Finally found a little more info ... and it does look like a squirrel skinner!
A probable 8,000 to 10,000 year old flaked stone butchering tool was found at the Maidu Indian Historic Site and museum in Roseville. The strikingly colorful tool was unearthed by ground squirrel activity. Based on the wishes of the museum’s Nisenan Cultural Advisor, Rick Adams, the artifact will be reburied following further study. The cutting tool was dated by retired CSUS archeologist Dr. Jerry Johnson by comparing the artifact’s stone to previously dated items of the same material.
Native Heritage Camps next week offer children the opportunity to view the artifact and experience the lifeways of the local Nisenan culture. Call the Maidu Interpretive Center at 916-774-5934 for more information.
The Maidu Interpretive Center is located on a Nisenan Maidu Indian village site that was occupied for at least 8,000 years. Its rich cultural legacy is demonstrated by the hundreds of bedrock mortar holes and a series of ancient petroglyphs on the site. The museum showcases the daily life of the Maidu, and an outdoor trail highlights the many connections the Maidu had with the land.