Atlatl Weight

This is a stone atlatl weight, also sometimes called a bannerstone, and it was found at a multi-component site (31WA2199) in eastern Wake County, NC. This type of artifact was used with a hand-held spear throwing tool called an atlatl and likely dates to the Archaic period (8000-1000 B.C.). This artifact was made from high quality steatite, or soapstone and measures 9.2 cm long, 4.1 cm tall, 3 cm wide and weighs approximately 171 grams. The drilled hole is approximately 1.25 cm wide. The grooves on the surface and broken edge of this artifact are modern damage from being hit with a plow in an agricultural field. This model was constructed by David Cranford with 41 photos using Agisoft Metashape. (Credit: NCDNCR/OSA)