Procedure:

1. The stone tools include several arrowpoint types. The main arrowpoint type is the is the Perdiz point. The knives were different shapes and lengths. See Figure 6.1. There was a

Fig. 6.1. Perdiz arrowpoints commonly found in

greater variety in knives at sites where bison
Karankawa sites. (Source: Ricklis: The Karankawa were the main source of meat. What are some Indians of Texas)
possible explanations for this?
Sandstone metates or grinding stones were also present. For what could these have been used?
Shell tools were made from conch and whelk shells. These shells were used to make adzes. Adzes are ax-like tools with an arching blade at right angles to the handle. These were probably used in woodworking. Examine Figure 6.2, which shows a portion of a large lightning whelk shell. Use a marker and shade the part that could be used to make an adze.
Oyster shells were used as weights on fishing nets. Orna-

Fig. 6.2. Portion of lightning ments as well as different kinds of beads were made from _{whelk shell used to make an}
shells. Venus clamshells were used to make knives or scrap-^{adze. (Source: Ricklis: The}
Karankawa Indians) ers. How would the scrapers have been used?
© 2002 Texas Sea Grant College Program
The clamshells were also used to make awls or perforators. These are sharp pointed tools used to pierce holes in materials. How might these have been used by the Indians?
What part of the whelk shell could be used to make awls or perforators? What part could be used to make hammers?
Tools and ornaments were also made from bones. They had perforators and flint-making tools from bones. The deer ulnas (small leg bones) were used to make these. Perforators, needles and pins were made from splinters of deer or bison bone. Beads made from cross sections of the long bones of birds and were often highly polished. What inferences can you make about the life and activities of the Indians based on these tools?
The most distinctive artifact category found were the ceramics. Ceramic smoking pipes were found and may have been quite common. They had a cylindrical shape and sometimes were decorated with lines or dots. Different types of pottery were quite abundant. However, very few complete ones were found. Why were mostly broken pieces found?
Using the curves of the pieces and the few complete and partially complete pieces it has

been determined that the pots always had a round bottom. The types of pots were bowls, wide-mouth jars and narrow-mouth ollas. Ollas are shaped like globules and had narrow necks or were neck-less. The openings to the wide-mouth jars and bowls were from 15 to 30 centimeters. These deeper bowls and jars would have held 4 to 6 liters. What inferences can you make about how each type was used? The large wide-mouth jar? The large bowls? The ollas?

Some vessels had material added to harden the clay to prevent them from breaking when they were heated. Some had an inside coating to prevent them from leaking. How would this information help explain the use of the item? Explain.
They were decorated with painted bands, squiggles, and dots that were applied after the vessels had been fired. They used natural asphaltum to decorate the pottery. Asphaltum is a naturally occuring tar that washes upon beaches from natural petroleum seepages.
Lien: Investigating the Marine Environment in the 21st Century
Why is asphaltum painting only found in pottery in the area that the Karankawas lived?
10. Based on the materials found in the Karankawa sites, write a description of or draw the activities you might see in a Karankawa site.
© 2002 Texas Sea Grant College Program

6. What Was the Material Culture of the Karankawa Indians?

Archeologist ______________ Archeological Team

Procedure:

6. What Was the Material Culture of the Karankawa Indians?

Archeologist __________________________ Archeological Team ____________

Procedure:

Archeologist ______________ Archeological Team