Tools and Tapping More Maples

Stone Tools

During a few days off from the farm (for a job interview) I met an archaeologist, which reminded me that I have been meaning to put a photo of these stone tools that were probably used by First Nations peoples of the area. If anyone knows the uses of these tools, please comment. I have looked into the uses of the tools very briefly, and I describe some of my findings, but I'm not an archaeologist, so please comment if you know some of the uses.

Stone Maul

It seems like this could be a stone maul, a versatile tool used for everything from wood working to food preparation. (Any tools nowadays that are that versatile?) It was used to split wood while making canoes, totem poles and houses. Another type of stone maul (in the photo below) might have been used to crush food and plants.

Hand Maul

This cylindrical hand maul was thought to be used as a hammer of sorts, or as a mortar and pestle to crush plants for food or medicines. I found a website that has some really interesting photos of hand mauls. Check it out here if you want: http://ancestral.nativeaccess.com/mauls1.html 



Grinding Pestle

This one, and the one below it might be a grinding pestle or a rolling pin pestle.

Grinding pestle?

The end of an axe?

Imagine this one on the end of a stick. Could it have been an axe of sorts?

The end of an axe as well?

I'm not sure what type of rock this one is, but it's quite pretty. It's in a triangular shape and quite sharp, so maybe it was also attached to a stick and used as an axe.

Another Hand Maul

Petrified Wood

This one is pretty neat looking, and in texture to feel. It is petrified wood, that is wood turned to stone from sediment building up on it and a lack of oxygen. No idea what its practical purpose might have been.

Today was supposed to get warmer and so we were expecting to tap the trees. Instead it kind of hovered around freezing all day and was slushy, icy and wet. The power was out for part of the day. Bob, Liz and myself tapped many more Bigleaf Maples. I'll post pics tomorrow. Thanks for reading my blog, and please comment if you know uses of any of the tools :) Read tomorrow for bigleaf maple tapping. -Haley

Check back tomorrow for more Bigleaf Maple Tapping Photos

Liz putting a spile into a Bigleaf Maple