POINTED TOOLS. 227 



Figs. 10, 11, 12, of Plate XI, represent specimens of what may be per- 

 forators, or awls, pointed at each end ; but after a study of a number of fish- 

 hooks from Alaska, in the collection of the Peabody Museum, which have 

 long barbs made of pieces of bone pointed at each end, and so lashed to 

 a wooden shank as to permit the projection of the pointed ends of bone 

 above and below the lashing, we are inclined to regard these double-pointed 

 bones from California as the barbs of large fish-hooks. At all events, 

 they could not be distinguished from the Alaskan barbs were the latter re- 

 moved from their lashings. Those from California vary in size, and to a 

 slight extent in quality of finish, but they are essentially the same form of 

 implement. The same material, however, is not always used. Many of 

 the smaller ones are of much denser material, and appear like, and may 

 possibly be of, ivory: while others, such as Fig. 12, are simply splinters of a 

 very porous bone, subsequently smoothed, sharpened, and pointed. On the 

 one represented by Fig. 12 there are traces of asphaltum. Fig. 11 is made 

 of a dense material like ivory, and is very beautifully worked with remark- 

 ably sharp points at each end. It was collected by Mr. Schumacher, and 

 is labelled "Santa Barbara" (S. I. 20539). 



Figs. 13 to 17, inclusive, of Plate XI, and Fig. 104, of the text, repre- 



FiG. 104. 



Pointed implement of bone, |. 



sent a series of perforators of the same general character, though with some 

 variation in the details of finish. Fig. 14 has been drilled at the base ; but 

 the perforation is of such large size that it was more probably intended for 

 suspending the implement when not in use, thereby avoiding the risk of 

 loss, rather than as an eye to a needle. Indeed, the great width of the 

 base, of itself, indicates that the point only was used, like the one shown 

 in Fig. 15, which is not perforated at the base, but has had, apparently, 

 a head of asphaltum. Perhaps that substance was used to attach a handle 

 to the implement. 



Figs. 16 and 17 are probably awls, or perforators, though their shape 

 suggests the spear and arrow point. Fig. 16 is simply a splinter of bone 



