Bannerstone stones, as well as other types of tied-on weights were made in a wide range of shapes and styles. While various different materials that were locally available were used in their manufacture, slate was by far the most common. Green banded glacial slate, red slate and black slate were all used in crafting bannerstone stones in ancient times.  Used less often in ancient times but still found are bannerstones made from various hardstone and other types of material such as chlorite, granite, diorite and hematite, as well as quartzite. In the more southern regions like Mississippi and Alabama up to Kentucky and even farther north, bannerstonestones are often found made from siltstone or claystone.  

The bannerstone stones in this chapter are not listed in chronological order according to time period, but rather in random order to show the vast variations in styles. We have used the names associated with the various types most often used by collectors.

Examples of Drilled bannerstonestones:

Ball bannerstones
Winged bannerstones
Tube bannerstones
“D” bannerstones
Saddleback bannerstones
Hourglass bannerstones
Bottle bannerstones
Pick bannerstones    
Giniculates
Panel bannerstones
Shuttle bannerstones
Benton Style bannerstones
Prismoidal
Reel bannerstones

Ball bannerstones

Ball bannerstone stones are completely round, or almost round in shape and most have a “fluted” or grooved side. When placed on the atl-atl shaft, this fluted side would have faced up, I believe, in order to allow the main shaft of the atl-atl spear to rest in, or just above, the groove so that the body of this otherwise round weight would not interfere with the launching of the spear.

Winged bannerstones

One of the more common styles of bannerstone stones are the winged varieties. Winged bannerstones vary in width from one to the next, with some have shorter wings and others, such as the “wing nut” style having long, tapering wings.

Tube bannerstones

Tube bannerstones are named due to their tubular style, and can be round, have a flattened bottom, or a fluted bottom similar to the flutes found in ball bannerstone stones. As with Ball bannerstones, I believe the flat or fluted side would have faced up when attached to the atl-atl shaft so as to not interfere with the spear shaft when launching. Tube bannerstones are round and cylindrical, with some examples tapering from one end to the other.

Pick bannerstones

Pick bannerstone stones are longer than wide and come in varying lengths with both ends tapering to a point.   Most all picks are fairly thick around the middle where the hole was drilled.

Giniculates

One of the stranger styles in the bannerstone stone family are Geniculates. With their very distinct “L” shape style and elongated or oblong perforation hole, these bannerstone stones are easy to identify due to their unique design.

Panel bannerstones

While virtually all bannerstone stones had a round perforation hole,  Panel bannerstones had a elongated hole of the same design as the Geniculates making the panel banner variety easy to identify. Panel bannerstones have short wings that taper in thickness towards their ends.