Stone: from the Paleoindian Period to Today

Stone is proven to be used as early as the Paleoindian Period (10,000- 8,000 BC). Early peoples had functions for stone such as hunting, ornimentation, cooking, simple tools and home appliances. Known hunting stones such as the spear were made by chipping the stone to a point. A common form of jewelry or ornimentation was stone because it was easily found but it could be transformed by rubbing and smothing it down into beautiful shapes. Stones such as the "nutting stone" helped with cooking by forcing a nut out of its shell. Stone could be used for tools such as a hammar, a sharp point or knife, and even a grinder. Finally, Stone was used for bowls in order to store things and even collect food while gathering. Stone is used in many of the same ways today as it was in the Paleoindian Period but designers have found new ways to incorporate this material into spaces. As the images demonstrate, stone is used as a sink bowl and looks much like the soapstone bowl shown above it. Designers have found many ways to incorporate stone into homes not only for decorating purposes but on a large scale in buildings, too.  Finished Soapstone BowlConcrete Bowl Sink

McClung Museum