Worked hematite pieces

[MEinWV]

Here are a couple pieces of hematite that are all faceted from being ground down for the red powder. The dark one is 1-3/8" long by 3/4" wide.

They have been ground on all sides and still display the grinding marks left in them from long ago. Found these on the banks of the Ohio river.

[Th3rty7]

interesting pieces, do you know if the ancients had other uses for red ochre dust besides burial / ceremonial? nice finds

[The Grim Reaper]

I have quite a few of these types of pieces myself.

Here are some of mine. One of them has an X engraved on one side.

[badandy]

Nice hematite! Flint finder of MO. has tons of it, so maybe he'll post some of his too!

badandy

[StevefromMissouri]

Here's a link to my hematite finds. I love the stuff, but don't get much anymore as I don't walk the fields like I used to.

http://stevesarrowheads.googlepages.com/hematite

[MEinWV]

Fantastic pieces you guys have there! Makes me want to get back out and find more.

Thanks and good luck! HH

[The Grim Reaper]

Since we are showing our Hematite I also have these. Some Plummets, Cones, and Adzes.

[SoIll]

Is this hematite or red ochre? How can you tell?

[MEinWV]

interesting pieces, do you know if the ancients had other uses for red ochre dust besides burial / ceremonial? nice finds

Many natives used the red ochre as body paint, actually covering their whole bodies with it. Some regional cultures used it for ceremonial purposes, as in burials in New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Other cultures mixed it with oils of seal or whales, to use as paint.

SoIll, It is actually one in the same. Red ochre is a iron oxide powder that can occur naturally in powder form or can be made by grinding hematite. It was a heavily traded and much sought after commodity back in the day.

HH

[MEinWV]

Dorkfish, Those are some cool 'facts! Thanks for showing them! It gives me a visual for when I am out hunting.

HH