Quartz Discoidal

Today we are highlighting a quartz discoidal that was recovered in Blytheville, Arkansas. This lithic is classified as an apple discoidal due to the shallow indentions present on both faces (Stein, “Discoidals”). Apple discoidals are considered a rare variant because they are regionally restricted to southern Missouri and northern Arkansas (Stein, “Discoidals”). Discoidals such as this were made by using a hammerstone to shape the disk. Sand was then used to polish the stone and remove any imperfections. While discoidals range in size by a few inches, they are sized to fit within the palm of one’s hand (Zych 63). Historical accounts describe that these stones were used by Indigenous communities as disks for a game called Chungke (Zych 63). Chungke is often described as a highly competitive game, and spectators often gather to place bets on the winner. Generally, Chungke was played on a flat area or designated playing field. During the competition, competitors would roll the disks and then throw their spears at the moving target- the individual who hit the disk with their spear or landed the closest would be deemed the winner.

Chungke has been played by Indigenous communities in the southeastern United States for over 1500 years. Archeological evidence supports that this game was played as early as 600 C.E. and became widely distributed during the Mississippian period (900-1200 C.E.) (Zych 68). Many descendant communities, such as the Cherokee Nation, continue to play Chungke today (Bark, “Chunkey: A Game of Stones”). To see this game in action, consider watching this video posted by the Cherokee Nation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpccDCKeQts.

Works Cited

Bark, Lindsey. “Chunkey: A Game of Stones.” Cherokee Phoenix, 27 Aug. 2020. https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/culture/chunkey-a-game-of-stones/article_cdca67ea-6e61-5457-9309-500d1c95183f.html. Accessed 15 February 2023.

Stein, Anthony A. “Discoidals.” Peach State Archaeological Society, https://peachstatearchaeologicalsociety.org/index.php/22-game-stones/181-discoidals. Accessed 15 February 2023.

Zych, Thomas J. “Chunkey and the historic experience in the Mississippian world.” Prehistoric games of North American Indians: Subarctic to Mesoamerica (2017): 63-86.

Credit to Liley Bozard, Olivia Lee, and M. Gibson