ALASKAN 

(Siberian-Yupik Eskimo)

Scrapers (ikum) and Hide Softeners

 

 

Old Eskimo skin scraper with flaked chert blade (1-1/2” x 1-1/8” x 3/8”)

 and curved “pistol-grip” wooden handle (2-5/8” x 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”) showing two shallow finger hollows.

From Point Hope, Alaska.

Collected by F. A. Goodbrod (1894-1962), a mineralogist who prospected throughout Alaska in the early 1950s acquiring artifacts from the native inhabitants of Saint Lawrence Island, King Island, Point Hope, Kobuk River, Yukon River, Galena, and Nenana.

Ex: F. A. Goodbrod

 

 

Summary of Ethnographic Data
According to ethnographic data these scrapers were skin dressing tools necessary to the preparing of furs and skins used for clothing, boats, dog- harnesses, etc. The handles were of ivory (extinct mammoth or walrus), bone or driftwood carved to fit the hand of their user with indentations to receive the tips of the fingers and the thumb. The blades themselves were most commonly of chert or some other material of appropriate hardness found during the warmer months along the stream beds. These stones were then properly modified and wedged into their handles with grass, bits of hide or cloth.

 

During the skin dressing process the skins were scraped several times with the aid of this instrument. According to Murdoch (1892:294) women, who "appear to do most of the work," spread the skins out and thoroughly scraped them with this tool "which was grasped firmly in the right hand and pushed from the worker" to remove bits of flesh, fat, and water (Murdoch 1892:295). (Nelson [1901: 116] discusses a distinct division of labor concerning the dressing and tanning of hides.) With the smaller skins of hares, muskrats, and waterfowl, this can be done on the thigh of the worker (Murdoch 1892:295); the skins of larger animals such as reindeer, bears, or walruses were probably placed flesh-side up on the ground, snow, or some other hard support (Witthoft 1958:98 and Semenov 1964:90-91), secured in some manner, and then scraped. The skins were then treated, most frequently with urine because of its sodium chloride and lime content (Semenov 1964:90), rolled into a bundle with the hair side inward and kept in the house or kashim until they became sour and the hair loosened. The hair was then scraped off and the skin stretched on a wooden frame and placed outside of the house to dry. When dry, the skin was softened by breaking the grain, often with the use of a scraper and polishing stones. The eastern Eskimo also used their teeth for this softening process. Only when the hide became a soft, pliable leather was it ready to be worked. The use of skins was a very important and necessary part of Eskimo life and their preparation involved a tremendous amount of work.

Summary of Semenov and Wilmsenon Functional Analysis
Wilmsen has suggested (1968:159) that different angle sizes on the working edges of the tools are related to the different functions which the tools perform. After obtaining measurements from nearly 1500 Paleo-Indian specimens and a collection of 19 Eskimo scrapers, he observed that the edge angles of those tools used mainly in the preparation of skins fell within a 46-55° range, while those with steeper bits used for skin softening and heavy wood and bone working were clustered between 66-75° (1968:156-157). It is interesting to note that 65 percent of all tool tips and concavities associated with tools in his sample had edge angles in this latter steeper range (1966:157). For the Eskimo sample he noted a mean value of 59° on the retouched distal end (1968:159).
    

It is not only the angle of the edge itself that is indicative of the function which the tool served but also the shape of the tool and its condition. The essential shape of all of these end-scrapers used in the dressing of skins is semi-circular, allowing the actual edge of the scraper to be as sharp as necessary to function without the danger of lacerating the skins (Semenov 1964:88). The sharpness or bluntness of these blades, Semenov believes (1964:87), is the only real distinction that can be made between end-scrapers used for skin scraping and those used for skin softening.

 

Referance: TEBIWA The Journal of the Idaho State University Museum

Enthograhic Data and Wear Pattern Analysis:

A Study of Socketed Eskimo Scrapers

Original written by: Karen Nissen and Margaret Dittemore

Acknowlegments:

T.R. Hester

R.F. Heizer

 

 

 

Jade Hide Softener

Length: 6.0"

Ex: Del Roerick

 

 Alaskan Scrapers come in a wide range of lithic materials and colors.

This picture shows the Ventral Face (underside) of a group of Scrapers.

Note the fine flaking pattern on the hafted portion of the scraper

 

4-37" Complete hafted scraper with Sinew

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

The Scraper and the Driftwood handle are matched pairs. Just reattached

 

 Scraper Typology:

 Chisel End,  Concave Side,  Core,  Convergent Side,  Cortex Spall, Duck Bill,  Eared, Edge (Side), Flake,  Horseshoe Convex ,  Rectangular End, Pointed side,  Limace,  Oval,  Oval Core,  Uni-Face,  Spurred,  Scraper-Plane (Rabot) 2 primary types (Flake and Core/Chunk ), Tanged, Tee, Thumb, Tortoise Shell, Turtle Back, Triangular End,  Hafted,  End, Thumbnail,  Trianguloid End , Tear drop,  Hafted Blunt, Rhomboidal Double Sided,  and Long Flake (Prismatic).

