Excavations at the LoDaisKa Site in the Denver, Colorado area

by H. T. Irwin; Cynthia Irwin-Williams

Figure 47— Above, “Atlatl weight”. Below, abrader.
Actual size.

Figure 48— Pigment stones, ½ actual size.

Figure 49— A-G, Beads. H-J, Awls type four.

BONE ARTIFACTS

Beads ([Fig. 49])

There are numerous tubular beads of bird and small mammal bones. These range in length from 1⅜ inches to ½ inch; most are of the shorter variety. Apparently the bone was polished and prepared, then a groove or series of grooves was cut, the sections broken out, and the ends smoothed.

Two lower canine teeth, (one of badger, taxidea, the other unidentified), were evidently used as ornaments. Both show a lustrous polish. At the end of the root a small groove, or series of parallel incisions, was cut out for suspension. One is ¼ inch, the other 1 inch in length. A small (1 inch × ½ inch) piece of bone ([Fig. 51, top left]) with a groove cut at the top may have been used as a pendant.