The Enigmatic Plummet Stone - A New Look At An Old Mystery	by Derek Mays
Central States Archaeological Societies 2026 January Journal	Rock City, Illinois

This issue of the Central States Archaeological 2026 January Journal can be purchased on-line after March 2027

Figure 1. Three high quality plummets from various counties in Illinois. The material and workmanship are of such high-quality, it makes it a far-fetched idea to believe they were used as net weights or bolas.

The North American Native plummet stone has long been an ancient object of mystery and controversy among professionals and amateurs in the world of archaeology. There have been a few theories proposed and written on the topic, but none have really passed the litmus test with any amount of certainty. People have argued and debated the possible use of plummet stones since they were first discovered on ancient camp sites which dot the majority of the North American continent. Theories include ancient cast net weights for fishing, bolas for tangling up the legs of prey, weights for the process of weaving textiles, and some even feel they may have served as an object carried by a prehistoric medicine men as a talisman.

For me, I have never been able to fully accept these theories. Well, at least not since I began collecting examples of plummets for my personal collection. I will explain my doubts about these theories in more detail a little later in the article. But first, I feel it is necessary for me to share where my plummet fixation shifted from inquisitive to somewhat obsessive. I obtained my first plummet in 1991 or 1992 at the Collinsville, Illinois relic show. I paid $65.00, a week’s worth of yard mowing wages, for a small hematite plummet from Floyd Ritter. After asking Floyd a few questions, he kindly told me to go track down Greg Perino. “Greg”, Floyd said, “He has a better understanding of those things than I do.” After receiving help from several people, I finally located Greg seated behind a table full of books and journals visiting with a few other collectors. I was 16 or 17 at the time and had a mind that never seemed to shut off until I found answers. Greg was a well-aged man with a soft voice, kind demeanor, and a warm smile. After introducing myself to him, telling him my interest in plummets and questioning him about their possible use, I soon realized he had some of the same questions. After about ten minutes of conversing, I could tell that his mind seemed to be very active too and he had a deeper, more passionate interest in the plummet stone than I had. Even though this was the first time I had met Greg, he spoke to me like he had known me forever. Greg then stood to his feet and was fumbling around through the books and journals on the table while briefly explaining how there really were not any definite answers to our questions about plummets. Soon he located a small paperback journal, opened it up to an article he had written, and told me to read the article when I got home. I quickly let him know I could not pay the seven-dollar price tag because I had just spent all of my money on a plummet. Greg simply responded, “It’s a gift from me to you”. The journal was the Illinois State Archaeological Society 50th Anniversary Issue published in October 1986. That kind act persuaded me to eventually start saving my mowing money to join the Central States Archaeological Society in order to receive their quarterly journals. To this day, I still retain the exact copy of the CSAJ Greg Perino unselfishly gave to me. Likewise, I have retained my membership in the CSAS, receiving the quarterly journals each year.

Why am I not convinced plummets were net weights or bolas? I feel it is a pretty easy reason to defend. I have always been of the opinion that since the majority of plummets were manufactured of such scarce materials and were crafted to such a high degree of quality, there is no way a reasonable person would spend hours upon hours making such an object only to risk easily losing it in a muddy marsh or equally risk exposing it to certain damage by slinging it through the air at a moving animal.

To me these are nonsensical theories, especially since Natives were highly resourceful people. If used as a net weight or bola, common sense would tell one to find a stone that was naturally shaped to serve the purpose and save the time and energy of having to locate the exotic material and painstakingly craft one. This alone should lead us to believe there had to be a more sacred or methodical purpose for the plummet than exposing it to such pummel and batter after hours of labor to make it.

Could plummets have been used by prehistoric medicine men - I suppose that is a possibility. However, sites in my area that produce plummets, generally produce several examples. In some cases, a few sites have produced a dozen or more. I find it difficult to believe that one clan of Natives would have that many high status medicine men at the same time.

As far as plummets being used as weights to help weave textiles, I am highly suspicious of that theory as well. In the process of interviewing collectors and scholars, I was assured that plummets were...

Read other great columns in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2026 January Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2024