Exceptional Artifact & Collectible Auction
Lot 201:
Great Basin Bone Netting Needle, Ancestral Shoshone/Paiute, AD 1200–1600
This finely crafted late prehistoric bone netting needle dates to approximately AD 1200 to 1600 and originates from the Great Basin cultural region. The elongated flat tool tapers to a pointed working end, while the opposite end features a drilled eye and a deeply worn notch for securing cordage. Both sides exhibit extensive edge rounding and surface smoothing, with the notch and drilled hole showing heavy multidirectional wear consistent with long term use in net construction. The tool’s form and function identify it as a netting shuttle used in the manufacture and repair of rabbit nets, fish nets, snares, and net bags.
These implements were essential to Great Basin subsistence systems, where net hunting and communal rabbit drives played a central role. The pronounced rounding of the edges, deep oxidation inside the drilled hole, and complete softening of shaping marks indicate centuries of handling, use, and burial. These characteristics strongly associate the piece with late prehistoric rather than historic period examples.
Cultural attribution aligns with the ancestral peoples of the central and western Great Basin, whose descendants became the Western Shoshone and Northern Paiute. While the exact maker cannot be assigned to a specific historic tribe, the tool’s design, materials, and wear patterns match the broader Great Basin net making tradition.
The needle measures 3 1/4 inches. Age is estimated at AD 1200 to 1600, supported by extensive edge rounding, interior oxidation of the drilled hole, erosion of shaping marks, deep stable patina, and stylistic traits consistent with late prehistoric Great Basin netting tools.
Condition is excellent for its age. Surfaces are smoothly worn with rich patina, and there are no modern restorations or alterations. Wear patterns are consistent with authentic prehistoric use.
Provenance: Late Chuck Asher Collection.
Condition: Authentic
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