 

Non-Hafted VS Hafted

 

Non-Hafted:

Commonly used in the hand. These two groups have been divided into three categories: Side Scrapers, which have one or both sides of an elongated flake beveled; End Scrapers, which have the working edge on one or both ends of a long flake; and the small thumb or Thumbnail Scrapers which are shaped similar to a fingernail.

 

Hafted:

These were made from uniface blades; a concave scraper edge was chipped into one side of the blade and a pair of notches was worked into one end for hafting. On most examples, the base and notches were ground. Occasionally they were made from broken projectile points. Also, they may be part of combination tools, including extra scraper and knife edges. 

Sizes range 1 to 4 inches with the average being around 2 inches long.

 

         

4-1/8" Complete hafted scraper with Baleen Sinew

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

 

HAFTED TYPES

Denticulated Scrapers

A denticulate is a  scraper with a serrated edge.

Extreme denticulates are made up of a series of interconnecting notches.

 

Length: 2.243"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 70

Thickness: .443 "

Scraper Width:@ 1.617 "

Hafting Length: ~1.301"

Lithic Comp.: White Chert

GG#585

Length: 1.645"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 75

Thickness: .448"

Scraper Width: 1.561"

Hafting Length: 1.000"

Hafting Width: 1.114"

Lithic Comp.: Blue Gray Chert

GG#558

 

Length: 1.665"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 74

Thickness: .421"

Scraper Width: 1.304"

Hafting Length: 1.231"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

GG#561

 

Hafted End Scrapers

 

 

Length: 1.385"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 62

Thickness: .259"

Scraper width: .984"

Hafting Length: .849"

Hafting Width: .686"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

Rounded Headed

GG#577

Length: 1.603"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 57

Thickness: .424"

Scraper width: 1.356"

Hafting Length: 1.166"

Hafting Width: 1.029"

Lithic Comp.: Chalcedony

Spurred Scraper

GG#566

Length: 1.305"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 60

Thickness: .300"

Scraper width: 1.155"

Base Length: .919"

Hafting Width: .807"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

"TEE Headed*

GG#584

 

Hide Softener

Length: 1.989"

Thickness: .160"

Scraper width: 1.737"

Lithic Comp.: Basalt

Ex: Neckland

Scraper

Length: 2.079"

Thickness: .280"

Scraper width: 1.921"

Lithic Comp.: Chert?

Ex: Neckland

Hide Softener

Length: 2.043"

Thickness: .233"

Scraper width: 1.988"

Lithic Comp.: Basalt

Ex: Neckland

 

Overall Length: 3.787"

Caribou handle w/ Grey Chert Scraper

Ex: Neil Neckland

Length: 1.672"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 67

Thickness: .399"

Scraper width: 1.279"

Knife Length: .961"

Knife width: .751"

Lithic Comp.: High Quality Green Chert

This may not be a hafted form.

Proximal end is made into a knife

GG#973

Length: 1.738"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 67

Thickness: .338"

Scraper width: 1.139"

Knife Length: 1.181"

Knife width: .768"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chalcedony

This may not be a hafted form.

Proximal end is made into a knife

GG#564

 

Length:2.083 "

Thickness: .363"

Scraper width: 1.744"

Lithic Comp.: Black Chert

Ex: Neil Neckland

 

Length: 2.077"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 70

Thickness: .462"

Scraper width: 1.402"

Hafting Length: .916"

Hafting width: .886"

Lithic Comp.: Chocolate Chert

SLI

 
 

LENGTH: 3.42"

WIDTH: 1.58"

EX: Marlin Marquart, Who's Who #7 in Indian Relics

 

 

Length: 1.958"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 55

Thickness: .585"

Scraper width: 1.340"

Hafting Length: .795"

Hafting width: .790"

Lithic Comp.: Light Gray Chert

Cortical Flake or Cortex Spall Scraper

GG#963

Length: 2.343"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 52

Thickness @ midsection: .300"

Scraper width: .854"

Base Length: from midpoint of haft:.523"

Base width: .793"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

Hafted Rectangle

GG#552

 

Length: 1.778"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 63

Thickness: .311"

Scraper width: 1.153"

Hafting Length: 1.111"

Hafting width: Tapered"

Lithic Comp.: Glacier Blue Gray Chert

Contracted Base Form

GG#965

 

Length: 1.919"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 57

Thickness: .461"

Scraper width: 1.342"

Hafting Length: .816"

Hafting width: .943"

Lithic Comp.: Black Chalcedony

GG#560

 

Length: 2.030"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 64

Thickness: .485"

Scraper width: 1.339"

Hafting Length: 1.130"

Hafting width: .975"

Lithic Comp.: Light Gray Chert

GG#556

Length: 1.632"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 56

Thickness: .367"

Scraper width: 1.338"

