Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills

Bannerstone Discussion

<< < (5/15) > >>

JacksonCash:
This discussion is fascinating. I'm going to have to find some time to read the links provided.

Zuma:
Thanks for being interested Jackson,
You will have to tip toe throught the tulips to make heads or tails of the info.
But the screws are turning in a good direction.
Here is a blurb from a link that I like. Well this part. lol
Zuma

 Connaway also made a great discovery while examining the long tubular beads. Looking through a microscope he discovered striations caused by grinding encircled the beads. This meant that they had been hafted and turned on a lathe. Interestingly, Connaway found that one bead had been partially drilled and in the hole he discovered the stone drill bit. The drill had become wedged in the bead and had broken. The bit, about the size of a grain of rice, was made of the local Citronelle gravel. By carefully studying the Keenan cache Connaway was able to deduce the steps of manufacture employed by the bead maker. Additionally, the fact that so many beads were found together in an unfinished state strongly suggested a specialist at work. Previously, such craftsmanship had not been thought to exist in this period. Further data from Louisiana, at a site across the river south of Vicksburg, also suggests that specialists were making beads there. In summary, some bead makers were at least part-time craft specialists. The tools employed in the manufacture of stone beads were rather sophisticated. A lathe and a form of drill press were used, and possibly also a bow drill, even though the bow and arrow was unknown in America at this time period. 

  Prehistoric Mississippi: Some New Perspectives | Mississippi ...

Zuma:
I made a couple more bannerstones.
One thing that is cool about making them is--- It's pretty easy
 to get them balanced. After I get the basic shape, then I drill the hole.
This is interesting as I would think hole length is not the most important
aspect in getting a banner balanced or aerodynamic. It could be a hint in their evolution. The butterfly type is an example of this.
The two banners I made have the same length holes but the butterfly one has much more weight.
The shape of the wings really lends itself towards refining the balance of the
banner. Most of these type banners have wing shapes that taper to the edges.
In other words if you slip a shaft that fits a little loosely through the hole of
a near finished banner, the heavier wing will tilt down.
By then grinding a little on the heavier wing you can get the banner well balanced.
IMO balance is all important for a drilling aid.
Zuma

JacksonCash:
I showed this thread to my wife- she just finished her thesis on manufacturing methods of beads. The ones she studied were all from southern France though. She thinks the flywheel idea is a good one. I agree with your statements about the butterfly or winged style being easy to balance. I would think that a disk would make a better flywheel when balanced, but it would be harder to balance. That is my opinion, but I've not tried to balance either...

I've got a question about your drill rig - Have you tried mounting the banner stone lower, towards the tip? I would think that would lend some stability to the bit.

Also, does anyone know if these types of stones have been found all over the world, or just in the Americas? My wife hadn't heard of them previously, but all of her research is in Europe.

Zuma:
Jackson   As far as discs go--- I don't know of any being found. Have you seen some?
They would certainly be easy to make. There are tons of gorgets and other slate artifacts drilled through the flat side of slate etc.
Personally I don't think they would work as well as wings. The wings seem to have a definite part in the spin and reversal of the shaft. I would like to see how the air moves around different  types of bannerstones. In smoke, dry ice mist, inferred etc. They may sort of work like a propeller. One of the links said most often the wings are somewhat twisted.
Mine are pretty flat but perhaps I will make a bent one if I get to see some from digs.
The position I like best is the bow string right above the drill bit. It seems most natural when kneeling. I don't think it makes much difference in speed or wobble since the shaft is so short. Then again when the string is highest it can have a tendency to push/pull the swivel block and left hand a bit more.
The more I look into drilling the more beads show up. They may be key to some of the drilling evolution.
Any info your wife can help us with will be interesting and appreciated.
Thanks, Zuma

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page