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Inside the collection: Forget football — ever heard of chunkey?

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Chunkey (or tchung-kee) was first developed in 600 AD near the Cahokia Mounds, which are located in modern-day Illinois.

Photo provided by the South Carolina State Museum

For some, fall means football (go Gamecocks). 🏈 But for Native Americans, it was all about chunkey. The game challenged players to throw a spear where they thought a disk-shaped stone rolled down a playing field would stop. Whoever’s spear landed closest won a point. The game built connection, relieved stress, and helped warriors hone their hunting skills.

To see chunkey stones for yourself, head to the South Carolina State Museum, where several are currently on display.*

Check out chunkey stones.

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