Description: An excellent, beautiful example of an Elongated Shuttle style Bannerstone. This one is made Diorite Greenstone with Feldspar inclusions. Modern farming equipment brought it to the surface in a plowed field, thus the small nick on one side near the drill hole. The hole is 1/2" in diameter and extends for 3'. The stone tapers some, so it is not an exact rectangular shape and the shoulders are slightly rounded as well. Polished and glossy, especially on the black surfaces.
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 on private property with permission in Floyd Co. Georgia near the confluence of the Coosa and the Oostanaula River.
