What are these bone sticks?

larson1951 · Apr 26, 2009

I have never found a complete one
they are all broke
2 groups with front and back of each group
they are not knife handles
what is your opinion?
anyone got one?

rginn · May 13, 2009

Cool post. I thought they were gaming sticks at first, like the hand game. But maybe not. I see that many of you believe in leaving offerings to the old ones, and many of you are of 'Indian Heritage'. That's good that in this day and time you can openly acknowledge it. I am not making fun of anybody here, or trying to be sarcastic. Tobacco is thought of as sacred; that may be. When I'm gone, would you please leave an offering to me of a Hershey bar or coffee every so often for variety? I must confess that I leave offerings of fishing lures to my Grandpa. They are always gone the next year. The groundskeeper at the cemetary takes them. They catch fish.

pippinwhitepaws · May 13, 2009

any specific brand of coffee or chocolate?

bruce · May 13, 2009

Larson
Hello. I think you did right, I see you done well with your collection.
So to give back is alright , if you feel it your own bones go do it . A person
of blood descent to this land told me everything and what is made on this
earth suits a this persons purpose for a time, there after suits another purpose
for another. Knowing not one will hold it forever. Behold and hold.

Bruce

Treefrog · May 29, 2009

i think i would have keep em, i mean its not like ur ripping an item out of a church thats standing!! its gone, everything is gone that had anything to do with whatever it was used for. everyone who was involved is gone too. it is history and surfaced pretty much on its own under normal field work/rain. with respect i would keep it to help pass history to others who may never hear of such without them. one day all graves may be opened up naturally by storms or Al Gores green house effect storms. anything surfacing away at that time should be keep as well to show history. if not itll end up shattered by something rolling over it anyway.
just my thoughts.

Ohio_Doug · May 29, 2009

I respect everyones beliefs and all but, it makes more sense to me that our ancestors (I'm 1/4 Cherokee) would appreciate us collectors preserving and passing on there heritage rather than having a modern day tractor and plow chop it to bits. I don't buy into the "witchcraft" superstition. Like was mentioned before, instead of letting these ancient pieces of art get destroyed, mail them to me, I will gladly pay shipping and dispay them proudly.

Tnmountains · May 29, 2009

I agree on keeping them and not just for selfish reasons. The beleifs and people are long gone and no connection really remains even with Indian heritage.It has been lost as they are no more an expert that you and I on what many of these ancient finds are. I would guess thru progress and the Government over haf has been lost forever by them. Every rain on the river sucks hundreds to its deeps and every mall and parking lot covers another site.
Collect legally while you can and keep your collections straight and clean and you will have something to pass on.
I think on Larsons 40 acres I would try to buy that small tract or at least make an offer to large scale sift it with dirt restoration and then return it to farming cause we need our farmers.
Good luck

TnMountains

Yetti · Jul 1, 2009

Hi - I am new to the Treasurenet and browsing your pages compelled me to sign in and say hi. I picked this particular page as you are asking a question about these bone pieces. At least one of them is an ice-glider. I'd be happy to scan some old archeology journal articles that discuss these items and describe the game played with them. I have some myself both decorated and undecorated. I am a MN kid, my Dad was from So. Dakota and whenever I have time my buddies head north to the lakes and I head west to the plains - guess its in my blood. I'd love to get some conversations going and to show you some of my MN and Dakota stuff.

Rege-PA · Jul 1, 2009

Greg...I`m sure that any info you could provide concerning these items would be greatly appreciated, sometimes one has to think out of the box.

larson1951 · Jul 1, 2009

hi gregg, I don't think any are ice gliders
which one are you talking about?
I appreciate your input and thank you in advance for your opinions

tchaire · Jul 1, 2009

Welcome Gregg.

Definitely post your "stuff". As a fellow MN/Dakotan, I love seeing what others in
this neck of the woods have found.

T.

Yetti · Jul 2, 2009

Wow and Hi to all of you. This site is absolutely cool. I came into work early to move through some stuff, instead I'm reading all of your comments. In looking at the images more thouroughly -- I think only one is an ice glider, the top piece in the first photo. I do see that the others are diff. Seems like you already know of ice gliders -- they are typically made from a rib and carry the slight curve of that bone. they are cut and finished just the way the top piece is in your pic. I also appreciate how diff items are in your hand or in person. So if I am off base here, just brush me off the plate. The others? Because of the decorations I'd put them in the category of game pieces. Some look like "quill flatteners" (a category of tool I think is not understood). I personally have seen only a few decorated quill flatteners out of many 100s. Sooo? Again, I go with game pieces. From reading post-contact journals and such I have come to understand that the Indians decorated the game pieces to keep track of the individuals' pieces during the games and gambling, and that gaming and gambling were pervasive. If all that is true, I am just nodding to the likelyhood of that vs. "shaman sticks". I will post some of my stuff later today. Cheers to all!

larson1951 · Jul 2, 2009

the photos 1 and 2 are front and back views of the same
the same goes for 3 and 4

lostcauses · Jul 2, 2009

An interesting discussion.

"What proof do you have besides word of mouth stuff"
The story's and history is handed down from one generation to the next. It is they way of teaching and learning the history.

As for why not to mess with such from varying stories.
Well there are times such object want found. Stories also tell of that and why to avoid them.
Best way to put it is: Are you willing to have to do what they want done?

tomclark · Jul 2, 2009

Holy Man, Holy Place, Visions...... was a lie many moons ago, still a lie today. :tongue3:

:P
JMHOP boom.

lostcauses · Jul 2, 2009

Tom
Them that believe need no proof. Them that do not believe will require way to much proof, and then not believe.
Ahh the faith thing.

tomclark said:
Holy Man, Holy Place, Visions...... was a lie many moons ago, still a lie today. :P
JMHOP boom.

tomclark · Jul 2, 2009

LC, part of my response was meant to observe that just about no modern person "believes" that the Great Turtle did this or that, etc. etc. Father Sun, Mother Earth (in real sense)? They sure believed it back in the Day.
What people believe now is no different. Preposterous stuff. :wink:

It's that they believe something. Serves the same purpose, fills the same void. This is good.
Apparently the Ancient's gods failed them.

$:-\$ ,,, Yet their "mojo" remains? :P nah.
Our God is mightier, the one true God after hundreds of Millenniae!

Talk to the sedimentary layers deep in the Earth and ask them if we are going to be around with our religions, in billions of years.
No Proof, No Truth!@
Oh man we are not starting this, plus they won't let us, LOL. This is good.

lostcauses · Jul 2, 2009

So true Tom.
Yet there is this part of the brain that has been found that is used for such as belief and religions. Seems we have a need for such built in.

tomclark said:
LC, part of my response was meant to observe that just about no modern person "believes" that the Great Turtle did this or that, etc. etc. Father Sun, Mother Earth (in real sense)? They sure believed it back in the Day.
What people believe now is no different. Preposterous stuff. It's that they believe something. Serves the same purpose, fills the same void. This is good.
Apparently the Ancient's gods failed them. $:-\$ ,,, Yet their "mojo" remains? :P nah.
Our God is mightier, the one true God after hundreds of Millenniae! Talk to the sedimentary layers deep in the Earth and ask them if we are going to be around with our religions, in billions of years.
No Proof, No Truth!@
Oh man we are not starting this, plus they won't let us, LOL. This is good.