Introduction Patagonia Andes Amazon Mesoamerica / Caribbean Southwest Plains / Plateau Woodlands California / Great Basin Northwest Coast Arctic / Subarctic Contemporary Art
Bannerstone

Archaic bannerstone
3000–1000 BC
Pike County, Missouri
Porphyry
7 x 6 x 3 cm
Collected by I. McGirk Mitchell
Presented by Harmon W. Hendricks
6/1563

Archaic bannerstone
3000–1000 BC
Williamston County, Illinois
Rose quartz
7.5 x 6 x 2 cm
Purchase
14/6179

An atlatl, or spear-thrower, extends the radius of the throwing arm so that a spear can gain velocity and distance. A bannerstone, or weight, placed at the center of the atlatl shaft, adds stability, allowing for greater accuracy.

Back to Top