APRIL 2000 PICTURE

ROSS POINT

Southern Illinois
Hopewell Culture

2,000 to 1,600 years ago

   This is one of the nicest Ross Blades I have seen and is still in a private collection. This one measures 8 1/8 inches long and is made of a beautiful orange Kaolin chert from southern Illinois. It's the classic style with a diamond base. This one has two stylish points that stick out on each side of the base that adds to the overall artistic look. It is thin and very skillfully flaked.
    Ross Blades were made during the Middle Woodland Period as non utilitarian ceremonial objects. They are generally anywhere from 1,600 to 2,000 years old. There are several different styles but the diamond base variety is the "classic". They are as "artistic" as the craftsman could make them. Not only were they the largest flaked stone artifacts that the Hopewell people produced they were also made of the most exotic raw materials. Although the culture that made them lived east of the Mississippi River some of these points were made of Obsidian from the Yellowstone Park area thousands of miles away. The Hopewell culture developed extensive trade routes that brought in raw materials from across the country.

Orange Kaolin Ross Blade.      Hopewell culture Ross Blade.
BOBBY ONKEN COLLECTION

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