p'^P.'n^^.' Isf* HOSTERMAN SITE — ^MILLER 213 



down. Subsequent usage would eradicate any evidence of working 

 on the suprascapular border, for it would quickly take on new char- 

 acter and the area would be given a high polish by soil abrasion, the 

 blade would become beveled and in a number of instances deeply scored. 

 From the evidence at hand, one might say that scapula hoes continued 

 to be used until they became exhausted and quite short; they were then 

 discarded as no longer serviceable. 



The mortality rate was rather high among scapula hoes. When 

 this occurred the thinner interior sections, as well as other sections 

 of unworked scapulae, were converted into many other types of tools. 

 Knives, hide scrapers, and possibly thong stretchers are among some 

 that can be listed. 



Scapula spines. — The spines were removed from the shoulder blade 

 when the blade was converted into hoes, and the spines themselves 

 converted into digging tools. The sharp picklike distal end readily 

 lent itself to this purpose. Wear was never excessive on any of the 

 Hosterman specimens and apparently they were only expedient tools 

 and were quickly discarded (pi. 34, B,h). 



Metcalf (1956, p. 306) considers implements such as these to be 

 a "type of awl that has not been previously recorded from the Plains." 

 The Dodd site gave up a nimiber of tools made from these scapula 

 spines. Those being reported from the Hosterman site were re- 

 covered from the diggings by pot hunters in a midden area prior to 

 our work there. 



Scapula knives. — ^Knives of various shapes and sizes were made from 

 thin sections of bison scapula (pi. 35, J.). Some are roughly oval in 

 outline with one or more edges sharpened; others are rectanguloid 

 shaped ; still others are roughly diamond shaped. Practically all have 

 acquired a very high polish even though there is considerable variation 

 in the overall lengths. The shortest specimen measured 12.5 cm. in 

 length; the longest measured 19.6 cm. in length. Most knives were 

 made from the flat section between the acromian and postscapular 

 process; others were derived from the postscapular section of the 

 bones having one exposed edge of cancellous material opposite the 

 working edge. Constricted sections may have served as handles. 

 Their period of usefulness was evidently short, for many fragmentary 

 knives were recovered from the site. 



Scapula cleavers. — Several knifelike cleavers are in the collection 

 (pi. 36, A). These were fashioned from bison scapulae by cutting 

 lengthwise through the postscapular fossa so that a long compara- 

 tively thin blade was created. The back edge of the cleaver is con- 

 siderably thicker and a portion of the acromian or postscapular 

 process was left intentionally for the purpose of strengthening the 

 implement. Like the knives, the tapered end served as a handle. 



