Tools Used by Women.

Fig. 44. Hammerstone made of a Close-Grained Yellow Volcanic Pebble. From Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44534, 8-2. Original in the collection of Mr. Mires.)Fig. 45. Celt made of Serpentine. From an Indian at Ellensburg. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44507, 6-8. Original in the collection of Mr. McCandless.)

Celts.Celts made of stone such as were common in the Thompson River region[158]were not found by us in the Yakima region; but one typical specimen which apparently resembles the celts found on Puget Sound, more than it does those found in the Thompson River region is shown inFig. 45. It may be seen in the collection of Mr. McCandless who secured it from an Indianat Ellensburg. This celt is made of serpentine and is 190 mm. long.[159]A similar specimen, in the same collection, resembles this one but shows grooves along the side edges by means of which it was cut out. There is a celt made of green serpentine, only about 3 mm. thick in the collection of Mr. Owen, but it was found at Umatilla, Oregon.

Celts of jadeite (?) narrow and oblong were found on Snake River above Lewiston in the Nez Perce region to the east.[160]Spinden states that these were evidently acquired by trade from natives of the northwest coast and that they have been cut by grooving and breaking. Also, that this method and material was not employed by the Nez Perce who considered the objects to have been used as wedges. I am inclined to believe, therefore, that these more nearly resemble the celts of the Thompson River country[161]than they do those of the coast. At least one celt of this general style has been found near Lake Chelan lying between the Thompson River region and both the Yakima and Nez Perce regions. It is a long stone celt and was found in an ancient grave on the bank of the Chelan River near the house of Hon. Amos Edmunds, of Chelan, Washington. In the graves of this group, according to Mr. C. G. Ridout, who cooperated with Mr. Edmunds in excavating at this place, and from whom all of our information on this specimen was obtained, stone knives and skinning and scraping tools were found. This celt is of a mottled green "marble resembling onyx" (probably serpentine or nephrite) 400 mm. long, 47 mm. wide and 15 mm. thick. It is slightly concave on the two sides, while one side edge is flat and the other is concavely bevelled. The poll is of the natural unworked stone and judging from the drawing furnished by Mr. Ridout, was broken off. It is raggedly diagonal. The cutting edge is sharpened by long convexly ground surfaces of nearly equal size and curve. The bevel of the side edge suggests that the material for the celt was cut out by grooving and breaking as was the case in the Thompson River region, where the celts showed similar traces of grooving.[162]It is true that similar grooving may be seen on celts from the Coast, but in that region the celts are short, while in the Thompson River area they are long like this one and the material is more often of the mottled green color than on the coast. The specimen is owned by Mr. Edmunds and is in the collection of Mr. Ridout.

No pieces of antler or other material which may possibly have served as celt hafts were found in this region, although it will be remembered that one specimen, thought possibly to have been such, was found at Kamloops in theThompson River[163]region, another in the Lillooet Valley[164]and that celt hafts made of antler were common on the coast at Port Hammond,[165]Comox,[166]Saanich,[167]and Utsalady.[168]A piece of antler (202-8378a), found on the surface near the head of Priest Rapids, is much bleached and shows signs of having been daubed with red paint. It consists of a piece which has been cut around below a fork with some sharp instrument and then broken off. The prongs seem to be simply broken off.

Fig. 46. Hand-Adze made of Stone. From the surface in an old burial ground of the Indians near the mouth of the Yakima River on McNeals Island. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44503, 6-4, 44452, 2-1. Original catalogue No. 25 in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)

Hand-Adze.Only one hand-adze has been found in this area, so far as I am aware. It is catalogue No. 25 in the collection of Mr. Janeck, made of stone and found near the surface of an old burial ground of the Indians near the mouth of the Yakima River on what is known as McNeals Island. This specimen is shown inFig. 46, and is 165 mm. long, 228 mm. in greatest circumference which is around the part corresponding to the edge of the striking head of a pestle, 37 mm. in diameter at the top and 37 mm. along the edge of the blade. It is made of rock resembling diorite or diabase. The natural surface of the pebble from which it was made shows on the ridge of the striking head of the pestle-like part. The convex side of the celt-like part of the object is very smooth. This is apparently partly due to the fact that it presents the smooth natural surface of the pebble from which the object was made, and also to more or less friction which must have been received here when in use. It probably served as an adze. This specimen is perhaps the most ideal form of this type that I have seen, the upper end comparing closely to a pestle, with a slight indication of a knob at the top, a flaring body, and a short striking head, the sides of which extend as a ridge nearly if not entirely around the specimen. The celt-like part is to one side of the axis, so that one side expands to meet the ridge abovementioned, forming a concavity; the other contracts to meet it forming a convex sweep from the cutting edge to the beginning of the body of the pestle-like part.[169]Such hand-adzes have been found at Portland, Columbia Slough about ten miles below Portland,[2] and Mr. E. D. Zimmerman of Philadelphia has informed me that there are five or six specimens of this type in his collection but the discovery of this specimen at McNeals Island marks the most eastern occurrence of this type, so far as I know at present.[170]

