The Powhatans of Virginia used crystals--"pyramidal stones"--as offerings
to the gods, as reported in a number of different sources. I have
recovered raw quartz crystals, as well as beautiful tiny Clarksville-type
points made of flawless crystal quartz from late Woodland sites along the
james River in the Piedmont.

Dan Mouer
Virginia Commonwealth University
[log in to unmask]
http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dmouer/homepage.htm

On Tue, 2 Nov 1999, Paul Webb wrote:

> Dear list -
>
> The 9CK9 excavations produced quartz crystal tool fragments and debitage,
> primarily from Middle Woodland contexts, but no complete crystals or large
> fragments.  There was no sign that the historic Cherokee at the site were
> using them.  Quartz crystal fragments have also been found at Middle
> Woodland sites throughout southern Appalachians, usually in the form of
> debitage; I'm not familiar off-hand with any caches, etc.   I have also seen
> high quality quartz crystal fragments at Mississippian sites (e.g.,
> Beaverdam site in Georgia), and have speculated that they may have had
> special uses . . .  In this regard, Hudson (Southeastern Indians) includes a
> good discussion of the role of crystals among the Cherokee, etc. . ..
>
>
> ********************************
>
> Paul A. Webb
> TRC Garrow Associates, Inc.
> 6340 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200
> Chapel Hill, NC   27514
>
> (919) 419-7531
> (919) 419-7501 fax
>
> ********************************
>