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Recreation Marker
Photographer: William J. Toman
Taken: September 4, 2010
Caption: Recreation Marker
Additional Description: We know people in the past relaxed and enjoyed themselves, and we also know they enjoyed games and competed in sports. However, it is difficult to identify an artifact as part of a game without written records, and it's more difficult to figure out the game.

In most Mississippian villages, ground stone artifacts called "discoidals" or "chunkey stones" have been found. We think these were used in the same way as the historically documented game of chunkey. A person rolls a chunkey stone into an open area, and players throw a spear toward the location where they think the stone will stop. Whoever's spear is closest to the stopping point is the winner. Historically, the game is associated with gambling.

Musical instruments were likely also important. People commonly used turtle, animal bone, and other items to create drums, rattles, and flutes.

A number of small pots found at Aztalan may have been toy pots for children's games and education.
Submitted: September 29, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.
Database Locator Identification Number: p129993
File Size: 0.000 Megabytes

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