422 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Needles, bone. Bone needles found in this region are thin, flat, 

 slightly curved segments of bone 3 to 8 inches long, and one-eighth 

 to one-fourth of an inch wide, with one, two or three holes centrally 

 placed. They are not needles in the sense that the modern steel 

 needle is, but rather shuttles or weaving needles, either for making 

 coarse fabric or sewing the warp over rushes or husk. Bone needles 

 of the sort we have mentioned are frequent in Iroquois sites, as at 

 Cayadutta, Ripley, Richmond Mills, LeRoy, Sheldon Pompey, St 

 Lawrence, Watertown, Atwell's and Christopher. The same forms 

 have been found in Algonkian sites, as at Sag Harbor and Brewerton 

 island. Identical forms were used by Ohio mound-building Indians. 



New York State Archeological Association. An organization 

 formed for the purpose of promoting the study of the archeology of 

 the New York area. The founders were E. Gordon Lee, Alvin H. 

 Dewey and A. C. Parker. Organization plans were completed in 

 1915 and early in 1916 a chapter named the Lewis H. Morgan Chap- 

 ter was instituted in Rochester, with Mr Dewey as president and Mr 

 Lee as secretary. In April 1918 Leatherstocking Chapter was 

 instituted at Cooperstown. Chapters conform to a general code of 

 laws and set of objects, but in all their affairs are self-governing. 

 The general headquarters of the organization are in the Archeol- 

 ogist's office, State Museum, where records of the members are 

 kept. 



The stated objects of the association are as follows: (i) to pro- 

 mote the study of New York State archeology, ethnology and abor- 

 iginal history, and to record the results of such study for the benefit 

 of science; (2) to preserve and protect the ancient mounds and 

 localities connected with the Indians who formerly inhabited this 

 State, and to prevent the destruction of these monuments, so far as 

 possible; (3) to encourage the formation of scientific collections of 

 aboriginal artifacts and to cooperate wfth the various museums 

 within the State in the diffusion of archeological knowledge; (4) to 

 establish a uniform system of records and standard catalog of New 

 York State archeology, to establish a register of collections and 

 collectors, students and sources of information; (5) to prevent the 

 manufacture and sale of fraudulent specimens and to prevent the 

 spread of erroneous statements concerning matters of archeological 

 interest. 



Ossuary. The term ossuary is applied to large deposits of human 

 remains, especially those found in pits. In most cases the bones in 

 ossuaries are neatly arranged, with the skulls arranged in a ring, the 

 larger bones, as femora and humeri, piled in bundles, and the smaller 



