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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 55. 



house people. They did not have the grooved arrow-shaping 

 tools so common on other sites throughout the Southwest. (292118, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



Lava rasp. — Several pieces of worked vesicular black lava found 

 give evidence of their use as a rasp, probably for currying hides in 

 the process of tanning. One piece, nearly square, is of convenient 

 size for holding in the hand ; another is ovate and has a small cavity 

 on either side for a finger grip (292021, 292115, U.S.N.M.) ; 4 inches 

 square, 2 inches thick, 4 by 3 inches square, 2f inches thick. 



Pot rest or andiron. — A number of stones, conical in shape, ap- 

 parently not worked but selected for the practical utility of their 

 form, were seen in the debris of the open-air sheds. In one instance 

 they acted as supports for the metate, but mostly they were associ- 

 ated with fireplaces and evidently employed as primitive andirons. 

 They answer for the formed clay bosses on the triangular hearths 



discovered in several places in 

 this region (fig. 27, No. 292104, 

 U.S.N.M.) ; 4 inches in diam- 

 eter, 3| inches high. 



Minor stoneioork. — The 

 scarcity of stones of all char- 

 acter on the pit-village site 

 is noteworthy. Such small 

 worked objects and refuse as 

 occur are select material brought in from the surrounding region. 

 Most plentiful are masses and chips of banded chalcedony, which occur 

 in rosette and bulb forms generally here. It Avas used for hammers, 

 cutting chips, etc., but could not be worked into arrowheads. A 

 variety of chalcedony almost ruby color worked better and was 

 evidentl}^ prized. Obsidian nodules were collected from some source 

 and brought to the site for use as cutting chips and arrowheads. 

 Three of such nodules were found cached in the wall of a pit. Small 

 obsidian nodules about the size of a pea and nearl}^ uniform are 

 somewhat frequent and may have been used in rattles. Occasionally 

 a small quartz crystal is found. Other chippeable stones are a green- 

 ish basalt and a black homogeneous stone resembling chert. The 

 paucity of materials is striking. 



Arrowheads. — These are small and the majority of black obsidian. 

 Some of them are well made, but most are rude. A few were of 

 milky chalcedony. 



Scraper or knife. — Not often do the chips show evidence of use or 

 rechipping. A small tablet of chalcedony has a chipped edge and 

 may have been used in cutting or scraping. One milky chalcedony 



Fig. 27.— Primitive andirons. 



