Nutting Stone

Illustration

Adriana Dunn
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published on 08 December 2021
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Nutting stone from the Hatchie River Region in West Tennessee, Early Archaic Period, c. 8,000 BCE.

Hatchie River Museum at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center.

Nutting stones such as this were used to harvest mast, or the fruit of a nut, from their shells. A small depression was ground out from the surface of the stone. Then the nut was placed in the depression and struck by a wooden or stone hammer. Because nutting stones are generally heavy and hard to transport, their discovery on prehistoric sites suggests that the indigenous group they come from lived a more sedentary, permanent lifestyle within a settlement or village.

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About the Author

Adriana Dunn
Hello my name is Adriana Dunn and I am currently working as the assistant director at the Art Museum of the University of Memphis. My interests include cultural heritage, collections management, and art and archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean world.

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APA Style

Dunn, A. (2021, December 08). Nutting Stone. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14973/nutting-stone/

Chicago Style

Dunn, Adriana. "Nutting Stone." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified December 08, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14973/nutting-stone/.

MLA Style

Dunn, Adriana. "Nutting Stone." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 08 Dec 2021. Web. 21 Mar 2025.

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