SKINNER, INDIANS OF MANHATTAN ISLAND 25 



Sinew Stones. These are pebbles showing grooves along the edges, 

 popularly supposed to have been worn there by rubbing thongs and sinews 

 across the edges to shape them. They occur generally, but are not common. 



Stone Mortars. These are common, but rather local, some sites having 

 none at all, and others a good many. One locality on Staten Island is not- 

 able for the numbers found there, whereas they are rare elsewhere in that 

 vicinity. They may be divided into the following types : 



1 . Portable mortar, hole on one side. 



2. Portable mortar, hole on both sides (New Jersey type). 



3. Portable slab mortar or metate, used on one or both sides. 



4. Bowlder mortar, one or more holes, immovable. 



The first two types are the most abundant, the third is not uncommon; 

 but the fourth is very rare, only one or two being reported. As above stated, 

 De Vries claims that the portable mortars were used in bread-making, while 

 the Indians were traveling, but certainly the majority of those found are 

 far too heavy for this purpose. 



Pigments and Paint-cups. Fragments of pigments such as graphite and 

 limonite, showing the marks of scratching with scrapers, are found, which 

 have apparently supplied the material for painting. Worked geodes are 

 common on many sites. These show traces of chipping in some instances 

 and may have been paint cups. There is a tiny pestle-shaped pebble in the 

 Museum collection from Westchester County, which is said to have been 

 found with a geode of this type. The popular theory is that such geodes 

 were used as "paint cups" and this seems probable. 



Stone Plummets. These are very rare, in contrast to their abundance 

 in the New England region. They consist usually of small worked egg- 

 shaped stones, grooved at one end, probably for suspension. The writer 

 has seen but one from this area. Their use is problematic. 



Semilunar Knives. Knives of rubbed slate, similar in appearance to 

 the "ulu" or woman's knife of the Eskimo are found, though rarely, in this 

 region. While sometimes ascribed to Eskimo influence or contact, it is 

 possible that this form (which occurs throughout New England), judging 

 by its distribution, may have been native to the eastern Algonkin also. The 

 eastern Cree still use knives of this type as scrapers. Like most other forms 

 common in New England, it is less abundant in the southern part of this 

 area. 



Stone Beads. Various pebbles generally perforated naturally are to be 

 found on some sites, and may or may not have been used as beads or pend- 

 ants. On Staten Island, at Watchogue, Mr. Isaiah Merrill once owned a 

 number of square beads of pinkish steatite ( ?), all but one of which have 

 been lost, and which he claims were found on his farm. 



