Native American ground stone combined decorative and utilitarian elements. Stone beads, ground slate pendants, gorgets worn around the neck and other ornamental stones were produced by Native Americans from archaic times through the period of European contact. Stone pendant shapes included ovals, rectangles and diamond shapes with serrated edges, arrows, triangles, animal figures and elongate polished pebbles with full grooves for suspension. Some engraved pendants and gorgets were incised with hatched or zig-zag lines, or figures.

© 1994-1999 Tara Prindle.