The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley Part 9

[191] Spinden, p. 185 and Fig. 5^6.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 49 (202-8371). Sc.r.a.per chipped from Petrified Wood.

From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 50 (202-8372). Sc.r.a.per chipped from Agate. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 51 (202-8373). Sc.r.a.per chipped from Chalcedony. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 52 (202-8221). Sc.r.a.per chipped from Chalcedony. From the surface of the Cherry Creek Camp Site near Ellensburg. 1/2 nat.

size.]

Some of the chipped points described on p. 23 may have been used for knife points. Among these there are a number of specimens which were particularly suited for this use. The specimen shown in Fig. 6 may have served as a knife, possibly one used for ceremonial purposes although it may have been used as a spear point. These knives, being somewhat symmetrical differ from the one found at Kamloops[192] in the Thompson River region which was similar in shape to the knives used until recently by the Thompson River Indians.[193] These knives from the Thompson River region are chipped much more from one side than from the other and have curved points. The specimen shown in Fig. 3 (202-8336) has an absolutely flat base which is apparently an unworked portion of the block from which the object was chipped. It is possibly an unfinished arrow point, but its outline suggests that it is a knife point. The specimen shown in Fig. 2 is chipped from waxy red chalcedony.

It has a straight end and one edge of the point is slightly more curved than the other, which together with the fact that one side is nearly flat suggests that it may have been one of those points which are considered to have been used for knives rather than for arrow or spear points. The specimen (202-8369) shown in Fig. 1 may have served either as the tip for an arrow or as a knife point, and it may be compared with the much more deeply serrated points found in the Thompson River region.[194]

[192] Smith (c), p. 418, Fig. 352d.

[193] Teit, (a), Figs. 125-126.

[194] Smith (d), Figs. 8 to 19; (c), Figs. 332 i-j and 334.

_Arrow-shaft Smoothers._ Arrow-shaft smoothers, made of coa.r.s.e sandstone like those from the Thompson River region,[195] were not found by us in this area nor on the coast;[196] but one of these grooved stones was seen in the collection of Mr. E. R. McDonald at Ellensburg. It was collected by Mr. d.i.c.k Williams, of the same place, who found it on the west bank of the Columbia River, twenty miles north of Priest Rapids, Kitt.i.tas County. It is made of a salmon-colored gritstone, and is of the usual type, semi-cylindrical with a longitudinal groove on the flat side, in this case a very small groove such as might occur if it had not been much used. In the Nez Perce region to the east,[197] according to Spinden, there have been found an arrow-shaft smoother made up of two somewhat rectangular blocks of light tufa, each with a semi-cylindrical groove in one side and a soapstone object which he considers to be an arrow-shaft polisher, but I have considered this as a mat presser.

[195] Smith (d), p. 145; (c), p. 419.

[196] Smith (a), p. 190; (b), p. 438.

[197] Spinden, p. 187, Fig. 32, Plate VII.

TOOLS USED BY WOMEN.

A number of implements were found which may have served for the preparation of skins and for sewing. Among these may be mentioned skin sc.r.a.pers, awls, a needle, and a mat presser.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 53 (202-8302). Sc.r.a.per chipped from a Flat Circular Pebble. From the surface of the bank of Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 54 (202-8307). Sc.r.a.per or Knife chipped from a Pebble. From the surface of the bank of Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

_Sc.r.a.pers Chipped from Stone._ The sc.r.a.pers chipped from stone, shown in Figs. 49 to 52, and considered among tools used by men on pp. 67-68, may possibly have been used on skins although they seem rather small for such a purpose. The specimen shown in Fig. 53, made from a flat circular pebble was found on the surface of the bank of the Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. The edges are chipped in such a way that it has been brought somewhat to the form of a square. This object would serve well as a skin sc.r.a.per if hafted in the split end of a stick and used like similar implements seen in use by us among the natives of the Thompson River region.[198] It resembles archaeological specimens from the same area.[199] In the Nez Perce region to the east[200] a disk-shaped spall struck from a boulder was used for skin sc.r.a.ping.

Another form, shown in Fig. 54, is chipped from a pebble, probably a flat circular one. Along one side, the surface of the pebble shows, but on the other it has been completely chipped away. In outline, the object is elliptical, but has a slight tendency to be pointed at each end. It is lenticular in section, with the edges jaggedly sharp. This reminds us of certain specimens found at Columbus and The Dalles, which have the same general shape, but are ground and polished, so that no signs of chipping remain on some of them. It seems probable that this specimen is a roughed-out form of the same kind, which may have been used in its present condition, or was intended to be finished by grinding and polishing. It seems quite likely that this implement may have been hafted in the end of a split stick and used as a skin sc.r.a.per, similar to those previously mentioned. On the other hand, it may have been held in the hand and used in sc.r.a.ping skins or perhaps as a knife. It was found with another on the surface of the bank of the Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. Another of these (202-8117) was found on the surface at Kennewick. The specimen shown in Fig. 55 is simply an oval water-worn pebble with one edge chipped on both sides. It is 115 mm. long by 16 mm. thick, may be an unfinished object, if not a sc.r.a.per or knife, and was found on the surface of the bank of the Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids.

