Native American, Eastern United States, Eastern Woodland, Archaic to Woodlands period, ca. 5000 to 1000 CE. A fine prismatic shaped bannerstone, used as a weight for an atlatl with triangular faces and pierced laterally for suspension. It is made from a mottled black and brown stone then highly polished to have smooth faces. Bannerstones remain an archaeological mystery. For many years, inspired by research done by a former physicist, archaeologists believed that bannerstones were used as weights to give atlatls greater power and control. Later experimental archaeology proved that this was not true - but did open up the possibility that the bannerstone helped with fatigue when holding an atlatl still while stalking skittish prey like deer. Size: 2.65" L x 1.2" W x 1.5" H (6.7 cm x 3 cm x 3.8 cm)
Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010
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#169306
Condition
Minor surface abrasions and minor nicks, otherwise intact and very good. Smooth polished surface and nice stone coloration.