Jackcrafty turned me onto this topic. My hat goes off to a man whose curiosity fed my own.
In the Milwaukee Public Museum sits a one of a kind Archaic Period item made of copper. It looks like an ax head but is way too thin to do any effective chopping or even trimming. There are many stone examples of bannerstones shaped much like this. It makes sense that this is simply a copper version of the stone bannerstone.
Many (but not all) experts think bannerstones were weights on atlatls. I love atlatls so I added a copper bannerstone or weight to my wish list. So when Jackson high school metal shop teacher Andy Stover permitted me into his shop to cast copper celts, I added the bannerstone model. I researched the literature and found some photos and basic dimensions.
The model was made of basswood with two coats of primer. Last night a cast was poured successfully. I need to cut it from the pour channels and sprue hole and then the fun begins. . .
Lets review native tech. According to archeologists the Archaic coppersmiths hammered (hardening and shaping) and annealed (heated for softening) their copper objects. So if that is how they got their shape, then how would they drill the hole? Flint drill blade? Cane hand drill with flint dust like they did the igneous and slate bannerstones? I am intrigued and will be trying a cane hand drill with flint chips. Larry Kinsella has a good photo-journal of this process on his megalithics website.
However, I am interested in other thoughts on what prehistoric first nation people might have employed. Thoughts?
