Whetstone

Name (French):	pierre à aiguiser
Name (Innu):	Tshipushkan
Date Collected:	unknown
Institutions:	The Rooms, Provincial Museum Division
Catalog Number:	III-B-99
Place Made:	unknown
Maker:	displayed as example of Naskapi domestic equipment
Collector:	unknown

Description:

Well rounded, smooth and almost rectangular black stone used as whetstone

References:

James W. VanStone. 1985. Material Culture of the Davis Inlet and Barren Ground Naskapi: the William Duncan Strong Collection. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. Fieldiana, Anthropology New Series No.7. MacKenzie

Innu Narrative:

“Is this tshipushkan (whetstone)?” Sheshin (Rich) Rich

“Tshipushkan – rock file [whetstone]. This tool is made from a smooth rock and it is used for sharpening tools. This is similar to a file. The rock can be found along the river shores.” Shimun Michel and Manian (Ashini) Michel

“The stone was used for sharpening a knife. It’s called tshepuskan.” Pinamen (Rich) Katshinak

Other Info:

MacKenzie lists tshipushkan as “sharpening stone, any smooth rocks/ glass to finish sharpened edge.”

“Crooked knives as well as other types of cutting and scraping tools were sharpened on whetstones. The two in the collection are shale pebbles worked to a roughly rectangular shape.” VanStone (1985:21)