NO. 10 NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY STRONG 95 



Six additional pieces of broken scapula hoes had been readapted to 

 serve as hand scrapers and, in addition to a well-worked scraping edge, 

 showed high patination along the other edges from long handling. 

 The largest of these is 17.5 cm long by 6 cm wide and is characterized 

 by one notch and by transverse scratches along the blade. Possibly it 

 had been used as a knife or skinning tool. 



Some 12 complete specimens and 13 fragments of bone awls or 

 bodkins came from this site. For the most part these are beautifully 

 worked and have delicate, very sharp points. They were probably 

 employed in weaving mats and baskets as well as in the sewing of 

 skins. No needles with eyes were found here. The common type of 

 awl was split from the cannon bone of a deer's leg and ground to a 

 stiletto-like point. The manner in which these awls were manufactured 

 is shown (pi. 6, fig. i, n, 0, p). Three sections of deer cannon bone 

 were found with the smaller end neatly cut off and the remaining bone 

 tempered by fire (pi. 6. fig. i, p). Also several split sections of simi- 

 larly prepared bones were found (pi. 6, fig. 1,0). Of the tip ends of 

 the bone thus removed four were noted in the excavations (pi. 6, 

 fig. I, g). A few of the awls are rounded and taper rapidly to a point 

 (pi. 6, fig. I, k). In length they run from 185 mm to about 60 mm. 

 An unusual specimen of this sort is apparently made from the penis 

 of a raccoon ( pi. 6, fig. i , /) . It is neatly cut off at the base and worked 

 to a slender point, resembling the meat forks made of similar bones 

 employed by the Pawnee in historic times. Very similar rounded awls 

 or bodkins were made of antler and are described under the heading 

 of work in antler. The fragments of awls, like the complete specimens, 

 are mostly tempered by fire and range in color from polished white to 

 brown. One perfectly round specimen has a series of some ten small 

 notches near the broken-off point. The notches form no definite pat- 

 tern, and their purpose is obscure. 



A large section of deer cannon bone with the joint forming the 

 handle was also found. The opposite end is splintered to a decided 

 point which is badly scarred from application to hard, sharp surfaces. 

 Whether this artifact is a very crude awl or served as a stone-knapping 

 tool is somewhat problematic. It is 120 mm long and 25 mm thick at 

 the joint or handle end. 



Another bone object of uncertain use suggests either a knapping 

 tool, a wedge, or a chisel. It is of heavy bone, tempered by fire and of 

 an ivory yellow color. The butt end is large and smooth, and the blade 

 tapers to a rounded point. On one side a heavy splinter of bone has 

 been split out from the point as though the tool had been hammered 

 against something with too great force. The butt end, however, shows 



