Some Wooden Scraper Handles From the Great Plains and The Southwest

Abstract

Adze-shaped scraper handles of antler are well known from the Plains area. Tools of the same pattern, of wood, are less well known and are virtually unmen tioned in the literature and the tool in both antler and wood is unmentioned from the Pueblo area. Data on size and distribution of large group of these objects in wood, from both the Plains and the Pueblo area are presented here, with some discussion of their possible origin. An object found in all large ethnological collections from the Plains area is the tool variously known as an elk-antler scraper handle, hide chipper or antler fleshing adze. This tool is an adze-like, L-shaped object made from the main beam of an elk antler with short length of tine projecting from one end. The tine remnant has been modified until it projects at right angle from the handle and the inner face has been flattened, giving it somewhat wedge-like shape. The end of the handle from which the modified tine projects has been cut on curve, accentuating the wedge-like appearance of the scraper arm. When complete this arm was shod with short, flat, iron blade lashed to the inner face. The surface roughness of the antler was ground away over the entire tool, leaving it smooth and polished. These tools and the method of using them have been described by Mason (1891:510) who says ... when the hide was dry the woman stretched it again upon the ground, and pro ceeded to make it thinner and by using another implement. . . which she moves toward her after the manner of an adze. This instrument was formed from an elk horn, to the lower end of which was fastened piece of iron (in recent times) . . . when the hide was needed for summer tent, leggins, or summer clothing of any sort, the [tool] was applied to the hairy side. This description is given for the method of tanning used by the Sioux, but few pages later he describes the same method and the same tool in use by the Pawnee, ... the hide is extended upon the ground and with an instrument resem bling an adze . . . the adherant portions of dried flesh are removed and the skin rendered much thinner and lighter (Mason 1891:572). J. Owen Dorsey (1884:311, Fig. 28) describes the tanning process of the Omaha in much the same words, illustrates an example of the tool and describes it as being made from an elk horn. The use of the antler scraper handle is reported for virtually all Plains tribes of the historic period but archaeological mention of them is rare. Wedel (1936:82) has reported them from historic Pawnee site in Nebraska, and Lehmer (1954:112) found them in an earlier South Dakota site attributed to the Arikara. Lehmer (1966:58) has also reported their presence in other sites on the Middle Missouri in associations which suggest they may have appeared during the Fort Yates phase of the Extended Middle Missouri horizon. His estimated age for this phase is A.D. 1100-1500 (Lehmer 1966:56). I suspect, on the basis of present evidence, that they appeared late, rather than early in the phase. Whether found archaeologi cally or collected from living peoples these tools show little variation in size, shape or decoration. Until recently I had seen none of these handles made of material other than antler, nor had I heard of their use in the Pueblo area. Inquiry among number of Plains anthropolo gists revealed that I was not alone in assuming that they were always made of antler and that their use was confined to the Plains. Wooden examples have, however, been mentioned in the literature. Mooney (1910:592) has described this tool as a sort of adze, made of wood or elkhorn, with blade of stone or iron set at right angle to the handle. For the Wichita, Dorsey (1904:5) says that ... for dressing hides they used flesher similar in shape to that used by the other Plains tribes; the handle, however, was of wood and beautifully fashioned. A third mention of