Abrader from the Minneapolis Site, 14OT5
Date: 1232-1409 CE
This abrader was recovered from the Minneapolis archeological site in Ottawa County during excavation in 1934 and was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1987. Archeologists call these groundstone tools as they are shaped by grinding. Sandstone abraders could be used as pairs, one on each side, to smooth a wood shaft. The Minneapolis site was a Smoky Hill aspect village occupied during the Middle Ceramic time period.

Abraders from 14SA409
Date: 1-1500 CE
These three abraders were recovered from the surface of a Saline County camp site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2017. The site was occupied during the Upper Republican and Smoky Hill phases in the Early and Middle Ceramic periods. Archeologists call these groundstone tools as they are shaped by grinding. The sandstone abraders could be used as pairs, one on each side, to smooth a wood shaft.

Abraders from the Kohr Site, 14SA414
Date: 780-860 CE
These abraders were collected in the 1930s from Kohr House No. 1, a large village site in Saline County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. Archeologists call these groundstone tools as they are shaped by grinding. The sandstone abraders could be used as pairs, one on each side, to smooth a wood shaft. All four artifacts were made of Dakota sandstone. The two on the bottom row are in the process of manufacture, enabling us to see how they were made. The Kohr site was occupied by Smoky Hill aspect people and had several rectangular houses. Radiocarbon dates on maize indicate it was occupied during the Early Ceramic period.

Abraders from the Lamar Site, 14OT304
Date: 1000-1400 CE
These three abraders were excavated in 1935 from the Lamar site in Ottawa County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. The Smoky Hill phase occupation site had a single, almost square, house and four cache pits. Archeologists call these groundstone tools as they are shaped by grinding. The sandstone abraders could be used as pairs, one on each side, to smooth a wood shaft.

Alternately Beveled Knife from 14SA407
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This alternately beveled knife was found on the surface of a Middle Ceramic period Smoky Hill aspect camp site in Saline County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2017. Repeated sharpening on the knife's alternate sides created the bevels.

Alternately Beveled Knife from Archeological Site 14SA415
Date: 1200-1299 CE
This alternately beveled knife was recovered from excavations at archeological site 14SA415 in the 1970s and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2020. Archeologists believe that knives shaped like this would have been used for butchering bison and other large game animals. Repeated sharpening on alternate sides created bevels. Knives with the general diamond shape are also sometimes called Harahey knives. The knife was recovered from a Smoky Hill phase lodge at the site occupied during the Middle Ceramic period in Saline County.

Alternately Beveled Knives from the Griffing Site, 14RY21
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These two alternately beveled knives were recovered from the Griffing site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1902. The Griffing site, in Riley County, had numerous lodges present and likely represents a scatter of farmsteads from the Central Plains tradition occupied during the Middle Ceramic period. Based on pottery recovered at the site it is likely that at least a portion of the site was occupied by Smoky Hill aspect peoples. Archeologists believe that knives shaped like these would have been used for bison butchering. Repeated sharpening on alternate sides created bevels. Knives with the general diamond shape are also sometimes called Harahey knives.

Alternately Beveled Knives from the Lewis Site, 14PA307
Date: 1000-1700 CE
These four alternately beveled knives were recovered from excavations in 1966 at the Lewis site in Pawnee County by Kansas Historical Society archeologists. Repeated sharpening on the knife's alternate sides created the bevels. Three of the knives are made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, a good quality knapping material that is exposed in linear beds in northwestern Kansas and western Nebraska. The fourth knife is made of Alibates agatized dolomite from the Canadian River valley in the Texas panhandle. The Lewis site is multiple occupation habitation site with Pratt Complex (Middle Ceramic period), Smoky Hill aspect (Middle Ceramic period), and Great Bend aspect (Late Ceramic period) occupations.

Arrow Points from 14SA416
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These three arrow points recovered in 1971 from the surface of a Saline County site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2017. The camp site was occupied during the Middle Ceramic period by Smoky Hill phase peoples. Shown are two side notched arrow points and a single triangular arrow point. One of the side notched points has multiple notches.

Arrow Points from the Seuser Site, 14RH301
Date: 1300-1500 CE
These arrow points were recovered from the Seuser site in Rush County by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and volunteers in 1970. All are made of Smoky Hill silicified chalk, a good quality knapping material that is exposed in linear beds in northwestern Kansas and western Nebraska. The Seuser site had multiple occupation during the Middle Ceramic period, including artifacts from both Pratt complex and Smoky Hill aspect peoples.

Artifact Collection from 14RY1627
Date: Unknown
Shown is the complete collection of surface artifacts from 14RY1627 in Riley County. Other artifacts, not in the Kansas Historical Society's collection, indicate the site had multiple components or occupations including peoples of both the Kansas City Hopewell and Smoky Hill aspects. The spear point pictured here adds a late Paleolithic to early Archaic component. In addition to the projectile point fragment two bifaces and a mano (grinding stone) are shown.

