A. Fragments of rims from typical pottery vessels. Remnants of red ochre paint can still be seen on the surface of the specimen in the centre.
B. Grinding stone with red ochre powder adhering to one face. Red ochre, an iron oxide, was an extensively used pigment.
C. Bone harpoon with line hole. Such harpoons detached from the spear shaft when the prey, such as large fish, were speared. The fish was then retrieved with a line attached through the harpoon line hole.
D. Typical arrowhead.
E. Bone awl.
F. Side and end scrapers.
G. Beaver incisor knife.
H. Native copper awl.
Note: In lieu of QuΘbec specimens in the collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization all of the bone items are from Ontario. Bone tools are also scarce on Laurel sites in Ontario but at one major site the normally acid soils which dissolve bone were neutralized by the ash from the ancient hearths.
Courtesy: Canadian Museum of Civilization, National Museums of Canada (S87-1304)
