262 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 93 



occurrence of an indubitable barpoon of this tyj^e. perhaps used for 

 large catfish and sturgeon, in prehistoric sites in Nebraska is indeed 

 remarkable. Both Gilder and Sterns have found bone beads, pendants, 

 and some bracelet fragments. One of the latter recovered by Sterns 

 is noteworthy since it very closely resembles one found in the Upper 

 Republican culture site at Lost Creek (pi. 10, fig. 2). The bracelet 

 found by Sterns in a Nebraska culture house 5 miles north of Florence, 

 Nebr., is cruder than the Lost Creek specimen Init has the same form 

 and perforations, with an incised hand on the outer surface showing 

 a line at the wrist and having marked off finger nails. There is no 

 circle in the palm of the hand. 



The design of a sj^read hand marked with incisions and often having 

 a circle or eye in the palm is found commonly on pottery and copper 

 and stone objects in certain parts of the southeast. It is particularly 

 characteristic of the Moundville culture in Alabama and also occurs in 

 Mississippi and Tennessee.'"" It is undoubtedly significant that a con- 

 siderable number of Gulf coast shells, including artifacts made from 

 the shell of the large conch, were found in the ossuary site from which 

 the Republican culture bracelet was obtained. This design motif is 

 only a more specialized example of a number of generalized or at- 

 tenuated southeastern characteristics to be noted in both the Nebraska 

 and the Upper Republican cultures. 



A few other problematical bone and antler artifacts have been found 

 in sites of this culture, but these need not be considered here. Worked 

 shell is also characteristic of the Nebraska culture. Numerous shell 

 spoons, shell pendants with incisions suggesting Inrds and fish, simple 

 triangular gorgets, clawlike i^endants, and a few flat and disk-shaped 

 shell beads have been found. One cut fragment of shell obtained by a 

 Survey party at the Gates site suggests the tooth of a comb. Un- 

 worked mollusk shells are common in these sites, and most of these, 

 as well as the worked pieces, seem to be of native fresh-water species. 

 Of the textile arts the impression of a coiled basket recovered in 

 house 2, Rock Bluff's, and a very few clearly delineated cord markings 

 on pottery are the only remaining traces. A considerable amount of 

 charred corn and some charred beans and sunflower seeds have been 

 found in these sites, but so far no evidences of squash have been re- 

 ported. Of animal remains found at these sites deer bones appear to 

 be considerably more abundant than those of the bison. 



We have already di.scussed in detail the six houses of this culture 

 excavated by the Survey. During the expeditions of the Peabody 



'"* Moore, 1905, pp. 133-136, 149, 174, 175, 240. Also see Shetrone, 1930, 

 PP- 387-388, 395-399. 429. 



