Bannerstones

Bannerstones are found in shell mound contexts along major rivers in the midwestern united states.

Bannerstones. Print email knoblock stuck with the older theories on the usage of bannerstones he believed they were ornamental or ceremonial objects. The form of the present example is known as a double notched butterfly. Bannerstones are weights for spear throwers the long shafts that propelled the actual darts thus extending the thrower s reach. He also felt that the time expended in making bannerstones.

In use in north america for some 3 000 years beginning in the fourth millennium b c bannerstones took many and varied forms. The holes are typically 1 4 to 3 4 in diameter and extend through a raised portion centered in the stone they usually are bored all the way through but some have been found with holes that extend only part of the way through. The bigger mystery surrounding bannerstones is their purpose. And in burial contexts and may be included in the burials of men women or children.

Some for instance were made of local stone whilst others were made of stone that exists far from the sites where they were found which may be regarded as evidence of trade. The pick bannerstone is semilunar or pick shaped and round in cross section and slightly curved. That bannerstones were a part of the atlatl hunter s toolit being mainly used as a spindle weight to make string to tie on fletching and points and a spindle weight to turn and taper dart shafts. Fluted bannerstones are most often tube banners with an indention that runs the length of the tube on one side.

On the surface rarely in archaeological context. And another practical experimenter s idesa. We often think of archaic people. The crescent banner shown above is the only fluted style known to the author that is not a tube.

Bannerstones may also be classified according to their material. Differing patterns in design are used contemporary with one another with most patterns showing long life spans. His conclusions were based partly on the fact that certain forms of bannerstones were usually made from exotic and beautiful material such as ferruginous quartz or highly banded slate. Bannerstones are artifacts usually found in the eastern united states that are characterized by a centered hole in a symmetrically shaped carved or ground stone.