440 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



historic. These may have come from Cartier in 1535, to whose 

 liberal distribution of combs the Indians may have owed their first 

 ideas of these. 



In Onondaga county, many fine early articles have recently been 

 obtained, and some interesting and unpublished bone relics are from 

 sites over 300 years old. A few of these are absolutely unique, and 

 suggest new uses. The long awls were employed in weaving and 

 basket making. In that county, too, a massive grooved stone ax 

 has been found on the high ridge between Skaneateles and Otisco 

 lakes, and also a very large stone gouge, n}i inches long, with 

 other more common implements. Rare, as these articles are in that 

 region, their occurrence where found is a great surprise. 



The writer has not yet examined a massive silver medal offered 

 for his inspection, and which seems of great interest. It was taken 

 from an Oneida grave by some boys more than 60 years ago. It is 

 of elliptic form, plain on one side and with heraldic devices on the 

 other. An electrotype of another Iroquois Montreal medal has been 

 procured, which he is again compelled to attribute to the Revolu- 

 tion rather than the old French war, as some maintain. The ob- 

 verse is as usual, a city with the name of Montreal above. The 

 reverse is Sarahowane Ni. Canaioharees. The latter is the tribal 

 name of the Mohawks called Canajoharies, to whom Joseph Brant 

 belonged. Ni seems intended for Nickus, a favorite name. The 

 personal name is usually written Sharenhowane, he was a tree with 

 large branches. This is a principal chief's title in the Wolf clan, 

 properly borne by but one person at a time. Peter Saghsanowane 

 was a prominent member of that clan in 1754, and the Indian name 

 may be the same. At that time no Nickus was reported in the clan 

 of the Wolf. According to family traditions this medal was ob- 

 tained from the Indians toward the close of the Revolutionary War. 

 Judged by the names on them, these medals certainly indicate that 

 period. 



In the vicinity of Elmira more Iroquois traces have appeared on 

 sites where triangular arrows are exclusively associated with earth- 

 enware. Steatite does not occur on these though frequent on 

 others. Mr L. D. Shoemaker has a well wrought human face in 

 stone from a village site near Elmira. In three years he had col- 

 lected " 800 arrow and spear heads, much pottery, pestles, celts, 

 etc." 



