Catalog or Accession #

Diameter of Perforation (cm)

Depth at Perforation/or Widest Point (cm)

Depth at Edge (cm)

1979.206.403.tif|1979.206.403a.tif|1979.206.403b.tif|1979.206.403d.tif|1979.206.403d1.tif|1979.206.403d2.tif|1979.206.403d3.tif|1979.206.403d4.tif|1979.206.403d5.tif|1979.206.403d6.tif|1979.206.403d7.tif|1979.206.403d8.tif|1979.206.403d9.tif|1979.206.403d10.tif|1979.206.403d11.tif|1979.206.403d12.tif

Illinois or Ohio. Acquired by Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York in 1954 from the Julius Carlebach Gallery, New York. On loan to the Museum of Primitive Art, New York from 1964-1978. Since 1979 in The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller.

Brownish gray with greenish black banding and off-white inclusion.

Notes: An Archaic sculptor created this Double-Notched Butterfly bannerstone carefully aligning the natural banding of the slate with the central raised ridge of the stone. The thinning of the flanges out from the thicker central ridge creates the appearance of undulating concentric waves of the dark bands of the slate. The sculptor may have chosen this particular stone because of the large off-white serpentine inclusion on one side that runs across and through the slate banding, adding an additional visual element to the composition. Sculptors often chose banded slate to carve these winged shapes categorized in the literature as “Butterflies.” There are scratches over the surface of the stone, evidence of the peck and grind technology used to shape and smooth the surface. There are multiple chips along the edges and at the perforation, signs of extensive use of this bannerstone in the Archaic period when it was placed on an atlatl (throwing stick) or staff. Along the narrow edge of one of the flanges 1979.206.403 is written in red.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Images may be downloaded and used freely for teaching and personal use. Include the credit line “© Anna Blume, 2021, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art” along with the object’s Catalog Number. Publishing of images is permitted with additional permission from the MMA. For additional publishing questions, contact bannerstone@fitnyc.edu

https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/items/show/274

https://digitalrepository.fitnyc.edu/iiif-presentation/3/item/126986/manifest

1979.206.1129.tif|1979.206.1129a.tif|1979.206.1129b.tif|1979.206.1129d.tif|1979.206.1129d1.tif|1979.206.1129d2.tif|1979.206.1129d3.tif|1979.206.1129d4.tif|1979.206.1129d5.tif|1979.206.1129d6.tif|1979.206.1129d7.tif|1979.206.1129d8.tif|1979.206.1129d9.tif

Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. Acquired by Nelson A. Rockefeller in 1964 from George Terasaki, New York. On loan to the Museum of Primitive Art, New York from 1964-1978. Since 1979 in The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller.

The matte greenish black phyllite stone of this Single-Notched Butterfly bannerstone has fine, barely perceptible dark banding and cloudy off-white inclusions that would have drawn the attention of an Archaic sculpture who carved the symmetrical flanges into thin wings that are slightly bowed. The sculptor accentuated the center with a pointed ridge parallel to where they drilled a hole for hafting onto a shaft. The flanges of this bannerstone are exceedingly thin and difficult to achieve, testament to the experience and aesthetic sensibility of the sculptor. There are chips along the edges and perforation, signs of use in the Archaic period. On the inner side of the notch 1979.206.1129 is written in red. On one side of the stone Tiffin, Ohio is written in white, referring to a city in Seneca County where this bannerstone was presumably found and first collected in the 19th or early 20th Century.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Images may be downloaded and used freely for teaching and personal use. Include the credit line “© Anna Blume, 2021, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art” along with the object’s Catalog Number. Publishing of images is permitted with additional permission from the MMA. For additional publishing questions, contact bannerstone@fitnyc.edu

https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/items/show/275

https://digitalrepository.fitnyc.edu/iiif-presentation/3/item/126970/manifest

2011.154.13.tif|2011.154.13a.tif|2011.154.13b.tif|2011.154.13d.tif|2011.154.13d1.tif|2011.154.13d2.tif|2011.154.13d3.tif|2011.154.13d4.tif|2011.154.13d5.tif|2011.154.13d6.tif|2011.154.13d7.tif|2011.154.13d8..tif|2011.154.13d9.tif|2011.154.13d10.tif|2011.154.13d11.tif

Kankakee County, Illinois. As of 1939 in the Collection of Phillip C. Schupp, Chicago, Illinois. Acquired by Byron Knoblock, Quincy, Illinois. Acquired by John J. Klejman Gallery, New York, New York. Acquired by Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Gift of Ralph T. Coe Foundation of the Arts in 2011.

