76 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ElUNOLOGY [Bull. 176 



IRON 



Hardware makes up most of the iron remains: nails, staples, ax- 

 heads, hinges, and other objects, some of which are recognizable while 

 others are so fragmentary as to make identification virtually im- 

 possible. 



Nails and spike shafts, usually square in cross section, range in 

 length from 2.5 cm. to 15.0 cm. Apparently there was no standardiza- 

 tion as to length since there is variation within groups. Heads of 

 both handmade and machine-cut nails are not constant in shape. 

 Roughly the machine-cut nails are more nearly rectangular in outline 

 with either square or slightly rounded corners. The handmade va- 

 riety tend to have more of a roundish head with the tops either pyram- 

 idal or truncated-pyramidal in outline. 



A number of short nails, 4.8 cm. long, whose shafts are roughly 

 circular, bordering on square, in cross section, have a large mushroom- 

 shaped head. They are definitely of the handmade variety. They 

 were used in places where there was danger of the common variety 

 pulling through the wood. Such large heads preclude this possibility. 

 One has the shaft brought down to a very nice tip, but the majority 

 are of the blunt-tipped variety. 



In addition to the nails are a number of U-shaped staples which 

 were fairly large and were used witli various hasps (pi. 18, c, d). 

 One of the larger examples measures 94 mm. in length and shows that 

 it definitely was hammered into shape, while a shorter specimen, 70 

 mm. in length, is more regular in outline. There are no hammer 

 marks on the shafts and the tips have been drawn to even points. 

 This suggests a machine-made article. The latter was found rather 

 high in the fill above the trading post, while the handmade staple 

 came from the level belonging to Fort Lookout II. 



Assigning dates to either nails or staples is not a practice to be 

 commended, but in this case it is known that most of these objects 

 were in use between 1800 and 1850. Nails and staples have been made 

 and used over a long period of time and some nails are still being- 

 handmade in the vicinity of Chamberlain, S. Dak. Square machine- 

 cut nails are sold in various hardware stores under the term "case- 

 hardened" nails. 



A single, small brass-headed tack, commonly used in upholstery 

 work, was found withm the fill above the floor of the trading post. 

 Unfortunately, such tacks are not diagnostic enough to indicate any 

 particular time period. Similar tacks were used in the 17th century 

 at Jamestov/n Island, Va., to trace out various decorative patterns 

 on boxes and furniture, yet are procurable at most hardware stores 

 at the present time. 



