Author Topic: Mussel shell bannerstones  (Read 44079 times)

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Offline swamp monkey

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Mussel shell bannerstones
« on: July 01, 2014, 11:43:09 pm »
Anyone know what kind of shells the bannerstones at Indian knoll Kentucky were made of?  Shells were crafted into triangular shape with a drilled hole in the middle.  Several were slid on the atlatl shaft to make bannerstone.   I am curious if these were freshwater or marine shells?  I have intention to make such an atlatl with one of these bannerstones.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2014, 11:57:39 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline Pat B

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2014, 12:18:47 pm »
Just a wild guess but I would imagine they would be marine shells. I've never see fresh water clams with shells that thick. Is there any coloration to the shells. Some marine clam shells have a purplish hue to them like what is used for wampum beads.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bluegill68

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2014, 04:25:00 pm »
Tough to say for sure but I wouldn't rule out native freshwater mussels, there were/are a handful species thick enough for the cultured pearl industry.  I have held many that were approaching 1" thick.

Offline mullet

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2014, 09:39:14 pm »
Wampum was made from Marine clams, cherry stones or quahogs. They have that purple tint inside.
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Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2014, 12:03:09 am »
Native freshwater mussels are mostly white.  However a few like the pink heel splitter have pink "nacre".  So color alone will not be diagnostic.  I too have seen a few species like the bluffer that get thick enough but I would be challenged to find a batch with sections flat enough and wide enough to make a 3 cm triangular shape.  That does not mean it can't be done.  That is why I am asking.  Marine shells are possible too.  I want to do this like they did.  That is all.

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2014, 11:02:17 am »
This is an obscure topic and I was elated to find a few more images to add to this post.  These two images are from the University of Kentucky. 
« Last Edit: July 06, 2014, 02:16:53 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2014, 03:09:46 pm »
I pulled this information from William Webb's book atlatls and bannerstones: excavations at Indian Knoll.  He has some proposed reconstructions on page 323

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2014, 03:20:11 pm »
I did some reading on paleo planet last night regarding Indian knoll.  There was some conjecture on Webb's handle supposition that I used to make this drawing.  The spur and shell Bannerstones are all archeological evidence so there is no questioning that.  No wood or discolored soil was used to create that handle design.  In fact Webb may have been influenced by western ( basket maker style) atlatls that function In a different way.  The handle he imagined is flat with finger loops.  My experience with atlatls in the eastern U.S. Tells me there is a much better chance these atlatls had hammer style grips and round shafts.    I will reimagine my handles.  Obviously I am doing research for a recreation (aren't we all?). 

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2014, 06:08:56 pm »
« Last Edit: July 07, 2014, 10:53:30 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2014, 10:54:45 pm »
Apparently these shells were glued together with asphaltum.  I need learn more about that.  Below is a quote from Larry Kinsella who has inspected these bannerstones.  I don't know what Larry does for a living but he is a keen experimental archeologist.

"How many with traces of adhesives still present would you have to see?
Dennis, very good point and I missed picking up on that idea. So, if the bannerstones at Indian Knoll were used as spindle whorls, why did they have all that asphaltum sticking to them. Also remember that some of the WPA workers, who cleaned the bannerstones, considered the asphaltum to be a stain and scrubbed a lot of that material off the artifacts. The shell composite banners were really glued together with the stuff and traces can be seen between the segments. . .

Larry"
« Last Edit: July 07, 2014, 11:26:15 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2014, 11:22:07 pm »
Some images from Larry Kinsella

Offline Pat B

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2014, 01:33:42 pm »
Very cool stuff. Thanks for the info. I love learning it all.  8)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Dalton Knapper

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #12 on: July 10, 2014, 06:45:24 pm »
Obviously the question has been answered, but mussel shell decomposes and delaminates horribly over time and in archeological deposits. Almost all shell artifacts from Mississippian times and likely Hopewell are made from marine shell. It was a valued item of the day. Around here (east Arkansas) mussel shell was used for temper in pottery, indicating it's lower value. Even the extra large "pocketbook" mussels were probably only used in utilitarian ways. There are even ceramic vessels shaped like the pocket book mussel shell - likely an indicator for what was being served for food in them.

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2014, 10:57:02 am »
I made contact with Larry Kinsella and he informed me that some of the shells are marine and some are freshwater.  The really thick ones were freshwater.  He suspects a species known as a Three ridge was the source.  I tend to agree.  Three ridge mussels have thicker margin and are fairly tough.  They were excavated from a number of Woodland and Mississippian archeological sites with holes drilled in them for use as hoes.  I suspect they were also used for scrapers and other tool/art craft.  My ultimate goal is to replicate one of these atlatls. 

Apparently I can purchase asphaltum in the hardware store.  Henry's Asphalt Emulsion, comes in a blue and white can and has been reported to me as essentially the same stuff.  Kinsella posted that he has used asphaltum to affix his bannerstones and the stuff is nearly impossible to disassemble once set. I recall some discussion on the PA site about bannerstones sliding.  I thought that was not possible before but now I am double against that notion. 

I always thought there were two primitive adhesives, pitch and hide glue.  Not so.  I have more to learn  :D

I think Native people thought about shells the way we modern bowers think about wood.  Each species has it attributes and uses.  We are not connected to that knowledge today.

DK, That is an interesting observation about pocket mussel effigy pottery.  I have seen effigy pots of whelks and conchs, but never freshwater mussels.  Do you have any images of that?

Offline Dalton Knapper

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Re: Mussel shell bannerstones
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2014, 05:04:27 pm »
I do happen to have pictures of that bowl. It is Mississippian in age and comes from north east Arkansas at a site near the Mississippi River that was probably the capital city of who de Soto called the Pacaha.

In this image you can see a pocketbook mussel behind the artifact and the other shows detail (the numbers are on it because it was reconstructed from sherds).