Date: 1850-1880

 

Description: This is either a hoe or a hide scraper made out a combination of bison horn and skull. Hoes were used to till fields for crops, and hide scrapers were used to clean and cure animal hides to make leather, rawhide, and other material. The Native tribes of the Midwestern plains made a livelihood by hunting and following nomadic bison herds. Every part of the bison was used so nothing would go to waste. Hides were used to make clothing and tepees, and bone and horn were commonly used to make many useful tools like this one.

 

Donor: Lauree Inman-Johnson

 

On display