Bird stones are

prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The us ...

, abstract stone carvings made by Native Americans. The artifacts were a common inclusion in graves and thought to have ceremonial importance. They are noted for their distinctive simplicity and beauty. They first appeared in the middle Archaic period around 5,000 years ago and continued into the early

Woodland period In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeo ...

to about 2,500 years before present. The exact purpose of these artifacts is not known, but most have a small hole drilled at the base of the neck and another at the aft end, presumably for mounting. Some theories suggest they were part of an

atlatl A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store ene ...

(a short rod to hurl spears), in addition to their ceremonial uses. A new theory recently arising from an amateur archaeologist focused on Native American fiber processing, is the bird stone was a tool used for mat-making and weaving. Many stones have been found near waterways and swamp areas where reeds grow, these areas being where materials for mat-making were collected and processed. The holes in the base were potentially used for reed straighteners, or even twine making. The smooth surface of the stone is perfect for flattening fibers without breaking and the beak feature used to push reeds together. Mats were an important facet of every household and important items of trade. The Pacific Northwest tribes used a similar tool made of wood, also bird shaped. It has also been suggested that these artifacts were worn as decorative items denoting marriage status or pregnancy, and as

totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...

s representing tribes. Bird stones were mostly made east of the

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, and the thousands in existence have been found primarily in New York, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. The stones range in length from 3 to 6 inches, and have unique variations in style. Most are ground from grayish green, banded

slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...

, and occasionally porphyry.

References

American Indian relics Native American sculpture Native American tools Stone sculptures Birds in art Hardstone carving Pre-Columbian art {{US-archaeology-stub

See also

References