The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
[201] Smith (d), Figs. 65 and 66; (c), Fig. 356; (a), Fig. 34; Teit
(a), Figs. 128 and 129.
[Illustration: Fig. 55 (202-8297). Scraper 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_).
[Illustration: 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.)]
[Illustration: 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.)]
[Illustration: 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.
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