Pipe ?

[haybudden2]

I believe this to be a pipe. It was found in an area used
frequently by the Ute Indians.
Would appreciate any constructive thoughts on this piece.

Thanks Hay2

 

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[The Grim Reaper]

I don't know about that piece. Did you find the piece yourself? The markings look like were just put on there recently because the patina in them is completely different than the rest of the piece.

 

[haybudden2]

The pipe was found by a family member 75 years ago.
It is a sandstone nodule with a high iron contentant
and has patina on the surface that isn't as old as the nodule
The markings have been
scratched into that patina and have a newer but still old
patina of there own, much like any rock art that is seen on petroglyphs.

This item was displayed 60 years ago in a private collection
where I first saw it, as it appears today.

If this sandstone were scratched today the mark would appear
almost white in color.

I believe these marks appear as found years ago.

Hay2

 

[Americus]

Very interesting artifact.

 

[archer66]

So what that would mean is that pipe was made long enough ago to have been discarded or lost causing it to develop patina, then was found and decorated, most likely put in use again and then discarded again where it developed more patina? Definitly very possible....I wonder how often ancient cultures found and re-used artifacts left behind by more ancient cultures.

Not an original thought for sure but still cool to think about.

 

[Tnmountains]

Maybe a million year old natural geo fact converted and decorated into a pipe. Does the smoke hole look drilled or natural? I would guess sandstone would gain patina quickly due to its porousness and retain signs of use in its bowl.Much like the pottery shows the fire marks.

 

[joshuaream]

What state was it found in? I've seen authentic examples like that from New Mexico (when you say Ute that probably means it came from Utah or Colorado.) The cross in the circle motif was pretty common with groups out that way as well.

I'm not sure it's the correct process at work, but a lot of desert rock has what I think of as UV patina or sunburn from thousands and thousands of years of intense solar radiation beating down on them. When you disturb the surface they are a different color (like most exposed rocks), but they end up staying a different color for a long time (especially if buried because the UV rays aren't affecting the surface any more...) This is why ancient petroglyphs stand out in many desert areas, while if you see a petroglyph in a more moderate climate they are a lot less spectacular because the carvings don't stand out as much.

 

[haybudden2]

Thanks for the comments.
The "Pipe" was found in central Colorado.
The smoke hole was defiantly drilled. It is
not perfectly round, but close.

"Reused" items I'm sure are common in Indian
Artifacts. There are many points and tools that
have been lost, found, reshaped, used, lost,
and found again ending up in a collection.

Thanks again for looking.

Hay2

 

[pickaway]

interesting piece...