Disc-Shaped Stones

Originally published in The Midden, 43(4), 8-9. 2011. By Grant Keddie There are a large variety of stone objects in museums often referred to as “Donut Stones” or “Gaming Stones.” Two examples in the Royal B.C. Museum collection are unique and worthy of a detailed description. Artifact DkSf-Y:40 This artifact (Figure 1) was found in 1897 in a “shell-mound” in Comox by Walter B. An­derson, the son of Alexander C. Anderson of the Hudson’s Bay Company. This round, flat-sided, diorite-like stone (77mm by 28mm) has grinding around its edge consistent with the kind of wear pat­terns produced on a rotated grit stone wheel (Figure 2). The artifact weights 305 grams, and is like other similar shaped stones with a bipolar-pecked … Continue reading “Disc-Shaped Stones”