My guess is that they were club heads, tied to wooden sticks; we are talking about a stone age culture who didn't have too much spare time/resources. They may h

My guess is that they were club heads, tied to wooden sticks; we are talking about a stone age culture who didn't have too much spare time/resources. They may have started out as utilitarian weaponry, but gradually morphed into status indicators. Knobs make it easier to lash them onto a stick with rope/leather thongs. Weapons/badges of office were often buried along with the owners. Leather/Wood rots so may not have been found along with them, though there may have been traces left behind.