Talk:Bannerstone

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Archaeology Mid‑importance

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Use as atlatl weights seems dubious? [DRAFT]

We still class bannerstones ( at least at Commons) as atlatl weights. Our article, basically, waffles. I recently added an illo of a bannerstone used as a weight on a hand-drill, and here's a sensible laysummary: What are Bannerstones?, They basically comes down on the side of "ceremonial objects", the old archaeologists code word for "we don't know".

Oddly, no one addresses the use as drill weights since the 1916 report, that I came across. Same argument applies as for ceremonial weapons: master toolmakers expend great time and expense on "show tools" -- though less so than on weapons, in present-day Anglo culture anyway. Old Europeans more so?? Maybe the Archaic Indians were more sensible? --Pete Tillman (talk) 01:57, 19 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

And another practical experimenter's idesa: that bannerstones were a part of the atlatl-hunter's toolit, being mainly used "as a spindle weight to make string to tie on fletching and points , and a spindle weight to turn and taper dart shafts. It was not part of the atlatl at all but was carried in a kit, made from bark or leather, with the atlatl. It was probably fastened by pressure fit onto a round stick about the same length as an atlatl. The kit would most likely also contain a wad of fiber, several flint points, scrapers, pine pitch or other adhesive material, and some feathers for fletching." Bannerstones And How They Relate To The Atlatl, 2004]. This also seems reasonable to me, but I know almost nothing about atlatls. --Pete Tillman (talk) 03:46, 19 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

And here's an article that illustrates the wide variety of Bannerstones that have been found, or at least aerifacts that collectors call Bannerstones: Bannerstones by Peach State Archaeological Society. This article is more supportive of the atlatl-weight hypothesis. Interesting. --Pete Tillman (talk) 03:53, 19 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]