**First Time At Auction**

Native American, Midwestern United States, Michigan, Eastern Woodland, Archaic Period, ca. 5000 to 1000 BCE. A fine example of a bannerstone preform, a tool or weight for an atlatl, with a bowtie shape. This bannerstone is made from a dark gray banded slate and polished with smooth and rounded edges. This stone has crescent shaped wings like a butterfly or a bowtie but is not drilled laterally through the cross-section which indicates this is unfinished, hence the preform designation. 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 for throwing spears. Later experimental archaeology proved that this was not true - but did open the possibility that the bannerstone helped with fatigue when holding an atlatl still, while stalking skittish prey such as deer. Bannerstones of various sizes and shapes, including bowtie or fluted, have been found across the eastern part of North America. Size: 3.5" L x 0.25" W x 2" H (8.9 cm x 0.6 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000

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#160218

Nicks and surface scratches. Loss and chips to verso face. Find site written on surface. Old traces of adhesive residue from mounting or displaying.