348 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Some were broad triangles. Net sinkers were found, objects 

 strangely absent from Matinicock. The mortar we have already 

 mentioned. 



Articles of bone include awls, some finely finished, broken needles, 

 antler tips, two antler punches, perhaps pitching tools, an antler 

 arrow point, a worked beaver tooth scraper, an antler pottery marker, 

 parts of a turtle shell cup and a flat tablet of bone. 



It seems surprising, when making an examination of shell heaps, 

 that shell was not employed to a greater extent for implements. A 

 few were found here, however. Among them a scraper made of 

 oyster shell and some perforated shells, probably ornaments. Of 

 perhaps greater importance were the numerous parts of Busycon 

 shells, especially the columellae, worked into small cylindrical lengths 

 for cutting into wampum beads. A fairly good series showmg all 

 stages of the process was obtained. Mr Harrington found one 

 deposit of these in which was a small awl and sharp quartz flakes. 

 He thought that they had been inclosed in a wampum-maker's bag 

 when lost. 



The pottery fragments were particularly interesting. Most of them 

 were t>'pical coastal Algonkian sherds, showing about the same type 

 of decoration as at Matinicock, except that the des'gns were better. 

 Among the sherds were several that were Iroquoian. One had 

 incised lines in triangles and revealed a raised rim and constricted 

 neck. One had a conventional face sim.ilar to prehistoric Iroquois 

 designs. All the potter}^ seemed better made and tempered more 

 carefully than at Matinicock. 



The shell heap appeared to be precolonial and to have been 

 entirely the work of members of some Algonkian tribe, possibly the 

 early Matinicock. In later days it may have been a spot where clams 

 were caught and dried for winter supplies or for barter. The exist- 

 ence of wampum shells may indicate that at this place these valuable 

 beads were blocked out, later to be carried away and finished. The 

 presence of Iroquois pottery may point out contact with these people 

 or indicate that they came down from their Mohawk valley homes to 

 take tribute of food and wampum even in prehistoric times. 



Evidences of occupation were not confined to these shell heaps 

 near the pond. In almost every field about the place arrowheads, 

 fragments of pottery and other implements have been found. Indeed 

 most of the territory between Dosoris and Matinicock seems to have 

 been occupied in spots, here and there, for relics are found uj^on 

 almost every farm and in almost every garden. The region was one 

 where there could be no hunger while the shell fish lasted. 



