Bone Tools Made by Indians?

[ScubaFinder]

These pieces of bone are definitely "worked" in some fashion, which led me to believe they were bone tools made by indians. After a while I started to think I had seen these before somewhere, like maybe they were more modern. The rectangular peices are very thin and flat, sharpened on the edges. The longer piece has a sort of barb behind the point, like it was for spear fishing or something like that. These were found on a secluded stretch of intracoastal near Fort Lauderdale, FL. that apparently doesn't get any human traffic. We also found thousands of incredible pieces of sea glass, pottery shards, and these tools.

Any help is appreciated.

Jason

 

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[lostcauses]

Hard to tell Look to be modern cut bone that has been washed (tumbled by the currents).
This is one of them cases where they were found and what else may have been around would help to say yes of no.
Of course tool were made of bone and used by the natives.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I found one of those square pieces and posted it here in 2005 or 2006 but I cant find the picture and I cant search. I thought mine was pottery but I dont really know. I found mine in the surf at an Ais site and it was very worn despite being flat and rectangular shaped.

I really dont know what you have but Indians used bone, shell, antler, shark teeth, and stingray spine for tools and weapons.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You may want to search through this link of Indian items found at the Miami Circle to see if anything matches. http://www.flheritage.com/archaeology/projects/miamicircle/artifacts/artifacts.cfm?id=59

 

[ScubaFinder]

Thanks Big Cypress, you are always helpful when you post and I for one appreciate it. I didn't see anything like my tools in the database from the Miami Circle dig, but I did find some pottery that is much like what they found there. I'm going back to the area to see what else I can find. There was so much sea glass that we focused mostly on collecting it, I noticed one of the tools right before we left so I started looking for more and found two more within just a few minutes. My guess is that there are many more, and probably some points too.

I find it amazing that you can still find areas that haven't seen recent human interaction like this. It must have taken decades for all of the sea glass to accumulate there, and this area is home to MANY sea glass hunters. I'll be sure to post any new finds, and would still like any information on these tools...I can see how the larger piece could have been cut as part of a steak or something, but the flat, square, sharpened pieces are hard to explain as anything other than a primitive scraper.

Thanks again guys! I'll go see what else I can find, anyone else have a thought?.

Jason

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Were you diving?

Its very rare to find any flint objects because the Calusa just didnt have flint unless they traded it from North Florida Indians. The trade stuff (rock)was mostly ceremonial. They used shell and bone for scrapers.

 

[Michellets]

I thought the long (trapezoid) shaped tools were used for fishing and would lodge in the throat of the fish if they were pulled by a person with an attached string that was tied to the central area between the ends of the bone hook. The more squarish ones.....don't know.
HH M

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You could post in the Indian Artifacts Forum for more response.

 

[ScubaFinder]

Will do BigCypressHunter, and I wasn't diving when I found this stuff, but I did have to swim/wade a little to get to the location. Next time I will take snorkel gear and search the shallows and up into the mangroves a bit more. Michelletes, that was my thought too based on the small barb still on one end.

I will go a hunting this weekend, and then will post it all in Indian Artifacts. Thanks for the help....just for grins here are a few shots of the sea glass we found in about 2 hours! In the three gallon bucket it is over half full. Lots of blue and purple sea glass, plus some really unique old medicine bottles and other odd pieces that you don't see much.