NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



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* Fig. 57 Antler 

 harpoon from 

 Brewerton. xf 



Harpoons, bone and antler. In this area bone 

 harpoons are relatively numerous in early Iroquois 

 and Algonkian sites. They are made from splinters 

 of bone ranging from 4 to 12 inches in length, and 

 are found in five general types ; those with ( i ) one 

 barb near the point, (2) double barb near the point, 

 (3) unilateral — several barbs on one side, (4) bilat- 

 eral — several barbs on each side, (5) barbs on both 

 ends — double-ended harpoons. 



Many harpoons have been found in sites along the 

 east shore of Ontario, along the St Lawrence, along 

 Lake Champlain, about Oneida lake and in various 

 Iroquois sites, as at Richmond Mills, Atwells, Garoga, 

 Clifton Springs. 



Hematite. A variety of iron ore, generally dark 

 red or black in appearance, which while heavy is rela- 

 tively soft. This material was used by the aborigines 

 for a number of purposes, but principally for its value 

 as a pigment and for material out of which to make 

 implements. Hematite occurs in masses in the region 

 of iron mines, and elsewhere it is found in nodules 

 and small boulders. Rubbed on rough stone a red 

 powder is formed. This was much used by the 

 Indians who rubbed lumps of hematite into various 

 forms, as pyramids and hemispheres. Certain imple- 

 ments were made of hematite, such as plummets, 

 small celts, grooved axes. These articles are polished 

 a lustrous black. 



Hoes, stone. Chopping or digging implements 

 made from pieces of shaly rock, slate, limestone and 

 other tough stones are frequently found along the 

 river flats of the Susquehanna and Delaware and their 

 tributaries. The shape of these objects and the 

 smoothness of their chipped ends suggest their use 

 as hoes. A few specimens have come from the 

 Genesee valley and from the upper valley of the Hud- 

 son. The illustration (plate 8) — gives a good idea 

 of the general outline of a stone hoe. 



In the Mississippi valley and in the Ohio region 

 hoes chipped from flinty rocks are found. These 

 have an oval outline and some specimens show 

 polishing due to long use. Notched flint hoes, 

 sometimes called spades, are rare. Very few 



