First Nations of Ontario
Available Scans
Bird Stone 1
- SCAN #0001
- SCAN DATE 04-28-2023
- SCAN LOCATION Sarnia, Ontario
- ARTIFACT LOCATION Johnston Collection (Port Franks Heritage Museum)
Bird stones are a bit of a mystery. There is no clear agreement on how they were used thousands of years ago. They are stylized depictions of birds with a variety of forms and details. Most bird stones are made of slate, especially the greenish-gray banded Huronian variety, but other stones were used as well, including porphyry. Many have projecting eyes or ears. Sizes range from an inch or two to larger examples that are five or six inches in length. A common feature is the presence of bi-conically drilled holes, one at either end of the bird stone’s base.
*This bird stone is from the Middle Woodland Period (2,400 to 1,500 years ago) that probably came from southwestern Ontario.
Cultural Insight
The artifacts were a common inclusion in graves and were thought to have ceremonial importance. They first appeared in the middle Archaic period around 5,000 years ago and continued into the early Woodland period to about 2,500 years before present.