Description: This gorget made of marine shell is highly polished. It is a sandal-sole type; the shape is similar to the sole of a shoe or sandal, although it is not flat, but rather retains the curvature of the shell from which it was cut. There are three holes drilled along the long axis. One hole is in the approximate center, and two are near the wider end, one of which is incomplete because it is on the edge. There is a relatively large, teardrop-shaped hole near the drilled holes, and it appears to have been naturally made. The gorget is pale brown and brown on the interior surface, while the exterior is pale yellow. This piece is from Glacial Kame Culture. The Glacial Kame people are noted for their emphasis on ceremony, but their daily lives were much like those of other Archaic cultures. They hunted with spears aided by spear throwers. Deer, their major source of meat, also provided antler tines that were made into tools for pressure flaking flint knives and spear points, or into harpoons for fishing. Deer leg bones were cut and ground into sharp-pointed awls for sewing and basket making. Slate and coal from glacial deposits were made into ornaments, perhaps for "everyday" use. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: A3738_000001_010_1
Subjects: Prehistoric peoples;
Places: Earl Townsend Collection