These say "eastern United States" -- any idea where exactly?
That's a good question. These Bannerstones have been identified by their style which which was common to the eastern Woodlands communities thousands of years ago. We are not sure where exactly they were found, but their style indicates that they come from the eastern United States.
Eastern woodlands means what exactly?
It's a name used by scholars to refer to the cultures living in the eastern United States thousands of years ago. Those cultures did not have writing so we do not know what they would have called themselves. These people are only known by their material culture in the archaeological record.
In the time that these people lived, the eastern United States was largely forested, so they were, in fact, living in a woodland environment.
Wouldn't these make super cool bow ties!?
They sure would! They were actually used as weights for spear-throwers by the early inhabitants of the Eastern United States.
The example on the right is the most common shape of these weights known as banner stones.
Talk about a missed style opportunity.
Perhaps they were also worn as decorative neckwear and we just don't know! The people of the Eastern Woodlands did not have written language so much of what we know about their practices is based on archaeology and material culture.