20MD534 SPEARS

One muskrat spear and a fragment of a second were found during the excavations at 20MD534. Twelve muskrat spears were recovered at the 1850's Shingwahkoosking village, located about 25 miles up the Pine river from 20MD534 (Beld 1990:99-100). Spears also occur as an item in an 1830's inventory for the Indian Department blacksmith at Saginaw. For an 1840's description of taking muskrat in their houses with spears see Russell 1967:324-325. There is a picture of taking muskrats with spears in Schoolcraft's History of the Indian Tribes of the United States, pt.2, p. 51 (reprinted in Tanner 1987:182). The top spear has a square shaft with two small barbs. The fragment on the bottom of the picture is the back of the spear with a hook similar to those recovered at Shingwahkoosking.

20MD534 MUSKRAT SPEARS

REFERENCES

Beld, Scott G. (1990) Gratiot County Archaeology, Phase V, S89-273: Shin-gwah-koos-king / Bethany Mission (20GR186/187/199). Archaeological Survey Completion Report and National Register Documentation. Submitted to the Bureau of History, Michigan Department of State for the National Register Grant Program by Alma College, Alma, Michigan. Copy on file at the Office of the State Archaeologist, Michigan Historical Center, Lansing Michigan.

Russell, Carl P. (1967) Firearms, Traps, & Tools of the Mountain Men. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Tanner, Helen Hornbeck, editor (1987) Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.