Lithophone talk by Marilyn Martorano from 10/4/2024

A new class of prehistoric artifacts called portable lithophones has been identified from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado.
“Litho” is Greek for stone and “phone” means sound; a lithophone is a musical instrument consisting of a purposely-selected rock (often formally-shaped) that is tapped or rubbed with friction to produce musical notes. Portable and stationary lithophones have been utilized in ancient and modern cultures around the world for thousands of years. Only a few highly-modified, portable lithophones have been formally recognized in North America and none have been previously documented in Colorado.
The artifacts being studied were originally thought to have functioned as grinding stones, pestles, and/or digging tools; however, testing has verified their acoustical properties. Twenty-two lithophones were analyzed as part of a Colorado State Historical Fund archaeological assessment grant and their characteristics will be discussed. A few sample lithophones and natural ringing stones will also be demonstrated.
Marilyn A. Martorano, a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and a San Luis Valley, Colorado native, is currently the owner/archaeologist of Martorano Consultants LLC in Longmont, Colorado. She has over 40 years of experience in cultural resource management in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region.

[@masha.komadinic]

thank you for posting this

[@PAHS_Pueblo]

You're welcome!