Hafting Length: 1.067"

Hafting width: "

Lithic Comp.: Light Gray Chert

Fluted Hafting Zone

GG#553

Length: 1.543"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 65

Thickness: .413"

Scraper width: .717"

Hafting Length: .862"

Hafting width: .512"

Lithic Comp.: Glacier Gray Chert

GG#569

Length: 1.310"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 58

Thickness: .333"

Scraper width: 1.062"

Hafting Length: .998"

Hafting width: .720"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chert

GG#570

Length: 1.632"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 49

Thickness: .409"

Scraper width: 1.199"

Hafting Length: .680"

Hafting width: .964"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chert

GG#578
     

 

Length: 1.293"

Scraper Angle:

Thickness: .394"

Scraper width: 1.358"

Hafting Length: .648"

Hafting width: .999"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chert

GG#971

Length: 1.120"

Scraper Angle:

Thickness: .378"

Scraper width: 1.170"

Hafting Length: .787"

Hafting width: .799"

Lithic Comp.: Chocolate Chert

GG#582

Length: 1.284"

Scraper Angle:

Thickness: .296"

Scraper width: 1.142"

Hafting Length: .950"

Hafting width: .869"

Lithic Comp.: Glacier Blue Gray Chert

GG#575 NIC

Length: 1.340"

Scraper Angle:

Thickness: .245"

Scraper width: 1.295"

Hafting Length: .868"

Hafting width: .962"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

GG#581

 

Straight End Scrapers

 

Length: 2.585"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 56

Thickness: .353"

Scraper width: 1.057"

Hafting Length: 1.220"

Hafting width: .748"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

GG#961
   

Length: 4.453""

Scraper Angle Degrees: 54

Thickness: .687"

Scraper width: 1.488"

Hafting Length: .935"

Hafting width: .934"

Lithic Comp.: Not sure on this

Hafting Resin

GG#981
   

Length: 2.567"

Scraper Angle:

Thickness: .568"

Scraper width: 1.223"

Hafting Length: .802"

Hafting width: .933"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Green Chert

Heavy Duty Scraper

GG#980

 

Length: 1.859 "

Thickness: .394"

Scraper width: 1.300"

Lithic Comp.: Beige Chert

This may be a Flaked Adz

Ex: Neil Neckland

Length: 1.466"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 64

Thickness: .407"

Scraper width: 1.096"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Green Gray Chert

GG#972

Length: 1.352"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 64

Thickness: .528"

Scraper width: 1.273"

Lithic Comp.: Chocolate Chert

SLI

 

Length: 1.431"

Thickness: .430"

Scraper width: 1.571"

Lithic Comp.: Chert

SLI

Length:1.426 "

Thickness: .384"

Scraper width: 1.701"

Lithic Comp.: Blue Gray Chert

GG#557

Length:1.222 "

Thickness: ..301"

Scraper width: 1.229"

Lithic Comp.: Maroon Gray Chert

GG#968

Length: 1.421"

Thickness: .433"

Scraper width: 1.278"

Lithic Comp.: Mottled  Chert

Ex: Neil Neckland

Length: 1.837"

Thickness: .353"

Scraper width: 1.426"

Lithic Comp.: Black Chert

Ex: Neil Neckland

Length: 1.020"

Thickness: .270"

Scraper width: 1.156"

Lithic Comp.: Blue Gray Chert

Ex: Neil Neckland

 

Convex Side Scraper w/ Spokeshave

Spokeshave Side

Overall Length: 4.228"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 31

Thickness: .473"

Scraper width: 1.016"

Lithic Comp.: Blue Gray Chert

GG#550

 

 

Flake Scrapers

ITKILLIK

 End Scrapers

Extensive Dorsal Retouching

Length: 1.892"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 34

Thickness: .286"

Scraper width: 1.048"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Chalcedony

GG#563

Beautiful tertiary Flaking around the edge

 
   

Length: 2.636"

Scraper Angle Degrees: 34

Thickness: .359"

Scraper width: 1.072"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chert

GG#572
   

Length: 2.311"

Thickness: .309"

Scraper width: 1.179"

Lithic Comp.: Dark Gray Chert

GG#559

 

Humpback Whale Scraper

Length: 2.733"

Thickness: .559"

Scraper width: .930"

Lithic Comp.: Gray Chert

GG#567

 


 

Side Scraper

Length: 3.373"

Thickness: .580"

Scraper width: 1.621"

Lithic Comp.: Mottled Tan Chert

GG No#

 

 Hand Held Hide Softeners

From The archaeological site of Kukulik on Saint Lawrence Island

Length: 4.2"

Thickness: .74"

Scraper width: 1.4"

Lithic Comp.: Green Chert

It is possible that this piece may be an adz

 

 

 

 

Hide Softener

Length: 4.02"

Thickness: 1.00"

Scraper width: 1.9"

Lithic Comp.: Green Chert

 

 

 

 

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