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Sep 09, 2010  

Salvaged Panel Bannerstone

Jim Bennett

One of the fun things about working full time in the relics business is the people that stop in each week with items to share.  Whenever people stop in for authentication work, or to drop off consignements for auction, or just to stop by and talk rocks for a bit, they usually will bring along a couple neat artifacts to look over. 

Such was the case today when Jason Hanna from Medina Ohio was in the area on his way to look at a collection that was for sale.  Jason dropped in and he, Keith Ray, a local collector who works for us doing photography and digital image work and myself had a grand time at the local diner having lunch and talking relics, and looking over this neat artifact from Jason's collection. 

  
I have always loved panel banners due to their oblong drilled hole, and Jason knew of my penchant for salvaged relics - so this was a real treat to handle.  A panel banner which was uniquely salvaged in to a pendant.  Based on the wear patterns in the hole that we saw under the microscope, the cord came down through the center hole, and then through the two perforated holes that were added at some later time to convert this banner into a pendant.

Why Panel Bannerstones and Geniculate Banners were drilled in this fashion remains unknown, but no doubt there was a purpose to spending the extra time to gouge out the hole into this shape.
  

 
As it typical for many slate relics that were altered from breakage, or salvaged - incised carvings were added to the relics surface - another ancient mystery.  Why ancient man
would add such designs to items that were salvaged in another mystery - and another reason i love salvaged relics - lots of curious intrigue.

The fun part about history is studying the things that occured before our existence.  The most fun thing about ancient history to me is that since it predates the written record, we have many thing such as oblong holes, curious salvage and strange design carvings  such as are on this piece to ponder, theorize and hypothosize about - all which add to the allure of collecting ancient relics.
Thanks Jason for stopping by and sharing this very unique item - it was nice to visit and talk relics :-)
Jim Bennett


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Posted by: Jim Bennett in MyBlog
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Scot Stoneking: ... http://www.scotstoneking.com
It is interesting that the holes made to salvage this piece both go into the center oblong hole. It appears to me that this artifact was originally a very nice Geniculate rather than a Panel Bannerstone. The long end seems to have been broken off following the banding when some force or pressure was applied. I have often thought that the oblong hole in some bannerstones was created to allow a measure of flexibility of the atl-atl shaft within the confines of the stone. Flexibility is important in the dynamics of any spear-thrower. The geniculate design may offer more balancing weight as well as streamlining with less effect on the flexibility of the attl-atl shaft; a technology that our ancestors understood.

With regard to the ancient salvage, it is atypical of slate pieces that appear to have been tied back together, but rather, as Jim said, was possibly used as a pendant. I wonder if geniculates were tied to the shaft along the "leg" of the bannerstone, allowing full flexibility within the hole. Which brings up the possibility that the artifact was salvaged in a manner that it could still be used on the atl-atl by tying it on with minimal contact with the flexible shaft.

Perhaps a lot of other types of bannerstones would be better explained if we explore and apply the flexibility issue to our theories. For example, long bar amulates tied at each end would allow flexibility, stability and balancing weight to the atl-atl. I believe that every material used in an atl-atl shaft would have varying degrees of flexibility, therefore requiring different applications of bannerstones and hafting techniques in order to tune the weapon to its optimum potential. The flexibility of the dart itself will also have an impact on the balance of the atl-atl, requiring the atl-atl's construction to allow easy adjustment of the location of the weight and its restrictions.

One last note: I'm sure it was a lot easier to repair a bannerstone in the field than it was to find another piece of fine banded slate and start all over. Sometimes, when we examine the relics we find, we tend to forget the human factor. They were all made... and often repaired, by individuals. They say that artifacts are like snowflakes; no two are alike. The food for thought is this... have we seen every snowflake?

Thanks for listening!

Scot Stoneking
Lithic Restorations
1

November 01, 2012
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Rickey P. Brumfield: ...
I have several salvaged artifacts if not many. Wouldn't it be nice to see a publication on just such things. Many could be brought to some of the shows for Jim to take pictures. This would provide a much needed view of how the Native Americans loved and tried to keep many items in use.
2

September 22, 2010

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