NO. lO NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY — STRONG III 



by similar specimens from house i, Lost Creek (pi. ii, fig. 2, i). One 

 small pendant, the material of which may be bone, is described later 

 with other similar objects made from shell. 



Work in Antler 



In the northeast portion of the ossuary pit at a depth of 8 inches 

 an unusually interesting bracelet or bow guard was uncovered (pi. 10, 

 fig 4). It had been broken into 32 pieces by long continued pressure, 

 but being almost complete, it was fitted together in the field by 

 Mrs. Strong. The specimen is decorated with a rather elaborate 

 design (pi. 10, fig 2). The material appears to be antler, probably 

 elk, split along the grain and then steamed and bent into a circle. Its 

 length, if laid out flat, would be 170 mm, and its width is 55 mm; 

 it has three neatly bored holes in each end for the attachment of 

 thongs to go around the arm. The outer surface is smoothly polished, 

 whereas the inner surface shows the natural grain of the material. 

 The incised design consists of an outspread hand at either end reach- 

 ing along the bracelet, the wrist of each hand is decorated with four 

 angular lines probably representing bracelets, there is a circle on the 

 center of each hand, and the nails of each finger are clearly indicated. 

 Around the greater curve of the object are six double lines, each cross- 

 hatched at 8-mm intervals. Each of these double lines culminates in a 

 point and reaches just within the fingers on both ends. The object is 

 well preserved and shows no sign of having been burned. In size it 

 comfortably fits the forearm of a grown man just above the wrist, and 

 since the material when fresh must have had considerable strength, 

 it may have served to protect the forearm from the twang of a bow- 

 string. Its rather elaborate decoration, however, suggests a bracelet 

 of purely ornamental character. The significance of the design and its 

 nearest analogies in prehistoric American art will be discussed later. 

 There can be no doubt, however, that the present artifact is closely 

 similar to the calcined bracelet fragments recovered from house i, 

 Lost Creek. 



Work in Shell 



Two long pendants or ear ornaments found separately in the Graham 

 ossuary pit are exceptionally interesting (pi. 11, fig. i, c). These are 

 cut from one shell of a large Gulf coast conch (Busy con pervcrsiis 

 Linn.) which is native to the coast of Florida and the Gulf coast 

 generally. When the two objects are placed side by side, they fit per- 

 fectly and show clearly where they have been cut apart. Each has 

 been neatly cut off and ground on both ends, and each has a neat 



