Abbe Museum
The Mocotaugan, or crooked knife, was an essential tool for Native people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Early European explorers described the knife as “peculiar” because of the angle of the blade to the wooden handle. Originally made using flint instead of steel, the Mocotaugan had a wide range of uses, including building canoes and wigwams, cutting strips to use in basket weaving, and making bows and arrows.