Ohio History Journal
Minutes of the Annual Meeting 567
of the earth, my people urged me to make
four requests,-First,
that the flame of their fireplace may
not sway to and fro (sick-
ness). Second, that their weapon
may be sharpened on both
sides (Success in war. Legends say that
there was once a race
that had a sharp, bony structure growing
out on both sides of their
forearms for use in war). Third, that
the number of days I left
behind me may be proportionately divided
among my relatives.
Fourth, that nuts and fruits and all growing things may abound
in plenty on the face of the
earth."
Then she will place before you a wooden
dish, containing
some wild beans. Partake only a taste of
the dish and shove it
back to her. Then she will say, 'My Great
Grandchild, you have
a wise head on young shoulders. That
dish represents the vege-
tables, nuts, fruits and all growing
things on earth. Inasmuch as
you have taken so little and left so
much in the dish, so much will
abound on the face of the earth. As for
all your other requests,
they are granted'."
Civilizations change. Some lie deep
buried in the earth. But
the longing for immortality is common to
them all. In our inner-
most longings for the continuity and
solidarity of life, we are part
and parcel of our prehistoric brethren.
The audience then proceeded to the
corridor south
of the Rotunda of the Museum and
Library Building to
witness the unveiling of the
STATUE OF THE PREHISTORIC BASKET WEAVER
President Johnson: I will ask Director
Shetrone to
explain the significance of this
sculpture.
Mr. Shetrone: Ladies and Gentlemen: You
are all
more or less familiar with the male
figure of the Mound
Builder, The Prehistoric Sculptor,
which stands in the
rotunda. The creation of that figure
was the outcome of
the sentiment developed as a result of
twenty-five years,
or more, exploration of Indian Mounds
and the conse-
quent accumulation of data and material
which caused
us to think that we might well attempt
to show some-
thing of the physical aspect of our
first Ohioans. So,
taking a typical skeleton from one of
the Ohio mounds,