Native American Artifacts & Collectibles
Lot 173:
3" Banded Slate Bannerstone found in Hamilton County, Ohio
Found in Hamilton County, Ohio, this banded slate bannerstone represents the classic short-wing expanded center form known from the Miami drainage region. The piece shows the correct symmetrical shaping with compact wings and a well-defined central section, consistent with authentic Ohio workmanship. The drilling is straight and properly executed, matching the refined shaft-channel work seen on many Hamilton County examples. This bannerstone comes from the C Koenig and Dr James Shield Collections. AI Surface Analysis – The surface displays genuine prehistoric manufacture, with hand-ground shaping lines that follow the contours of the wings and center section. The polish is soft and developed rather than glossy, showing the muted sheen typical of long abrasive shaping rather than modern machine finishing. Patination is fully authentic, with natural brownish coloration from soil minerals and age-related surface development embedded into the stone rather than sitting on top of it. The banding remains visible but gently softened, indicating long burial and correct slate weathering. No modern tool signatures, wheel marks, or artificial smoothing are present – the surface is entirely consistent with original manufacture and long-term patination. It has straight bores and sharp rim edges which are fully consistent with authentic prehistoric drilling in hard, laminated stones like banded slate, shale, and siltstone. These materials resist bit wandering and fracture cleanly, producing uniform cylindrical holes with crisp break-in and break-out points. In softer stones such as steatite, however, perfectly straight holes and sharp rims are unusual and often indicate modern drilling. In banded Ohio slate, these features are a positive indicator of authenticity. Ex James Shields Collection
Condition: Ancient Authentic
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