BARK BEATER
CAHOKIA MOUNDS SITE
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
COPYRIGHT JULY 31, 2011 PETER A. BOSTROM
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    This unique and out-of-place artifact was discovered several years ago in a cultivated field on the Cahokia Mounds site by Joe Becker. By its description it is a bark beater but this type of artifact has not been reported on any other Mississippian site in the U.S. It seems to be made of a type of volcanic stone that would suggest a source far to the south in Mexico. If that is true, the only other comparison that could be made to another out-of-place object is the Obsidian scraper that is reported to have been found on the Spiro Mounds site in Oklahoma. The Obsidian has been identified as coming from a source located at Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. If this bark beater was brought to Cahokia from Mexico it would suggest that bark cloth manufacturing technology would also have come with it.
    This three-quarter grooved rectangular bark beater has one very flat hammering surface that has been cut with three deep parallel grooves. The opposite surface is rounded. A pitted area in the center indicates that it was also used as a hammer.  Use wear polish in the hafting grooves indicates that it was once hafted onto a handle. The surface is partially polished but peck marks and the natural pitting of the stone are still evident all over its surface. One end also has what appears to be either red ochre or red clay adhering to the surface.  This bark beater measures 2 1/2 inches (6.4 cm) long, 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide and 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm) thick.

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