THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 



201 



Fig. 28 Joint ball hol- 

 lowed out like a small cup 



molars of the bear were especially prized and were cut and per- 

 forated at the root. Some have one root-prong cut off and the tooth 

 worked down in the shape of a human foot. Several specimens, 

 indeed, have the toes indicated by incisions. Beaver teeth were also 

 cut at the roots and probably used as small scrapers or chisels. Some 

 of the beaver teeth are split and ground thin, probably for shaving 

 tools or knife blades for wood work- 

 ing. One joint ball hollowed out like 

 a small cup was found (figure 28). 



Bones needles are among the more 

 fragile articles, and twenty-nine are 

 known to have been discovered, be- 

 sides numerous fragments. They are 

 thin segments of bone worked long and 

 smooth and having one or two eyes in 

 the center. 



Harpoons of bone and antler are also 

 to be mentioned. They are similar to 

 those found on Algonkian sites and 

 have four or more barbs at the point. 

 We should not neglect to mention antler 

 arrow points, conical in type, and thin cone and antler points. 



Shell ornaments, while not prolific, are not uncommon. There 

 are beads drilled from the columellae of large marine shells and 

 disk beads of varying sizes. A few specimens rcsemble small cir- 

 cular gorgets and are drilled at one or both edges and opposite. 

 There is no shell w^ampum of the type used in historic times. Some 

 small shells are found drilled at the lip for attachment. These are 

 generally periwinkle shells from fresh-water sources. Valves of 

 the Unio are found worked as potters' smoothers. 



No metallic objects have been reported except several pieces from 

 the surface which may have been lost by the later Seneca when they 

 passed over the trail or as they camped upon it. These are a few 

 scraps of European brass, several hand-made nails and a small 

 chunk of iron. All may be regarded as intrusive. 



The bones of animals cracked and split for the marrow or for 

 boiling in soup are abundant. Careful observation will show that 

 literally '* bushels " are to be found. So far as our o1:)servations 

 go the following bird and animal bones have been identified: 

 deer, moose, elk, black bear, raccoon, woodchuck, muskrat, rabbit, 

 skunk, gray squirrel, field mouse, fox, dog, otter, mink, wild cat. 

 panther, wolf, Ind^'an dog, beaver, box turtle, snapping turtle, wild 



