Northern Plains Bone Awl

19th Century

5" L x 1" x .75" D

Hand Crafted from Animal Bone and Carved to a Point

Excellent Condition

A Northern Plains bone awl is a traditional tool crafted and used by Native American tribes of the Northern Great Plains region (such as the Lakota, Cheyenne, Blackfeet, and Crow). These awls were essential for everyday tasks like sewing hides, creating clothing, moccasins, and tipis, as well as crafting other items from animal skins and sinew. Made primarily from animal bones or antlers, they served as a precursor to modern needles, puncturing tough materials to allow threading with sinew or plant fibers. Archaeological evidence shows their use dating back thousands of years, with examples found across prehistoric sites in the Plains.

Provenance:  From the Len and Toni Wood Private Collection, Laguna Beach, California