FEWKES] 



ANTIQUITIES OF MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK 



73 



live, as it appears to shed light on the meaning of certain flat stones, 

 rare in clilT-dwellings, called " sandal lasts." These Stones, one of 

 Avhich is figured in the report on Spruce-tree House, are rectangular, 

 flat, thin, smooth, -with rounded corners, and sometimes have a notcii 

 in the rim at one end. The excejDtionally formed sandal from Cliif 

 Palace (pi. 32) is similar in t-hape and has a notch identical with 

 that of the problematical stone objects, supporting the theory that 

 the latter were used as sandal lasts, as interpreted by several authors. 

 The sandals are ordinarih^ made of plaited yucca leaves, their up- 

 per side being sometimes covered with corn leaves for protection of 



Fk;. i:. — Coil of basket ijliujui'. 



the feet. The thongs that passed between the toes are made either of 

 jaicca or other vegetable fiber, or of hide. 



Wooden Objects 



There are several objects made of wood in the collection from Cliff 

 Palace, some of the least problematical of which are long, pointed 

 rods (fig. 3) with which the ancients probably made the holes in 

 which they planted corn, in much the same way as the Hopi plant 

 at the present day. These implements are commonly pointed at the 

 end, but one or two are broadened and flattened. Xo example of the 

 spatular variety of dibble found by others, and none showing the 

 point of attachment of a flat stone blade, occurs in the collection. 

 One or two short broken sticks, having a knob cut on the unbroken 

 end, are interpreted as handles of weapons — a use that is not defi- 

 nitely proven. There are several sticks that evidently were used 

 for barring windows or for holding stone door-closes in place. 



Among problematical wooden objects may be mentioned billets (pi. 

 33) , flattened on one side and rounded at each end. Two of these were 

 found, with calcined human bones, in the inclosure used for crema- 



