Tools and Weapons

Native gear used for fishing included nets, cast nets, fish weir, fishing spears and arrows, bone fish hooks (but not fishing poles), and gigs. With these tools, they were able to catch anything from a minnow to a whale. Dugout canoes were the main form of transportation for the native people.

Their canoes were made of pine or cypress logs, at least 24 inches in diameter and 15 to 20 feet long. They were shallow and narrow with a platform on each end for the natives to stand on when poling the boat or when fishing. Paddles were made of wood, about 6 feet long with blades 6 inches wide and 18 inches long. Sometimes, two canoes were lashed together with wooden poles over which mats were stretched to form a platform. These catamarans were much more stable than a single canoe and could be used to ferry large loads.

Hunting tools utilized were: atlatal and spears, bow and arrows, blowguns and darts, bolas, throwing sticks, clubs, traps and snares. Other tools, made from shell, bone, wood, antler, and rock included: drills, points, scrapers, awls, wedges, knives and needles for sewing and weaving.