shovel made from buffalo skull and horn

[larson1951]

this is the part of the skull connected to the horn
these were made into shovels most of the time
sometimes they were polished smooth on the inside and used as spoons

 

[ohio]

Neat tool for sure!

 

[pickaway]

Nice...

 

[Rege-PA]

Nice finds...I have learned much from the bone artifacts you have posted. Being from the east we are not familiar with the complete utilization of the bison that are a major component, if not their total life style of the plains people. I have seen bone gouges and chisels made from elk and a shovel made from a deer scapula and numerous awls and punches from whole and splintered bone. It would be interesting to take a bison and list completely just what could be salvaged after the meat was harvested.
The bone bird head effigies that you post all seem to be broken, do you have a whole one? Any ideas as to what they were used for?