Is this a (Atlatl)

[Brian C.]

I found this stone item today while detecting, it is about 2" long, 1/4 " dia. The web site I found this similar item says they are quite rare, it is either stone or slate. The site me mentions that these items where used before the bow and arrow. Any ideas, thanks.

 

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[flintmel]

looks like an awl

 

[Brian C.]

Thanks, is it rare to find one?

 

[centfladigger]

nice find, looks like a stone plummet. We find them made from the center whorl of the busycon conch or horse conch shell. the top piece where the groove is , is where it was attached to the cordage. I have seen pics of one found with the cordage attached from a wet site dig that preserved the fiber

 

[centfladigger]

an atlatl is the device for throwing the spear whiich is super rare to find. Atlatl hooks are found but they are rare also.

 

[Brian C.]

Thanks, it is a new find for me, I have found other stone items, but not like this. HH

 

[bede2691]

Is it stone? Looks soft and like it has been whittled. Almost looks like a small carbon rod.

 

[wells]

You sure that aint a slate pencil used in 17 & 18 100s, they are quite common can be found anywhere. Thats my guess on that piece, looks like many i've seen.

 

[Brian C.]

It is stone, the pencil lead is slimmer.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Nice plummet......

 

[The Grim Reaper]

It's either a Plummet like was mentioned above or it could be a small Pendant. Either way it's a nice find.

 

[larson1951]

i like it
it is unlike anything i have experianced
steve
larson1951

 

[RGINN]

That would be cool to find. What did that web site say it was? I wonder what it would have been used for, and whether it's of native or European manufacture.

 

[wells]

I did'nt say pencil lead. The old slate pencil did'nt have wood around it, the slate was the whole thing, about the diameter of a modern pencil. yes and slate is stone. Try finding a few examples and see for yourself. Sometimes they had groves on them to hang by a string. I saw a lot of plummets but none shaped like that. Check into it.

 

[Ohio_Doug]

My best guess is a "skinny" plummet.

 

[Worthy55]

It's either a Plummet like was mentioned above or it could be a small Pendant. Either way it's a nice find.

I think you have it!

 

[Brian C.]

Go to the site, Ancient Native American artifacts, or western artifacts.

 

[tomclark]

Like others have said, it is a plummet. Used either as a weight or a pendant. I think most are pendants here, especially if well made. I've seen pics of them found with fishing line and hooks and also seen pics of them found in association with the chest of burials. Not uncommon in my area but may be less common in other parts of the country.... Most here are made of shell, stone is used less commonly because we don't have much hardstone here. All but one of these were found on Woodland sites where bow and arrow were used.

 

[larson1951]

i am sure it is a plummet
it is not an atlatl weight
if it had a groove on both ends and one side was slightly ftattened, then it could be an atlatl weight

 

[tchaire]

Hope it's a plummet but I can't jump on the plummet bandwagon until someone can explain why its not a old slate pencil. As Wells mentioned, do a search and check them out. I've found a few over the years and assumed they were Native American. I took them to an artifact show and was promptly told they were slate pencils. Come in many shapes and sizes. Interested in hearing everyone's thoughts once you've made comparisons.

T.