Archaeology Terms
End Scrapers
These small lithic tools are examples of end scrapers. In the La Crosse area, archaeologists most often find small, teardrop or thumbnail-shaped end scrapers like these at late precontact Oneota sites. The chips or gouges visible on the surface, known as flake scars, show where flintknappers expertly chipped away flakes of stone to create a tool with a steep working edge they could use for scraping materials like animal hides. The non-working edges could be ground down or smoothed to allow for safe handling of the scraper by hand or for hafting to a handle.