left handed hammer stone ?

[dadzilla]

This was found a few years ago in the garden after plowing. It appears to have been used with the left hand. It is made from heavy ironstone . East Central Texas

Dan

[diggummup]

A mano or ground stone. This one is from Texas-

[Michael Karr]

THAT'S A NUTTING STONE MIKE

[Cannonman17]

those dimples in the rock aren't made by a persons thumb!!! Nutting stone, perhaps...

[diggummup]

Is a hammer stone and a nutting stone the same thing? Or are they used in conjuction with one another?

[Michael Karr]

Hammer stones are used to break flint,and nutting stones hold a nut in place so they can break it open. Mike

[Monty]

Glad you cleared that up guys. I was imagining a very painful way to neuter animals! Monty

[dadzilla]

Sorry guys should have included this picture to start with it is the back side of hammer stone it fits perfectly in hand, one shallow hole on one side for thumb and large shallow divot on other side for fingers. it is very heavy and looks like it was used to hammer something hard.
I think this was used to hammer with,I could be wrong wouldn't be the first time.

[Cannonman17]

the dimple in the rock is not from a persons thumb nor was it made to fit a thumb. stones with this type of wear pattern got them from being used as a platform for 1) breaking hard shells of nuts on them, 2) using them as a platform for flintknapping purposes or in some cases 3) as a platform for starting a fire- You can take a piece of hard stone like this and use it has a hammer stone for years and years pounding away with it and the outside edges where it impacts are will wear down but your thumb won't wear a spot into it. Likewise, specially with this hard of a stone it wouldn't be time effective to put a spot for your thumb- in terms of a hammerstone it's just not that beneficial.

[diggummup]

the dimple in the rock is not from a persons thumb nor was it made to fit a thumb. stones with this type of wear pattern got them from being used as a platform for 1) breaking hard shells of nuts on them, 2) using them as a platform for flintknapping purposes or in some cases 3) as a platform for starting a fire- You can take a piece of hard stone like this and use it has a hammer stone for years and years pounding away with it and the outside edges where it impacts are will wear down but your thumb won't wear a spot into it. Likewise, specially with this hard of a stone it wouldn't be time effective to put a spot for your thumb- in terms of a hammerstone it's just not that beneficial.

I agree with this as far as the impressions for the thumb and finger,but then that also means this is true,no?-

Is a hammer stone and a nutting stone the same thing? Or are they used in conjuction with one another?

So the answer to this could be yes in both cases? There is such a thing as a multi-purpose groundstone,yes? Just trying to learn something here.

[Cannonman17]

A hammer stone and a nutting stone are not the same thing BUT you could have one tool that served both purposes. In fact.. I found something similar to that but was actually something else - about 4" in diameter, pit in the middle center on both sides and really heavily wore all the way around the out side edge from "pecking". Found it in a classic hopewell site- I believe it was a low grade Chuncky stone (or discoidal) or perhaps even just an unfinished one- it rolled smooth but was covered in peck marks and never polished. sorry.....getting off topic. :P

[diggummup]

Thanks,that's what I wanted to hear.