for the history of King Philip ’ s war which was f C 1. u one o written by 0 Benjamin Ch rch of Little Compton , of the leaders of the English soldiers , and in command those who finally captured and slew King Philip at Mount Hope 2 n 1 16 7 . o August , 6 The bead belt displayed on this shelf is said to have be longed to King Philip , and was presented to the Society by : M iss Caroline M . Read with the following statement 6 RHODE ISLAND H I S TORI CAL SOC IETY - This bead belt was once the property , according to a of of . clearly defined family tradition , Philip , Pokanoket I t was given to Miss Read by her gra nd mother , the late M rs .