Bone Needle   Save
Mr. & Mrs. Merle Pearson Collection
Description: This long, narrow bone needle was probably made from an animal rib. It was sharpened to a point and polished at one end; at the opposite end is a drilled hole. The needle is slightly curved, probably following the natural curve of the rib. It is very pale brown and gray in color and comes from Sandusky Culture. Early (ca. A.D. 1000) Sandusky people lived in villages where they fished, hunted, gathered plants, and grew some crops. They also moved to smaller camps when seasonal foods were available. By about 1400, Sandusky people lived in larger, more permanent villages. These were often protected with wooden stockades. Farming was more important, especially the growing of beans. Farming allowed the Sandusky people to grow in numbers and to colonize new lands. Yet they may have become too dependent upon their crops. Over time, the depletion of soil and firewood required some or all villagers to move. In this way, the Sandusky culture spread across the western Lake Erie basin into present-day Michigan and Ontario. Due to the need for fertile soils, most Sandusky villages were built on the flood plains of the Maumee, Portage, and Sandusky rivers. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: A3975_001783
Subjects: Bone implements, Prehistoric; Pins and needles, Prehistoric; Prehistoric peoples;
Places: Mr. & Mrs. Merle Pearson Collection