Bannerstone · Late Archaic
Butterfly bannerstone
3000–1000 BCE, Archaic (Eastern)
The butterfly bannerstone is the most elaborate atlatl weight of the Late Archaic Eastern Woodlands, about 3,000 to 1,000 BCE, with broad thin wings that are notched or lobed around a raised central ridge. Examples in quartz and banded slate are among the most valuable prehistoric objects in the East. Most came from burials.
| Object | Bannerstone |
|---|---|
| Dates | 3000–1000 BCE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Broad, thin wings with notched or lobed outer edges around a raised central ridge; the most elaborate bannerstone form.
Identification
Butterfly forms have wide, thin, notched or lobed wings around a raised ridge, unlike the winged bannerstone, which has smooth wings and a cylindrical barrel. Hourglass and double-crescent forms are relatives. The bore is drilled through the ridge.
Reproductions and fakes
Intensively faked in quartz, slate and claystone with power tools; look for rotary striations, perfectly cylindrical holes and modern polish. Genuine pieces show hand-drilled bores with rings and hand-polish that follows the stone.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Butterfly bannerstone" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/butterfly-bannerstone. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-butterfly-bannerstone,
title = {Butterfly bannerstone},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/butterfly-bannerstone}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.