FLARED BIT SPUDS 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. |