It was a chilly Saturday morning hunt in beautiful Middle Tennessee. I was swinging a detector enjoying the fall ritual of wildlife preparing for winter. Squirrels rustling and foraging on the forest floor. Deer jotting from one field to the other. It was peaceful. With the exception of the peeps and pops of my metal detecting doing what it was designed to do..Detect metal. But not the kind I was looking for. I gazed down to check my swing pattern when I saw this unusual rock. A rock that looked like it had been designed like a tool of sorts. An axe.. A stone axe? I leaned down to pick up the artifact that had probably hadn't been touched by another human for some quite time. Now that is a feeling that is hard to describe. I gently put it into my vest for investigation when I returned home that evening. I tried to debunk any thing I could. Is it a stone that would be strong enough? yes. Would it have been sharp enough? Yes. It certainly looks like it was manipulated to be that shape or "worked" as the pros call it. Can someone tell me if indeed this is an artifact or just a coincidence of mother nature. Thanks ...HHHH swan4h.com
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i definately would have brought that home! looks like it could be an adze or celt. dont know about the material, but throwing a guess as to indurated slate/shale, which if found in a running stream, river or creek, will take on a shape with very straight but dull rounded edges from the flow of the water. (but) the edges on yours seem very sharp and purposeful! i'm probably wrong on the material, but its just an opinion, and i'm sure more of the experts will chime in soon! keep it
That is a very nice artifact. I am thinking maybe polished limestone with the fossil inclusions? It has a great bit on it. It had to have been polished and ground into that shape. I have seen many pieces in the fields that were polished and worked but never whole. I am looking as I type at some from the Tn River(broke).
Very nice story in good ole rockytop !!!
Thanks 4-H
TnMtns
Thinking ohio might be right on that material what do you think?
4-H buddy,
I don't know much on what type stuff you guy's find out there as it is a little different everwhere but here on the coast if I saw that I'd pick it up for sure cause to me like you said it looks to be worked. And with out it in my hand hard to say sometimes but I do believe that it was used for something along the lines of a celt.My dad is the indian Chief as we mainly him for the most part have massed a very large collection.Biggest I know of in these parts as he started very young.I'll post what few I got here so it might help you decide.I'd say yes purdy sure it's been messed with by someone yours.I'll also look in a book I have to see if theres anything like it there.
Ps I know there not the same material but that shape of yours is why I say what I say!Also if you get out this way sometime I'll show you what we have massed over the years!
Lol yeah when you figure it out let me know. I think its a chert limestone thingy. I find lots of it worked on the water. This is all water stained worked same material as yours from Tennessee.
: )
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That is a very nice artifact. I am thinking maybe polished limestone with the fossil inclusions? It has a great bit on it. It had to have been polished and ground into that shape. I have seen many pieces in the fields that were polished and worked but never whole. I am looking as I type at some from the Tn River(broke).
ohio might be right on that material what do you think?
Yes he did. 
Originally Posted by 4-H
