Over the years, my job has involved me in efforts to bring a
local stone-age culture into the reality of 21st Century youth
and adults. Letting people see, feel and use the tools from this
time has proven the single most affective teaching technique.
The first of these efforts at replication involved a common tool
type at our sites called, by archaeologists, a scapular saw. The
scapula is more simply known as the shoulder blade, in this case
from a deer, elk or antelope. It has been modified to expose a
thin area, which is notched to produce a saw-like cutting edge.
The first saws were made using power tools, but looked like
such. Tools made using hacksaws and files were better, but not
yet authentic looking, and gave no information on efficient
manufacturing techniques. They did however allow us to test the
tools for possible uses. Archaeologists did not list their uses,
since that would be speculation, but trying them on wood, meat,
grass, weeds, tules and cattails; as hair combs, fish scalers
and everythin