FLARED BIT SPUDS
ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, OHIO & TENNESSEE

MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
FLOYD RITTER COLLECTION
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     The spuds in this picture represent five very fine

examples. They were all made of chert that was

shaped by percussion flaking, then ground smooth

until the flake scars were removed. The final step

was polishing the entire surface. All of these spuds

may have originated from southern Illinois Cahokia

sites. The example in the center is reported to have

been found in Auglaize County, west central Ohio.

It's made of Kaolin chert from quarry sites in southern

Illinois. The second spud from the left, from Athens,

Tennessee, is also made of Kaolin chert. The second

spud from the right, from Boone County, Missouri,

is made of Mill creek chert from quarry sites also in

southern Illinois. There is good evidence that Cahokia

flared bit spuds were being traded to other locals

hundreds of miles away from their home territory.

The spud in the center measures 9 inches (22.8 cm)

long.

Five chert spuds from Illinois, Missouri, Ohio & Tennessee.

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