The Archaic sculptor chose soft sedimentary shale to carve this Double-Bitted Axe Bannerstone. Thinning the curved edges to a millimeter in width, this bannerstone is exceedingly fragile. Parallel to the perforation they carved a pointed edge on both sides, accentuating the near perfect symmetry of the composition. On one side the ridge has chipped in what could be archaic or historic period wear. The perforation is masterfully drilled with a hollow reed leaving noticeable even concentric circles on the inside. Though there are a few chips on the thin edges of the stone, there is no sign of wear at the perforation. Given the unusually soft geologic material and thin flanges of this stone, this carefully sculpted bannerstone may have been intended for extraordinary rather than everyday display. 2011.254.13 is written in red on one of the curved edges. Included in Knoblock pg. 333, no. 6.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Images may be downloaded and used freely for teaching and personal use. Include the credit line “© Anna Blume, 2021, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art” along with the object’s Catalog Number. Publishing of images is permitted with additional permission from the MMA. For additional publishing questions, contact bannerstone@fitnyc.edu

https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/items/show/276

https://digitalrepository.fitnyc.edu/iiif-presentation/3/item/127005/manifest

2011.154.14.tif|2011.154.14a.tif|2011.154.14b.tif|2011.154.14c.tif|2011.154.14d.tif|2011.154.14d1.tif|2011.154.14d2.tif|2011.154.14d3.tif|2011.154.14d4.tif|2011.154.14d5.tif|2011.154.14d6.tif|2011.154.14d7.tif|2011.154.14d8.tif

Branch County, Michigan. Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe Collection until 2010. Gift of the Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts in 2010-2011.

The slate of this Double-Notched Ovate Bannerstone has been carefully oriented so that the natural dark banding moves diagonally across the sculpted composition of the stone, echoing and in visual play with the curved sculpting shape. The top and bottom notches are angled inward, and the sculptor has carved a subtle ridge on one side of the stone parallel to the perforation. The entire surface has thin scratch marks from the peck and grind technology used to shape and polish the stone. Other than a few small chips along the edges, this bannerstone shows little or no signs of wear. Its “hypertrophic” [relatively large] size is twice the weight of most bannerstones, suggesting that this pristine work of art was used in performances or ceremonies. Branch Co. Mich B-41 is written in black on one side, presumably indicating where this bannerstone was found in south-central Michigan. Similar in material, size, and provenance to Knoblock, plate 176.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Images may be downloaded and used freely for teaching and personal use. Include the credit line “© Anna Blume, 2021, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art” along with the object’s Catalog Number. Publishing of images is permitted with additional permission from the MMA. For additional publishing questions, contact bannerstone@fitnyc.edu

https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/items/show/277

https://digitalrepository.fitnyc.edu/iiif-presentation/3/item/127023/manifest

2011.154.15.tif|2011.154.15a.tif|2011.154.15b.tif|2011.154.15d.tif|2011.154.15d1.tif|2011.154.15d2.tif|2011.154.15d3.tif|2011.154.15d4.tif|2011.154.15d5.tif|2011.154.15d6.tif|2011.154.15d7.tif|2011.154.15d8.tif|2011.154.15d9.tif

Ferruginous Quartz

Fulton County, Illinois. Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe Collection until 2010. Gift of the Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts in 2010-2011.

Archaic sculptors often chose to create bannerstones out of ferruginous quartz due to its high contrast of milky white intermixed with iron minerals in shades of deep saturated oranges, reds, or pinks. This particular bannerstone is twice the size and weight of most bannerstones placing it in the category of a rare “hypertrophic” [relatively large] sculpture. Whatever the purpose of bannerstones in the Archaic period, this one would have been too large and too heavy to be placed on a throwing stick, or part of everyday use. It would have been singled out for special, perhaps ceremonial performances or display. Along the edges and perforation there are little to no signs of wear, further indicating that this was a unique bannerstone similar to ceremonial axes or celts made by ancient artists of North and Central America including the Olmec and Maya. On one side of the stone Fulton Co Ill. is written in black on a white label. This refers to Fulton County in Illinois, presumably where this bannerstone was found. 2011.154.15 is written in red on one end above the perforation. On one side of the stone Fulton Co Ill. is written in black on a white label. This refers to Fulton County in Illinois, presumably where this bannerstone was found. 2011.154.15 is written in red on one end along the perforation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Images may be downloaded and used freely for teaching and personal use. Include the credit line “© Anna Blume, 2021, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art” along with the object’s Catalog Number. Publishing of images is permitted with additional permission from the MMA. For additional publishing questions, contact bannerstone@fitnyc.edu

https://bannerstone.fitnyc.edu/items/show/278

https://digitalrepository.fitnyc.edu/iiif-presentation/3/item/127039/manifest