Jewelry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jewelry was worn by both men and women among the Fort Ancient people who lived at Bintz Site. At the top is two views of a limestone ear spool which was worn in the ear lobe and had the effect of elongating the ear and were worn by men. The black pendent (front and back views) in the center of this picture is made of carved and polished cannel coal (a fine textured coal between bituminous and anthracite in hardness which pops and fizzes when burned). This type of coal is not found in the area of Bintz site and either was brought to the village as a trade item or was washed in. The pendent is in the form of a bird head (probably eagle) with a zigzag line incised on the beak and has two partially drilled holes in each side of the base that may have represented eyes and could have had fresh water pearls placed in them. There is a chip missing on the back of the beak that most probably happened during the time it was being worn. Just below the pendent is a front and back view of of a split bone (deer leg) hairpin. It has been ground to a point and notched at the distal end to allow the fastening of feathers when worn. On the left side is a wolf tooth pendent that would have been part of a necklace, To the right of the hairpin and coal pendent is a deer toe which has been cut and a hole drilled into the base that may have been a pendent or dress ornament called a "Tinkler" that would be sewn into clothing and made a tinkling sound when they hit together. It has also been described as being tied to a stick used in a game played by historic peoples (cap and pin) where it was tossed up into the air and then caught on the stick.

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