Robert E. Bell Oklahoma Indian Artifacts

As Curator of Archaeology at the Stovall Museum or as archaeologist in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oklahoma, I am frequently asked about or receive letters regarding the identification of various Indian artifacts. General questions are asked in efforts to identify the object: What was it used for? How old might it be? What Indian tribe made it? How was it made? Where are they found? While the answers to such questions are not always easy and are frequently subject to controversy, I felt that some general information, with illustrations, of typical Indian artifacts that have been found in Oklahoma would be a useful source of information to interested individuals.”

“In the following pages I have selected a variety of artifacts for illustration and have offered some brief general comments regarding the artifacts. I have purposely avoided citing references but have included a brief selected bibliography for those individuals who might wish to do some additional reading on specific kinds of artifacts. In selecting the items for illustration and discussion I have also omitted a number of artifacts which are very rare in Oklahoma, for example, monolithic axes, flint maces, stone spuds, effigy pipes, copper hawk plates, discoidals, and others. I had greater interest in the more common artifacts or those which have been more subject to questions about identification.