Lowie reports that the Ute used fire drills only rarely though an
informant told Mason that they did not use such devices. Obviously
every effort was made to keep the fire going but apparently if one’s
fire went out, one borrowed a light from a neighbor. Perhaps in an
emergency fire tools could have been made.
Concerning the stone technology of the Ute we will quote a section from
Powell (1875; noted in Lowie, 1924). “Obsidian or other stone of which
the implement is to be made is first selected by breaking up larger
masses of the rock and choosing those which exhibited the fracture
desired; then the pieces are baked or steamed—perhaps I might say
annealed—by placing them in a damp earth covered with a brush fire for
twenty-four hours, then with sharp blows they are still further broken
down into flakes approximately the shape desired. For more complete
fashioning a tool of ... horn is used.” He also states that a small
skin cushion was employed in the hand, and that often a few especially
skilled people would exchange their products for other items. Barber
(1876) notes that a Ute hunter could differentiate between the types
of stone projectile points used by various tribes. This is of special
interest to the archaeologist for it indicates that point styles for
such a group were intentional and fairly consistent over a period of
time. Stone knives, scrapers, rough flakes and drills are listed by
Gifford and Stewart in addition. According to Gifford’s informant,
stone axes were polished. Arrowheads were stemmed or stemless, while
the shafts were marked by rills engraved along the length. These were
feathered and painted.