NO. 10 NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY STRONG 99 



the antler removed. The top, or large end, has been smoothed off and 

 shows considerable pitting from hammering. The splitting observable 

 in this illustration is apparently due to the imperfect preservation of 

 the artifact. A similar specimen is 130 mm long by 35 mm in diameter, 

 the large end being formed by the base of the antler, as is the case in 

 the other similar artifacts, and the smaller end has been neatly cut off. 

 The grip has been left rough in contour like the original antler. The 

 function of these last two artifacts would appear to have been that of 

 punches used with a hammerstone for striking off large flakes of 

 workable stone material." 



One antler shaft straightener was found in cache i (pi. 6, fig. i, b). 

 It is made from a tine of deer or elk antler which has been perforated 

 and smoothed. The specimen is 130 mm long by 17 mm wide, with the 

 hole 26 mm by 17 mm in length and width. The hole is notched from 

 use on all four edges and a wooden shaft, such as a lead pencil, run 

 diagonally through the hole fits neatly in the transverse groove thus 

 formed. In other words the originally round hole has evidently been 

 worn down on the ends by the transverse pressure of wooden shafts. 

 There is no similar wear on the sides of the hole, and the artifact was 

 apparently held in a vertical position when in use. Particylarly inter- 

 esting are four ownership or decorative marks arranged in pairs on 

 the large end above the shaft hole. Both ends of the antler are broken, 

 and the artifact had evidently been discarded by its former owner. 

 Such artifacts were used in lining up and straightening arrow shafts 

 when newly made or after use when warping had occurred."" 



One antler artifact from house i suggests a wedge or chisel (pi. 6, 

 fig. I, a). It has seen hard service and is marked by narrow grooves 

 along the flattened blade. It measures 165 mm in length and is 30 mm 

 wide at the butt, which is broken, and 15 mm wide just above the point. 

 It is made from a single tine of elk antler. 



The finding of several roughly worked antler tips, perhaps used as 

 awls, has already been referred to. In addition, a flat strip of elk horn 

 was found which measured 181 mm by 35 mm. It was rough and of 

 natural antler ridging on the outer surface but smooth and somewhat 

 hollowed out on the inner side. This slightly troughlike shape was due 



" For the actual use of such an artifact see Saxton Pope's account of Yahi 

 archery, 1918, p. 116 and pi. 27. 



°* That this type of artifact was actually used for the purpose suggested is 

 attested by both ethnological and archeological records. Birket- Smith, 1929, 

 p. 360, gives references for its use in many areas of both North America and 

 northern Asia. I have actually seen it used by old Dakota Indians on the Stand- 

 ing Rock Reservation. 



