Bannerstone
Bannerstone collected by Charles Comins (1863-1936) in the area of the Sunderland/Hadley town line.
Known provenance:
Surface collected by Hadley resident Charles Comins in the area of the Sunderland/Hadley town line.
Given to Daughter Olive Comins.
Given to Sons James and William Hubbard.
Donated to the Swampfield Historical Society around 2010.
Archeologists widely believe Bannerstones to be used as a weight attached to the Atladl, a type of wooden handle used to throw spears.
A similar Bannerstone can be found in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. That stone was found in Palmer Massachusetts in 1875 and is similar in size, shape and color.
It can be viewed on the website of the Archaic Bannerstone Project: https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/, Item number AMNHT /285.
Known provenance:
Surface collected by Hadley resident Charles Comins in the area of the Sunderland/Hadley town line.
Given to Daughter Olive Comins.
Given to Sons James and William Hubbard.
Donated to the Swampfield Historical Society around 2010.
Archeologists widely believe Bannerstones to be used as a weight attached to the Atladl, a type of wooden handle used to throw spears.
A similar Bannerstone can be found in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. That stone was found in Palmer Massachusetts in 1875 and is similar in size, shape and color.
It can be viewed on the website of the Archaic Bannerstone Project: https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/, Item number AMNHT /285.
Date
About 3000-8000 years old.
Format
Conglomerate/Granite-like stone.
Source
Brothers James and William Hubbard.
Collection
Citation
Attributed to the indigenous people of present day Sunderland/Hadley., “Bannerstone,” Swampfield Historical Society, accessed October 22, 2024, https://swampfieldhistorical.org/items/show/256.