Whetstones.Whetstones, recognized as such, are rare in the Yakima region but a fragment (202-8217) of a sandstone pebble, which is apparently rubbed on the irregular sides was found on the surface of the little camp site, west of Cherry Creek, near Ellensburg. It probably served as a rough whetstone or for grinding implements into shape.

The cigar-shaped object made of friable stone, shown inFig. 69, and considered onp. 81as a war implement or "slave-killer," is suitable for use as a whetstone and may have been such. The object thought to be a whetstone shown inFig. 120, is in the collection of Mr. Janeck, and is said to be from the Yakima Valley. It is made of friable slate; the top is broken off. It is 142 mm. long, 18 mm. wide and 6 mm. thick with rounded edges. The circle and dot design incised on the specimen is described onp. 131. It would seem that use as a whetstone would destroy the design.[171]From the whole region, I have seen only these three specimens that can be considered as whetstones. This scarcity seems somewhat remarkable when we consider their abundance in the Thompson River region,[172]and also on the coast at Port Hammond and Eburne in the Fraser Delta,[173]Comox,[174]North Saanich[175]Victoria,[176]New Dungeness,[177]and Port Williams.[178]

Beaver teeth sharpened for use as knives, such as were found in the Thompson River region,[179]were not found by us in this whole area any more than in the Fraser Delta,[180]although they were present at Comox,[181]and though not certainly identified at both Saanich[182]and Burton.[183]However,a beaver tooth was found (202-8189) in cremation rectangle No. 21 (16) on the flat overlooking the mouth of the Naches River. Objects that are considered as knife handles, such as were found at Lytton,[184]though not certainly at Kamloops[185]were absent here as in the Fraser Delta.[186]Objects made of bone or antler and thought to have been used for flaking stone implements were also absent.

Fig. 47 (202-8398). Point for a Drill, chipped from Chalcedony. From the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size. (Collected by Mrs. J. B. Davidson.)Fig. 48 (202-8370). Point for a Drill, chipped from Chert. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.

Drills.Drill points chipped from stone are perhaps less abundant in the Yakima country than in the Thompson River region[187]to the north. They are found of various shapes in the Nez Perce region[188]to the east but it will be remembered that they were not certainly identified among finds from the coast.[189]The specimen shown inFig. 47, was collected at the head of Priest Rapids, and presented by Mrs. J. B. Davidson of Ellensburg. It is chipped from a grayish chalcedony. The shaft is rather blunt at the end, possibly having been broken off, and is somewhat lozenge-shaped in cross section although one side has a less pronounced ridge than the other which causes the section to tend towards the sub-triangular. The base expands sidewise and is somewhat thinner at the end than at the shaft although it is thicker than the point. A point somewhat similar in shape, but 57 mm. long, chipped from white chalcedony, and found at Priest Rapids, was seen in thecollection of Mr. Austin Mires. Another drill point chipped from black trap, 48 mm. long, and also found at Priest Rapids, was seen in the same collection. The shaft expands sidewise into a base of the form of a truncated triangle which is rather thin.Fig. 48shows a drill point chipped from reddish brown chert that was found on the surface near the head of Priest Rapids. The upper portion resembles the first-mentioned specimen and the lower part is somewhat similar to it but more lenticular in cross section. In other words, the implement is either double-pointed or it was intended to chip away the lower part. The lower point is so well chipped to form that it seems more likely to be a double-pointed drill.

Holes which have been drilled and apparently with such drills as these are seen in the stone objects shown in Figs.34,77,81,99,105,119. The shell object shown inFig. 88probably was broken; but in Figs.76,79,90,91,93and94, the shell seems drilled and in Fig.73the antler is drilled.

