"The probability--is that these bird-stones were used or worn by the men rather than by the women, and Cushing's theory that they were attached to a plate and fixed to the hair is plausible."---1919, Frederick Webb Hodge, "Bird-Stones," Handbook of American Indians North Of Mexico, part 1, p. 148.
     "Gillman was informed by an aged Chippewa, "that in olden time these ornaments were worn on the heads of Indian women, but only after marriage," and suggests that the birdstones may have symbolized the brooding bird."---1919, Frederick Webb Hodge, "Bird-Stones," Handbook of American Indians North Of Mexico, part 1, p. 148-149.
    "It may reasonably be concluded from the uniform shape of these (birdstones) articles, and from their apparent unfitness as implements, as also from the wide range of their occurrence, that they were invested with a conventional significance as insignia or badges of distinction or as amulets"---1848, E. G. Squier and E. H. Davis, "Ornaments Of Stone, Bone, Etc.," Ancient Monuments Of The Mississippi Valley, p. 239.
    "The underside (of birdstones) is flat or slightly concave, and there are two perforations at the extremities of the base intended to serve in attaching the figure to the surface of some object, as a tablet, a pipe stem, a flute, or a staff or baton, or some part of the costume, or to the hair."---1919, Frederick Webb Hodge, "Bird-Stones," Handbook of American Indians North Of Mexico, part 1, p. 148.
    "They (birdstones) appear in two types, the plain bar; called bar amulet, or with the upper face more or less resembling a sitting bird, with an expanded tail, and head with projecting eyes, called bird amulet."---1898, Frederick H. Williams, M.D., "Amulets," The American Archaeologist, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 200-202.
    "While they (birdstones) bear a greater resemblance to birds than any thing else, yet scarcely any two of them are alike, and they change in form through the whole gamut until it is difficult to determine whether it is a bird, a lizard, or a turtle, and finally the series ends in a straight bar without pretense of representing any animal."---1896, Thomas Wilson, "Prehistoric Art; Or The Origin Of Art As Manifested In The Works Of Prehistoric Man," Report Of The U.S. National Museum, p. 450.

 
BIRDSTONES
EASTERN UNITED STATES
LATE ARCHAIC TO EARLY WOODLAND PERIOD

   The earliest writers have always referred to these abstract images in stone as bird effigies. Most people have no problem identifying them with birds even though they are found in many different abstract or highly stylized forms. For more than 150 years they have been referred to as birds, bird shaped objects, bird amulets and finally the descriptive term used today, birdstones.

     No one knows what birdstones were used for. Absolute proof of what their drilled holes and flat undersurfaces were attached to has never been found. But there are many suggestions. Most of these ideas originate from different cultural artifacts that seem to have a similar theme or shape and were used in either ceremonial or utilitarian applications. Some of these suggestions are: they were attached to the prow of canoes, mounted on staffs, attached to flutes, used as atlatl weights, used as atlatl handle grips, attached to long smoking pipe stems, or that they may represent fetishes or talismans that were fastened to such things as games bags or arrow quivers, or that they may represent effigies of duck decoys and even that they may have been carried by medicine men.

      Birdstones date from the Late Archaic to the Early Woodland periods. Only a handful of them have been found during the excavation of burials. Two bar style birdstones are reported to have been found in the head area of a single adult on the Baker II Late Archaic site in Sandusky  County, Ohio. The Baker II site dates to the terminal Late Archaic period at 2,820 years ago. A popeyed style birdstone is also reported to have been found during the excavation of an Early Woodland burial containing three individuals on the Danbury site in northern Ohio dating to around 2,500 years ago. Bust type birdstones have also been reported from Early Woodland Adena mounds. Birdstones are also associated with Glacial Kame sites.

     There are three basic styles of birdstones which evolved into many different distinct types. The more common type is known as the elongated form. They are usually made of banded slate, have long bodies with long "beaks," and have no eyes. The saddle form is another type. It has eyes and is usually made of porphyry or granite. The third and rarest form is the bust type. This type has no body except for a head neck and shoulders. They are often made from some of the hardest stone, such as granite or quartz.

     Birdstones have been found in many states east of the Mississippi River and in an area in southeastern Canada. More specifically, approximately 95% of them have been found in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and in the lower region of eastern Canada. The greatest number of birdstones have been found in Ohio and Michigan. The state of Indiana has produced the third largest number. The core area where most birdstones have been found is located in northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, southeastern Michigan and the southern part of Ontario.

     Birdstones were made from several different types of hard and soft stone. By far the largest number, in fact most of them, are made from banded greenish gray slate. Birdstones were also made from: different forms of granite, porphyry, quartzite, quartz, diorite, gneiss, serpentine, hematite, soapstone, sandstone, limestone, shale, indurate clay and Ohio pipestone.

    Birdstones represent one of the most impressively crafted ground stone artifacts found in North America. The fact that they were made from durable materials suggests that these were important objects. The more elaborate popeyed, fantail or long bodied styles would have required a fair amount of skill and time to make them.

"REFERENCES"

1848, Squier, E. G. & Davis, E. H., "Ornaments Of Stone, Bone, Etc.," Ancient Monuments Of The Mississippi Valley, p. 239.
1896, Wilson, Thomas, "Prehistoric Art; Or The Origin Of Art As Manifested In The Works Of Prehistoric Man," Report Of The U.S. National Museum, p. 450.
1898, Williams, Frederick H. M.D., "Amulets," The American Archaeologist, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 200-202.
1912, Hodge, Frederick Webb, "Bird-Stones," Handbook Of American Indians North Of Mexico, pp. 148-149.
1917, Moorhead, Warren K., "Stone Ornaments Used By Indians In The United States And Canada," p. 88.
1959, Townsend, Earl C., "Birdstones Of The North American Indian," pp. 3.
1975, Tiell, William W., "The Incised Mouth Birdstone," Ohio Archaeologist, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 20 -21.
1979, Fincham, Glenval, "A Novel Explanation Of The Origin And Development Of The Birdstone," Ohio Archaeologist, Vo. 29, No. 4, p p. 14-15.
1984, Illustration, "Central States Archaeological Journal, Vol. 31, No. 3" p. 135.
1993, Zakucia, John A., "The Birdstone, An Enigma Of The Prehistoric Past," Ohio Archaeologist, Vol. 43, No. 1, p. 27.
2003, Skrivanie, Oliver T., "The Fab Five," Prehistoric American, Vol.37, No. 2, p. 4.
2004, Power, Susan C., "Early Art Of The Southeastern Indians Feathered Serpents & Winged Beings," p. 28.
2006, Werness, Hope B., "Bird," Animal Symbolism In Art, p. 44.
Personal Communication, Dennis Vesper.
Clem Caldwell Collection Pictures, Dennis Vesper.

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