what is this??

[larson1951]

I found yesterday walking in the rain
what is it??

 

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[pickaway]

a great artifact!!!

 

[larson1951]

thanks pick, but what

 

[JUNKYARD DOG]

is it a small harpoon or fish spear, what ever it is it is a very cool artifact. JYD...

 

[RPG]

I can tell you what it is. It's "AWESOME".

I'll be watching this post to see the verdict.

 

[vayank54]

Cool
I'm not sure on this either but would agree with Junkyard Dog about a harpoon of fish spear. maybe a frog gig. It's a cool find whatever it is.

 

[jpitt1970]

Really cool is what that is!! Cant see the tip too good though

 

[Tnmountains]

Cool
I'm not sure on this either but would agree with Junkyard Dog about a harpoon of fish spear. maybe a frog gig. It's a cool find whatever it is.

What they said?

 

[bravowhiskey]

That's easy Larson, it is the tool for removing the hook you found, from the fish they caught.
You beat all....great tool find!!!

BW

 

[larson1951]

thanks you guys
I still think we have not identified this properly
I am truly puzzled by tis piece

it is too weak to be a harpoon and with no clear water nearby it don't make no sense
I hope some one can come up with some more info
I am thinking it may be a child's toy
in the last 20 or so yrs we have found a few miniature toys such as 2 toy tomahawks or a few toy bows which were broken but easily identifiable

 

[joshuaream]

Do the ends show any use or wear? I've seen a lot of bone harpoons from wet sites in the midwest that seem way too delicate for anything, but if they were made from green bone they had enough flex to avoid breakage (the same way bone fish hooks could hold a decent sized fish.)

What concerns me a bit, is that the prongs are set back pretty far, normally they are a little closer to the tip. Maybe it is unfinished and they were going to sharpen down one end?

I'm not sure where your site is, but if your any where near where the Heart or Knife rivers dump into the Missouri, it might be a Mandan harpoon. The Mandan indians were famous for harvesting river buffalo (not a myth, documented by many trappers/traders as well as artists like Catlin, and documented by other two members of the Three Affiliated tribes that looked down on them for it.) As soon as the ice started to break up, bison that broke through the ice and downed or died crossing the river, started to swell and float down stream. The Mandan would jump across on the ice flows, harpoon them and then work them back to shore. The trick was getting them in the neck or rump, to avoid deflating the belly and having them sink. They would get several hundred to shore, and then dry that much softer meat for long term use. (It isn't as bad as it sounds, quality dry aged beef is one of the most expensive steaks money can buy.)

Side note, my grand father came from North Dakota, if you ever meet anyone with the last name Bullinger they are a distant cousin of mine.

 

[Flintfinder of Mo.]

Great stuff as always. John

 

[ohioaxeman]

awesome

 

[jeff741972]

You find realllllly great artifacts. Need to adopt a 37 year old? I work and am fairly responsible