Scrapers.For scraping and shaving, the objects shown in Figs.49-52would have been useful. One side of these consists of a large facet, as in the case ofFig. 50, or is but slightly chipped. This surface on the first two specimens shows the bulb of percussion, while on the fourth all signs of the bulb have apparently been obliterated by secondary chipping along a longitudinal third, probably done to flatten the side, although as this scraper was made from a fragment of a flake rather than from the whole flake it is possible that the bulb was not on this piece. In the third specimen the bulb does not show as the object was not made from a flake but from a thin piece of chalcedony which shows striations upon both surfaces suggesting that it may have been the filling or cast of a seam from which it has separated. The upper ends of the first two specimens are somewhat convex on this surface probably because of the bulb of percussion. The lower or wider ends, which are chipped to a scraping edge from the opposite side on all the specimens are somewhat concave or at least flat as in the third specimen. The other two are not so regular in outline, but are also chipped like a scraper at the broad end and the side edges. The specimen shown inFig. 52was found on the surface of the little camp site on Cherry Creek, near Ellensburg, and is of a waxy, yellowish brown chalcedony. It is shaped something like a gun flint.

There is a scraper 66 mm. long made of a greenish slate in the collection of Mrs. Davidson to whom it was presented by Mr. Owen. It is somewhat tongue-shaped and slightly concave-convex. The base is broken while the curved edge is slightly chipped on the convex side to form an edge. The point is rather thin and has been somewhat rubbed. Red paint has been daubed on the specimen which suggests that it may have been found in a grave. It will be remembered that scrapers were found, although not sofrequently, in the Thompson River region[190]to the north and that in the Nez Perce region to the east,[191]they are usually irregular in form, flat on one side and convex on the other. While their chief use may have been for skin scraping, they are found by experiment to be excellent implements for planing wood, and may well have served for the scraping down of arrow-shafts, spear-shafts, and for similar work.

Fig. 49 (202-8371). Scraper chipped from Petrified Wood. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.Fig. 50 (202-8372). Scraper chipped from Agate. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.Fig. 51 (202-8373). Scraper chipped from Chalcedony. From the surface, near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.Fig. 52 (202-8221). Scraper chipped from Chalcedony. From the surface of the Cherry Creek Camp Site near Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.

Some of the chipped points described onp. 23may have been used for knife points. Among these there are a number of specimens which were particularly suited for this use. The specimen shown inFig. 6may 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 inFig. 3(202-8336) has an absolutely flat base which is apparently an unworked portion of the block from which the object waschipped. It is possibly an unfinished arrow point, but its outline suggests that it is a knife point. The specimen shown inFig. 2is 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 inFig. 1may 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]

Arrow-shaft Smoothers.Arrow-shaft smoothers, made of coarse 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. Dick Williams, of the same place, who found it on the west bank of the Columbia River, twenty miles north of Priest Rapids, Kittitas 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.

FOOTNOTES:[146]Smith, (d), p. 141; (c), p. 414.[147]Lewis, p. 186.[148]Spinden, pp. 182 and 189, Fig. 57.[149]Smith, (d), p. 142; (c), pp. 415 and 440, Fig. 38.[150]Museum negative, no. 44534, 8-2.[151]Described by Smith, (c), p. 415.[152]Spinden, p. 188.[153]Lewis, p. 186; Lewis and Clark, III, p. 124.[154]Smith, (c), p. 415.[155]Ibid., Fig. 347.[156]Spinden, p. 188.[157]Lewis, p. 186; Lewis and Clark, III, p. 124.[158]Smith, (d), p. 142; (c), p. 415.[159]Museum negative no. 44507, 6-8.[160]Spinden, p. 182 and Figs. 1, 2, PlateIX.[161]Smith, (c), Fig. 349.[162]Cf. Smith, (c), Fig. 349.[163]Smith, (c), Fig. 348, p. 115.[164]Teit, (b), Fig. 66.[165]Smith, (a), Figs. 29 and 59.[166]Smith, (b), Fig. 107.[167]Ibid., Figs. 129-130.[168]Ibid., Fig. 157.[169]Museum negatives nos. 44452, 2-1 and 44503, 6-4.[170]First mentioned on pp. 303-304, Noteworthy Archaeological Specimens from Lower Columbia Valley, by Harlan I. Smith, American Anthropologist, (N. S.) Vol. VIII, No. 2, April-June, 1906.[171]Museum negative no. 44503, 6-4.[172]Smith, (d), p. 144; (c), p. 417.[173]Smith (a), p. 167.[174]Smith (b), p. 312[175]Ibid., p. 339.[176]Ibid., p. 360.[177]Ibid., p. 389.[178]Ibid., p. 392.[179]Smith (d), p. 144; (c). p. 417.[180]Smith (a), p. 168.[181]Smith (b), p. 318.[182]Ibid., p. 346.[183]Ibid., p. 398.[184]Smith (d), Fig. 50.[185]Smith (c), p. 418.[186]Smith (a), p. 168.[187]Smith (d), p. 148; (c), p. 419.[188]Spinden, p. 185, Figs. 23-25, PlateVII.[189]Smith (a), p. 190; (b), p. 438.[190]Smith (c), p. 418.[191]Spinden, p. 185 and Fig. 56.[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.[195]Smith (d), p. 145; (c), p. 419.[196]Smith (a), p. 190; (b), p. 438.[197]Spinden, p. 187, Fig. 32, PlateVII.

