rock carving Sabertooth tiger found in Oregon

[ezpecunia]

Rock carving of what I believe portrays a Smilodon, sabertoothed tiger. It was found while excavating the footings for a house in Oakridge, Oregon in 1970's. It was @ 4 1/2 feet beneath the surface of the ground. It weughts@ 45lbs. and is 10 inheight, 11" in depth and 9" wide. The rock looks like a sedimentary type rock. It has an Aztec look about it.
Please help me...I would like to get it authenticated.

[TheRandyMan]

Well, firstly it would have helped greatly if you took tons of pictures of the rock in situ (in place in the ground where it was originally found). Now that it appears that opportunity is past your best hope is to contact someone at an Oregonian university in some department that is connected with the study of the early cultures in that region. Maybe they will be interested by the photos enough to take a look at it. If it passes their smell test, they might want to have it carbon dated or some other type of test to determine age and authenticity. Good luck

[MKnTenn]

Very cool, looks asian to me, maybe brought over from asia? Anyway it is a cool find.

[Lucas]

The last pic looks like it shows tool marks that are not Pre-Columbian. So, maybe a Central American jaguar, but not really old. If it is Asian, that's another thing, the have had metal tools for a long time.

[Sweet T]

How did you come across this carving and did you take the pictures. What is the story behind it that you heard?

[CC Hunter]

The stone carving piece you have is quite unique and unlike anything I've seen from the area. The stone does not appear to be a material that is consistent with the Western Cascades. Possibly a geology expert familiar with Oregon rock formations can shed more light on the original material source. Was it found in flood plain river deposit material, or hillside soil?

A couple decades back, I was in fact a construction contractor operating in the small town of Oakridge. We dug up lots of rocks while excavating. All of our rocks though were more of a nuisance than anything, and far from interesting, (the upper Willamette has tons of rocks and excavating anywhere near the river is rarely easy).

Fact is, I'm actually more a metal expert myself (if it beeps, I've probably dug it somewhere.........sometime). Within my circle of acquaintances though, are a few knowledgeable folks in the field of early native American objects. This toothy titan you've shown is one I'll research further on in hopes of seeking a few answers.

CC Hunter

[kuger]

Was there any history of Chinese in the vicinity??Rail road or such??Sure has the "feel",of Mayan,but also has that Chinese dragon look to it.I would def. say it isnt Native American.I would be really interested to see what the University has to say

[chkn]

What a freaky thing to come across. It must be real old.

[allen]

keep us posted on this wonderful find !!!