Description

Archaeologists refer to these stone tablets as gorgets or pendants. They are commonly perforated with one to five drill holes and some are decorated with incisions. While their precise functions are unknown, many archaeologists speculate that they were worn on the body. Among many other potential functions, archaeologists also suggested some could have been used as bullroarers, ceramic ribs, and strike-a-lights. Uncovered by archaeologists at Fort Albany, a historic Hudson’s Bay fur-trading post in James Bay, this gorget fragment has a distinctive pattern of abrasions on its surface, indicating the use of steel files during its shaping process. While the true purpose behind the use of this gorget remains uncertain, the presence of wear on the upper section of the suspension hole indicates that it was suspended.