FOOTNOTES:

[146]Smith, (d), p. 141; (c), p. 414.

[147]Lewis, p. 186.

[148]Spinden, pp. 182 and 189, Fig. 57.

[149]Smith, (d), p. 142; (c), pp. 415 and 440, Fig. 38.

[150]Museum negative, no. 44534, 8-2.

[151]Described by Smith, (c), p. 415.

[152]Spinden, p. 188.

[153]Lewis, p. 186; Lewis and Clark, III, p. 124.

[154]Smith, (c), p. 415.

[155]Ibid., Fig. 347.

[156]Spinden, p. 188.

[157]Lewis, p. 186; Lewis and Clark, III, p. 124.

[158]Smith, (d), p. 142; (c), p. 415.

[159]Museum negative no. 44507, 6-8.

[160]Spinden, p. 182 and Figs. 1, 2, PlateIX.

[161]Smith, (c), Fig. 349.

[162]Cf. Smith, (c), Fig. 349.

[163]Smith, (c), Fig. 348, p. 115.

[164]Teit, (b), Fig. 66.

[165]Smith, (a), Figs. 29 and 59.

[166]Smith, (b), Fig. 107.

[167]Ibid., Figs. 129-130.

[168]Ibid., Fig. 157.

[169]Museum negatives nos. 44452, 2-1 and 44503, 6-4.

[170]First mentioned on pp. 303-304, Noteworthy Archaeological Specimens from Lower Columbia Valley, by Harlan I. Smith, American Anthropologist, (N. S.) Vol. VIII, No. 2, April-June, 1906.

[171]Museum negative no. 44503, 6-4.

[172]Smith, (d), p. 144; (c), p. 417.

[173]Smith (a), p. 167.

[174]Smith (b), p. 312

[175]Ibid., p. 339.

[176]Ibid., p. 360.

[177]Ibid., p. 389.

[178]Ibid., p. 392.

[179]Smith (d), p. 144; (c). p. 417.

[180]Smith (a), p. 168.

[181]Smith (b), p. 318.

[182]Ibid., p. 346.

[183]Ibid., p. 398.

[184]Smith (d), Fig. 50.

[185]Smith (c), p. 418.

[186]Smith (a), p. 168.

[187]Smith (d), p. 148; (c), p. 419.

[188]Spinden, p. 185, Figs. 23-25, PlateVII.

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

[190]Smith (c), p. 418.

[191]Spinden, p. 185 and Fig. 56.

[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.

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

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

[197]Spinden, p. 187, Fig. 32, PlateVII.

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

Fig. 53 (202-8302). Scraper chipped from a Flat Circular Pebble. From the surface of the bank of Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.Fig. 54 (202-8307). Scraper or Knife chipped from a Pebble. From the surface of the bank of Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size.

Scrapers Chipped from Stone.The scrapers chipped from stone, shown in Figs.49to52, and considered among tools used by men onpp. 67-68, may possibly have been used on skins although they seem rather small for such a purpose. The specimen shown inFig. 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 servewell as a skin scraper 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 scraping. Another form, shown inFig. 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 scraper, similar to those previously mentioned. On the other hand, it may have been held in the hand and used in scraping 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 inFig. 55is 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 unfinishedobject, if not a scraper or knife, and was found on the surface of the bank of the Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids.

Scrapers Rubbed from Bone.Scrapers 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.

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. ½ nat. size.

Awls Rubbed from Bone.Awls made of bone have been found in this area. The specimens made of stone, mentioned onp. 25among chipped points, and onp. 66among drills may have been used by women for the same purposes. The specimen shown inFig. 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 inFig. 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]

Fig. 56 (20.0-1466). Awl made of Bone. From the surface of an Island in Columbia River near the mouth of the Snake. ½ nat. size. (Collected and presented by Mr. Owen.)Fig. 57 (20.0-1465). Awl made of Bone. From an Island in Columbia River, forty miles above the mouth of the Snake. ½ nat. size. (Collected and presented by Mr. Owen.)

Fig. 58. Spatulate Object made of Bone. From the Yakima Valley. ½ 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.

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 LowerFraser[207]country, although they were common in the Thompson River region.[208]This specimen shown inFig. 58is 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 illustration. It may possibly but not probably have served as a sap scraper.[209]

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