Bison Scapula Hoe from the Aerhart Site, 14OT305
Date: 1000-1400 CE
This remnant of a bison scapula hoe was collected from the Aerhart site in 1934 and donated in 1971 to the Kansas Historical Society. The Aerhart site, in Ottawa County, was a Smoky Hill phase site with one circular house with an entryway to the southeast. The hoe's maker removed the long spine that runs the length of the scapula (shoulder blade), beveled and sharpened the edge, and hafted it to a handle. This hoe has nearly been completely used and may have been repurposed into another tool.

Bison Scapula Hoe from the Minneaspolis Site, 14OT5
Date: 1232-1409 CE
This bison scapula hoe was recovered from the Minneapolis archeological site in Ottawa County during excavation in 1934. It was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1987. The Minneapolis site represents a village of the Smoky Hill Aspect peoples during the Middle Ceramic time period. The hoe's maker removed the long spine that runs the length of the scapula (shoulder blade), beveled and sharpened the edge, and hafted it to a handle.

Bone Awl from the Aerhart Site, 14OT305
Date: 1000-1400 CE
This burned bone awl was collected from the Aerhart site in 1934 and donated in 1971 to the Kansas Historical Society. The Aerhart site, in Ottawa County, has a Smoky Hill phase occupation with one circular house with an entryway to the southeast. Awls were used as a perforating tool in soft materials, like hides, and possibly in basket and pottery manufacture.

Bone Awl from the Markley Site, 14OT308
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This complete bone awl was recovered from House 1 at the Markley site, a Smoky Hill Phase occupation site containing two or more houses. Awls such as this one are usually made from deer bone. They were used to make holes in soft material, like hides, and possibly in basket and pottery manufacturing.

Bone Beads from the Markley Site, 14OT308
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These two bone beads in slightly different styles were collected from House 1 at the Markley site, a Smoky Hill Phase occupation site containing two or more houses. The collection was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. Bone beads such as these are generally made of bird bone.

Bone Fish Hook from the Lamar Site, 14OT304
Date: 1000-1400 CE
This delicate bone fish hook was excavated in 1935 from the Lamar site in Ottawa County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. The Smoky Hill phase site had a single, almost square, house and four cache pits.

Bone Fishhooks from the Lamar Site, 14OT304
Date: 1000-1400 CE
These delicate bone fishhooks were excavated in 1935 from the Lamar site in Ottawa County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. This Smoky Hill phase site had a single, almost square, house and four cache pits.

Bone Knife from the Minneapolis Site, 14OT5
Date: 1232-1409 CE
This bone knife was recovered from the Minneapolis archeological site in Ottawa County during excavation in 1934 and was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1987. The Minneapolis site was a Smoky Hill Aspect village occupied during the Middle Ceramic time period. Bone knives like this one have been called squash knives, cleavers, or spatulas. They were crafted from a bison scapula (shoulder blade) and would have been used to slice soft plant materials.

Bone Knives from the Minneapolis Site, 14OT5
Date: 1232-1409 CE
These bone knives were recovered from the Minneapolis archeological site in Ottawa County during excavation in 1934 and were donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1987. They have also been called squash knives, cleavers, or spatulas. They were crafted from a bison scapula (shoulder blade) and would have been used to slice soft plant materials. The Minneapolis site was a Smoky Hill aspect village occupied during the Middle Ceramic time period.

Bone Pendant from the Markley Site, 14OT308
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This bone pendant was recovered from House 1 at the Markley site, a Smoky Hill Phase occupation site containing two or more houses. The small bone has a drilled hole and one end and is tapered to a point at the other end.

Ceramic Pipe Bowl from 14SA409
Date: 1-1500 CE
This pipe bowl was recovered from the surface of a Saline County camp site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2017. The site was occupied during the Upper Republican and Smoky Hill phases during the Early and Middle Ceramic periods. The pipe retains faint traces of dottle (tobacco residue) within the bowl. The rim of the bowl was molded so as to flare outward.

Ceramic Pipe Bowl from the Markley Site, 14OT308
Date: 1000-1500 CE
This reconstructed ceramic pipe bowl fragment was recovered from House 1 at the Markley site, a Smoky Hill Phase occupation site containing two or more houses. The collection from the site was donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1971. The pipe bowl was refit by the donor and has an incised line below the lip.

Ceramic Pipe from the Minneapolis Site, 14OT5
Date: 1232-1409 CE
This ceramic pipe was recovered from excavations during the 1973 Kansas Archeology Program at the Minneapolis site in Ottawa County. The Minneapolis site was a Smoky Hill aspect village site, with this pipe being recovered from one of the many house mounds. The plain pipe was fashioned from clay. Traces of dottle (tobacco residue) remain within the pipe bowl's interior. Pipes were used during trade negotiations and to mark special occasions.

Ceramic Pipe from the Woods Site, 14CY30
Date: 989-1436 CE
Ceramic (clay) pipes, such as this one, were commonly made by Plains and Eastern Native Americans in North America. This pipe was recovered from the Woods site, a Smoky Hill phase village in Clay County, occupied during the Middle Ceramic period. This tubular pipe was used for smoking tobacco.