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   There are subtle color differences between the two sources. The Ohio stone is more tan to gray-green while the new source material is an olive to deep green, but the XRD separated the two at a deeper level. Hughes said, "Not only was the new source determined to be 400,000,000 years old, nearly 50,000,000 years older than the Ohio material, but they were also quite different as far as mineral composition." The Ohio material is high in kaolinite while the new source had an abundance of boehmite (BO) and berthierine (BT), which is an extremely rare mineral. This mineral composition proved to be the fingerprint needed to prove the new source existed. With one question answered, another popped up: Where is the source? It took continued research and leg work of Dr. Berres and myself to locate the source and a probable second source in Whiteside County, Illinois, in 1996.

Net weight and plummets found respectively in Winnebago, Jackson and Whiteside Counties.

   Armed with answers to those two major questions, archaeologists are now re-evaluating past ideas about trade routes and interactions between the two Middle Woodland Hopewell complexes of Illinois and Ohio. The earlier theory of the Ohio pipestone artifacts flowing out into the Midwest region as a symbolic guideline for outlying centers found in Illinois is now being questioned. Maybe a different theory is needed to take the new discoveries into account. Perhaps there was sharing of knowledge on religious and burial practices along with local uniformity of pipes, pottery and other objects made of more local materials. What we have learned from this study can be applied to known flint-clay sources in Pennsylvania and Kentucky and other raw material sources throughout North America.

   One of the projects I have been actively working on since the discovery of the northern Illinois source is the mapping and distribution of pipestone artifacts and raw materials. Many people have allowed me to photograph and document artifacts which they have found in the Mississippi River Valley and its tributaries. This information has been invaluable in understanding the full extent of this materials travels through time and distance. From this study it was learned that the Illinois stone was used far earlier than anyone expected, as early as 5,000 BC during the Archaic period. Some of the artifacts found were bi-faced prismoidal bannerstones, pick bannerstones, butterfly bannerstones and loafstones.

Platform-pipe found in Whiteside County , Jersey Bluff-style Adena stemmed pipe (unknown provenience) and another platform pipe from Carroll County, Illinois. 

    It was also found that even in these early times the material was well-traveled. Small fragments and fragmentary artifacts were found over 100 miles from the source. This information along with where other Archaic artifacts were found proved to be intriguing (see distribution map).

   Late Archaic and Early Woodland artifacts are also well represented by plummets, bar amulets, bar-type birdstones and tube pipes. These artifacts are found sporadically in the Mississippi, Illinois and Rock River basins. 

   It was during the Middle Woodland that Illinois pipestone saw its heaviest use. Middle Woodland period artifacts dominate the total numbers. Gorgets, pendants, cones, bust and pop-eyed birdstones and boatstones have been documented. Of course, pipes were often crafted of the aesthetically pleasing material. Artifacts from the very Late Woodland are suspiciously rare. One speculation might be that the amount of quality pipestone from the Whiteside County source was dwindling, forcing the Late Woodland people to find alternative materials to manufacture pipes and other objects. Perhaps a switch to different materials such as Catlinite from the Pipestone, Minnesota, area or the use of ceramic pipes explains this phenomena. Most pipestone artifacts from this period tend to be small elbow pipes, ovoid pipes and pendants. My limited resources in gathering data are probably not showing the whole picture. No doubt there are more pipestone artifacts found in the Midwest region which have not been documented. The information that has been gathered sheds some light on the distribution and cultural use of this unique material. Only further study and continued mapping of this material and other exotic materials can help us better understand the extent of trade routes throughout North American prehistory. 

Acknowledgments

   First, my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Thomas Beutell for allowing Illinois the privilege of using the Titterington Owl Effigy Pipe, made from Illinois pipestone, to be the featured artifact. Special thanks to the people and new-found friends who allowed me to photograph and document their artifacts and to whom I owe a tremendous debt. Their generosity and understanding are greatly appreciated. Without their help, the understanding we have of this material would have progressed very little. Thanks to Drs. Randy Hughes and Dewey Moore at the University of Illinois, who have helped in the scientific analysis and who contributed the explanation of the mineralogical makeup of Illinois pipestone. Last but certainly not least, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Tom Berres of Northern Illinois University. His infinite patience while dealing with this rank amateur is a credit to his professional field. Had it not been for his foresight and persistence, this discovery might not have been brought to light. 

© 1990 C.S.A.S.I. Last modified:
January 31 2004