Length: 3 1/4"

Grade: 6

Description: This bannerstone, found in Morgan County, Alabama, near the Flint River in the Huntsville area, is made of dense greenstone with an olive-gray tone and patches of iron staining. Its keel-shaped (boatstone-type) form features a central perforation and symmetrical tapering ends, showing skilled grinding and shaping, despite evident plow scars from field exposure. The workmanship reflects the durable and balanced style typical of Late Archaic period bannerstones from the Tennessee River Valley region.

These were used as a counter weight to balance the spear launching apperatus called an Atlatl. These were permantly affixed to the launching stick and would allow the hunter to have the spear in a cocked and ready to throw position for a long time without arm muscle fatigue. Tremendous amount of labor went into the manufacture of this piece. It would have been core drilled by hand, using a reed and very tiny bits of chert flakes. Constant and continuous spinning of the reed or river cane for untold hours to create this long drilled out hole. Then in its final stages it was pecked and ground and polished to a smooth finish.

Provenance: Found many years ago on private property with permission near the Flint River in the Huntsville area in Morgan Co. Alabama.