Chunkey
Chunkey is a Native American target sport originating in the Mississippian culture where players roll a polished stone disc across a field and throw spears toward where it will stop. The player whose spear lands closest to the stone scores.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- Traditional
- ORIGIN
- Mississippian culture
- PLAYERS
- 2 players (or pairs)
- EQUIPMENT
- Stone disc, spears
- PLAYING AREA
- Prepared clay yard
- DURATION
- Varies
- GOVERNING BODY
- None
- OLYMPIC
- No
Gameplay and scoring
| Action | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Rolling the stone | One player rolls a polished stone disc along a smoothed clay court. |
| Throwing spears | Players throw wooden poles toward where they predict the stone will stop. |
| Closest pole | The pole coming to rest nearest the stone earns points. |
| Direct contact | Striking the disc directly grants bonus points depending on regional variation. |
| Era | Event |
|---|---|
| c. AD 600 | Earliest carved stone discs appear in Mississippian archaeological sites. |
| c. AD 1050 | Chunkey becomes a central game in Cahokia with large prepared public courts. |
| 18th Century | European traders record Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw playing chunkey. |
| 1832 | Artist George Catlin documents and paints Mandan chunkey matches in North Dakota. |
How a game works
A player launches a smooth, concave stone disc across a prepared clay field called a chunkey yard. Players sprint alongside the rolling disc and throw wooden poles to where they predict it will rest. Proximity to the stone determines scoring.
Scoring in one line
The player whose pole comes to rest closest to the stone disc scores points, with extra credit for hitting it.
Where it came from
Chunkey originated among Mississippian societies around AD 600 and reached its peak at major ceremonial centers like Cahokia. It played a major political and cultural role, uniting diverse groups and settling rivalries without warfare.
Chunkey today
Although active play faded during European colonization, contemporary Indigenous communities and heritage organizations host educational demonstrations. Archeologists continue studying discovered chunkey stones to map ancient trade networks.
Run a Chunkey tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — varies.
FAQ
How was chunkey played?
A stone disc was rolled across a smooth court while competitors threw spears to predict where it would stop.
Who played chunkey historically?
It was played by Mississippian cultures and later historic tribes including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Mandan.
What are chunkey stones made of?
They were carved from hard stone such as quartzite or granite and painstakingly ground smooth with concave faces.