In a deep storage pit filled with village trash, archeologists found this rabbit carved from hematite, a soft, easily scratched or carved, mineral. Storage pits are large holes dug in the ground and used to store food. The cool underground temperature helped preserve food supplies. When water and vermin problems ended their use for food storage, they often became the village trash receptacle. The village where this rabbit was found in today’s Cowley County was occupied by ancestors of the modern-day Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. The hematite rabbit carving is unique for this site, this time period, and this group of people, and there is no clear evidence suggesting its use.
For lessons related to the Wichita, use the links below.
