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The Archaic Bannerstone Project is a resource for the study of the aesthetically complex, anomalous ancient Native American lithics known as bannerstones. Finely composed, carved, and polished works are usually associated with luxury items for a ruling elite. Bannerstones, however, were made within distinctly egalitarian societies raising questions about who made them, who were they made for, and for what purposes were they made.
It’s an interesting topic to discuss. They made mention that the bannerstone disappeared from the archeological record, but the atlatl kept going for another 2000 years. They still may have been used as atlatl weights, but after finally figuring out that they didn’t help the dart throwing process, they quit making them.
Thats human nature to try to improve things. It doesn’t always work. Look how many gadgets we have tried and thrown away. I think about the deer repellent whistles put on cars for awhile. You don’t see them anymore, but the cars are still going.
SDhunter,
Good points.
I had to grin when you alluded to the deer whistle. I put one on my buddy hunting pack as a joke. Don’t think he ever moved fast enough to test it!
Flint
I’ve visited both sites in the past. Required reading for anyone wanting a better understanding of bannerstones involving typology and the different theories of uses. Definitely an enigma in the same category as birdstones in my view. A good topic to ponder.
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