Small stone axe or stone adze ?

[krbrid]

Walking along a small gravel bank that runs between two S-curve bends in the creek I have found several items of interest, all within a few yards of each other. The gravel bank sits about 10 feet below a dirt bank that slopes down to it. On top of the dirt bank is a flat area and the creek meanders thru hills and farm country. One of the more interesting pieces I found could be a small adze, scraper, or wood working tool. It is about 4 inches long with two rounded indentations near the back end. The back end slopes sharply to a flat edge while the front end retains a more gradual slope to a flat edge, when viewed from the top. The other side of the object is basically flat. It appears to be made from brown flint. Overall it retains a hand worked appearance, but I'm not sure what it is. It's smallish size seems to indicate possibly a stone adze, but is probably too small to be a stone axe and it is too rough in appearance as they are generally a lot smoother. Here is a link to a similar kind of object that appears to be made out of the same kind of material. Indian Artifacts - Notched Flint Axe - Arrowheads

Any thoughts?

 

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[Charl]

The three images reproduced here all tell me those notches were pecked into that rock. It may be the start of a tool unfinished. But, I have a ton of experience with artifacts pecked into shape, and in these three images, I am seeing pecking for certain. I think myself and the rest of my fellow collectors here will probably just have to disagree on this. All I can say is I believe I recognize pecking when I see it, and this is pecking in those grooves. Look at the first or second picture, and you can see where the pecking has battered the original cortex. It's present only in the groove/notch. What this actually looks like is an unfinished adze, a stage in the creation of an adze. With the only alteration being the pecked in notches, it might simply be a weight, but the overall shape might suggest the native saw an opportunity to use a conveniently shaped rock with a view toward an adze or axe eventually. But never finished. Ordinarily, I'd probably let this go, with all the other contrary responses, but it just seems so obvious to me. Lots of pecked and ground hardstone artifacts where I collect, and FWIW, my eyes immediately recognized notches that have been deeply pecked into the rock.

 

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[Charl]

For comparison, take a look at the bit end on this axe. Granite. The lower portion of the blade, above the completely battered down bit, was never ground past the pecking. As a result, you can still see the pecking. In the second photo, look at the blade on a finished full groove adze. Basalt. The maker did not grind it down past the pecking, which is still easily seen. So, what I am suggesting is that what I am seeing in the rock in question in this thread is that the indentations on that rock were produced through pecking. To my eyes, they look like a surface battered through pecking. Hence they are not themselves natural. For this reason, while most of it's shape may be natural, I think the indentations on the rock were pecked into it, and it looks like, from the profile photo, that the rock may have been a grooved adze in a stage of manufacture. So, I guess I am saying it may just be a function of being able to recognize pecking on hardstone.....

 

[unclemac]

also keep in mind...if it is an artifact...what was it used for, not just "what does it resemble"...is there usage wear, how was it hafted, was it hand held, what was it intended to do...AND once you answer that...compare it to undisputed pieces...does it still hold up?

 

[krbrid]

Lots of great feedback on a seemingly controversial piece. Everyone of the comments contain valid points, and all welcomed. Personally I tend to agree with Charl. My thought was that it was possibly an unfinished item, maybe lost, maybe givenup on in the process of constructing, I really don't know for sure, that's why I asked. My gut tells me there is more to this piece than meets the eye. If nothing else it will make a nice paper weight. I keep going back to the link I provided in the original post for a similar item that apparantly is an authenticated artifact that is almost identical in size and appearance. Also there have been several other items of interest I found on that same gravel bar...not sure if I will post them just yet, a bit gun shy at the moment...(things like large flint flakes, a possible soapstone bowl, scrapers...things of that nature). It's almost like all of these items were related to each other. I've never discovered more than an isolated item at any given location before, but to possibly find several within yards of each other, well...it is a bit intriguing. Thanx again for the input.

 

[Charl]

It would not be the first time a native picked up a rock with an "almost there" or "head start" nature in order to fashion something he had in mind. The problem here is only the notches are pecked in, and nothing else altered. A notched/grooved weight does not show usage wear, and it might simply be a medium size crude notched weight. One of the most common artifacts out there in many parts of the country. Often called net weights, with nets as the presumed function. Ordinarily, that much work in the notching is not apparent, but I've certainly seen some with deep notching.

Here, I'll just try to further illustrate what my eyes are in fact seeing: pecking, the notches are man made, regardless of what it actually is. Pecking was accomplished using end picks, as seen here, which illustrations show the pecking itself as well.

 

[Charl]

And here is an end pick, medium size, and an example of a chlorite problematical, probably a pipe bowl-form. It broke, and the native pecked notches on the underside. For reasons unknown to me. But using these photos to show notches showing they were pecked into the rock. You can see the pecking. And it's a good comparison to the appearance of the pecking adjacent to smoother cortex(unaltered skin of rock) in the photos of your rock that I reproduced earlier. Other photo shows pecking in the notch of an axe. The end pick shown is the type of tool used in the pecking for both hardstone tools and softer stone, like steatite/chlorite.

Your rock has that look of a possible tool form as you thought. But the rock is natural as is, with just the notches worked in that I can see. So it could just be a notched/grooved weight that just coincidently looks the part of an adz-form. Or the native might have seen the adz shape already partly there, and intended to hone a bit as well. But it never got to that point. All I am fairly certain of is that the notches are pecked into the rock, and anything else is speculation. Usage wear would not be apparent on a weight, or a piece that was not finished. I think what happened here is it is largely a natural rock and easily missed in photos. But the pecking of the notches is very apparent to my eyes at least. So I wanted to point that out. It just seemed apparent enough to do so.

 

[Charl]

also keep in mind...if it is an artifact...what was it used for, not just "what does it resemble"...is there usage wear, how was it hafted, was it hand held, what was it intended to do...AND once you answer that...compare it to undisputed pieces...does it still hold up?

What struck me in the original photos was the profile shot that looked the part of a humpback adz. Of course it was ready to see it was a natural rock. But I was also certain the groove was man made. So I could not get around the pecking I saw to start with. The adz like profile could be merely coincidental. Unfortunately, I all too often find "pick me up" forms of classic tools, instances where a native saw a shortcut and got there. Leaving me to find a really crude artifact down the line. So I thought I might possibly be seeing that in this rock. But never finished, for reasons only the native could answer. I'm basically just reacting to what I saw as a groove that clearly had been pecked into the rock.