Cruciform- The Clearwater Site, AZ
Cruciforms are cross-shaped objects found at sites across the Southwest and northern Mexico. They were made from various materials including obsidian, volcanic stone and chalcedony like the one above. Surface wear indicates that this cruciform was made using a combination of flaking and polishing.
For most archaeologists, cruciforms are still considered a "mystery objects" because of how they are found. Many are recovered as grave goods in male burials, which may suggest that were part of a weapon such as an atlatl. Several colonial texts describe atlatls with decorative stones attached to the base, but scientists also wonder if cruciforms also functioned as weights.
Continue reading The Broken and the Whole: Cruciforms in the Tucson Basin
