254 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



perforated heads, and small awls differing from those of New York, 

 but some bone knives and large awls resemble ours. Tho Irish 

 implements are quite different. In the Lake dicellings of Switzer- 

 land, Dr Keller figures a large awl much like some in New York. 

 The needles shown are perforated at the end, but fig. 35 of plate 

 103 is suggestive of America, as well as a harpoon on that plate. 

 Plates 5 and 20 also have harpoons resembling those of New York. 

 In the Antiquities of the southern Indians, Mr Jones figures some 

 of the frequent bone gouges, but they differ from the few found 

 here. Prof. T. II. Lewis of St Paul Minn, has found the blunt 

 bone implements here called punches ; and his descriptions of awls 

 ■and harpoons are like those farther east. A bone fishhook ha^ been 

 found in Illinois. In general the whole territory from the upper 

 Mississippi eastward to New York and the ocean may be considered 

 one district with local variations. 



Awls and knives 



It is quite probable that many small bone articles commonly called 

 awls were really used as arrow points, and some have regarded the 

 large and sometimes massive forms as daggers. In the paucity of 

 stone arrowheads and knives on many Iroquois sites of the 16th 

 century, such uses seem reasonable, and have much to support them 

 in the notes of early discoverers. No special classification of these 

 pointed tools will be attempted here, but the reader will see that 

 some would have been very effective as warlike we.apons. This 

 would appear more clearly if all could be represented here in actual 

 size. A few are reduced for illustration, and many of the large 

 forms are omitted because just as well shown by smaller examples. 

 Prequent small awls are also found which are but sharpened splinters 

 of bone, as well described by words as figures. The outline of the 

 tool often means nothing. The point of the awl is the only essential 

 thing. In considering the better finished articles of all kinds, it is 

 to be remembered that these are but a selection of typical forms out 

 of thousands which have individuality, constantly varying in one 

 way or another. 



Then there are forms which have a rounded point, not adapted 

 for piercing or any other known purpose. These are usually of 