[198] Teit (a), Fig. 1, Plate XIV, and Fig. 127.

[199] Smith (d), Fig. 64; (c), Fig. 355.

[200] Spinden, p. 215.

_Sc.r.a.pers Rubbed from Bone._ Sc.r.a.pers made of bone, similar to those found by us in the Thompson River region and in the vicinity of Puget Sound[201] were not seen in the Yakima region.

[201] Smith (d), Figs. 65 and 66; (c), Fig. 356; (a), Fig. 34; Teit (a), Figs. 128 and 129.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 55 (202-8297). Sc.r.a.per or Knife chipped from a Pebble. From the surface of the bank of Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]

_Awls Rubbed from Bone._ Awls made of bone have been found in this area.

The specimens made of stone, mentioned on p. 25 among chipped points, and on p. 66 among drills may have been used by women for the same purposes. The specimen shown in Fig. 56, was found on the surface of an island in the Columbia River near the mouth of the Snake, and it is bleached from exposure. It was collected and presented by Mr. D. W.

Owen. The specimen shown in Fig. 57, was found on an island in the Columbia River, forty miles above the mouth of the Snake, and it is bleached from exposure on the surface. The shaft is nearly circular in cross section and tapers to a point for one half its length. The base ends in a flat elbow piece. The outline of the end of this projection is rounded. The specimen was collected and presented by Mr. D. W. Owen.

No awls made from the proximal part of the ulna of the deer were seen by us in this area, although it will be remembered they were found in the Thompson River region[202] and are reported from the Nez Perce region to the east by Spinden who says that they were used in braiding rope.[203]

We found them on the coast of British Columbia and Washington.[204] The same remarks are true of awls made of the distal end of the metapodial of the deer.[205]

[202] Smith (c), Fig. 357.

[203] Spinden, p. 189, Plate VII, Fig. 29.

[204] Smith (a), p. 170 (_Eburne and Hammond_); (b), p. 317, (_Comox_); p. 347 (_Saanich_); p. 377, (_Stanwood_); p. 389, (_New Dungeness_).

[205] Smith (d), Fig. 74; (c), Fig. 357; (a), Fig. 35, (_Eburne_); (b), p. 317, (_Comox_); p. 348, (_Saanich_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 56 (20.0-1466). Awl made of Bone. From the surface of an Island in Columbia River near the mouth of the Snake. 1/2 nat.

size. (Collected and presented by Mr. Owen.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 57 (20.0-1465). Awl made of Bone. From an Island in Columbia River, forty miles above the mouth of the Snake. 1/2 nat. size.

(Collected and presented by Mr. Owen.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 58. Spatulate Object made of Bone. From the Yakima Valley. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44503, 6-4. Original catalogue No. 13 in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]

This seems rather interesting since these two kinds of awls, each made of a special bone are so commonly found and so widely distributed in America that it seems hardly possible that they may not yet be found in this region. Simple sharpened bone implements which are said to have been used as awls are found in the Nez Perce region[206] where according to Spinden, a small awl was used in making basketry but we saw none in the Yakima region not considered to be points for arrows or spears.

[206] Spinden, p. 189, Plate VII, Figs. 27 and 28.

_Needles._ Only one object which may be considered as a needle was seen by us in the Yakima region, and it will be remembered that they are rare on the coast of British Columbia and Washington, except in the Lower Fraser[207] country, although they were common in the Thompson River region.[208] This specimen shown in Fig. 58 is a long needle-like object, No. 13, in the collection of Mr. Janeck. The object is warped or bent like the needles used in the Puget Sound country to string cat-tail stalks together in order to make mats. This specimen is 291 mm. long.

The point is sharpened and although the side edges are flat, it somewhat resembles a paper knife. At a point nearly one third of its length from the base, it is perforated through the middle by gouging from each side.

The base is notched, in such a way that the object is bilaterally symmetrical as shown in the ill.u.s.tration. It may possibly but not probably have served as a sap sc.r.a.per.[209]

[207] Smith, (a), Fig. 36.

[208] Smith (d), Figs. 76-78; (c), Fig. 358.

[209] Museum negative no. 44503 (6-4).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 59 _a_. Object made of Steat.i.te, probably a Mat Presser. From Prosser. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44504, 6-5.

Original in the collection of Mr. Spalding). _b_, Part of Incised Pictograph on Object Shown in _a_.]