Help! I think I found a Native American Stone Gouge - or at least some artifact

[stephenyoung]

I live near South Berwick Maine off of the Salmon Falls River. While I was digging in the garden I came across this stone and immediately thought that it was hand carved. Im having a hard time identifying it online, but it looks like a Gouge, but cant be sure.

It is VERY smooth on one side, and on the "inside" it is grooved and doesn't look natural.

Any help would be appreciated!!

Thanks!!

 

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[monsterrack]

That's what it looks like to me. We have a member that goes by mainejman check out some of his post. He has found a lot of those. Thanks for posting and Welcome to T-net

 

[gordonquixote]

Just a natural rock that has been split longwise with the 'grain'.

 

[Henryadams1492]

To me, it looks like bone

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I'm not sure about that one. It doesn't look like it's ever been used for any purpose.

 

[arrow86]

I think natural I believe the inside groove would have been smoother if it was a gouge

 

[Charl]

Boy, that is a tough one. On the one hand, you're in the gouge capital of North America, and it shows the right form for what is termed a plain gouge. On the other hand, the outside does not look worked(pecked and ground) into shape, though it would not be unusual if they started with just the right shape natural rock. But when I enlarge the last photo and look at the interior surface, looks very uneven and lumpy, as if not used. So I can see why folks say "natural", but, boy it is a teaser. I would hang onto it until you can maybe show an experienced Maine artifact hunter/collector.

 

[Dust-Devil]

Hi
for what its worth---if you visit the little huron river in Michigan theres tons of that stuff, just a rock that has tumbled forever and taken a shape (leverite?)
still worth a look

 

[Charl]

Hi
for what its worth---if you visit the little huron river in Michigan theres tons of that stuff, just a rock that has tumbled forever and taken a shape (leverite?)
still worth a look

Cool, but his does not look like it's ever been tumbled in water, and he dug it up, not found in water. It's tough because it's exactly what a plain gouge looks like, but for the apparently natural outer surface. And, when you consider there are likely more gouges of all types found in Maine then virtually all other states combined, it can cause a double take at least. I'd like to examine it in hand, esp. the trough....

I'd still go with natural unless proven otherwise....

 

[sandchip]

Almost looks like petrified wood.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Cool, but his does not look like it's ever been tumbled in water, and he dug it up, not found in water. It's tough because it's exactly what a plain gouge looks like, but for the apparently natural outer surface. And, when you consider there are likely more gouges of all types found in Maine then virtually all other states combined, it can cause a double take at least. I'd like to examine it in hand, esp. the trough....

I'd still go with natural unless proven otherwise....

I've noticed that too. Are there any theories about the reasoning behind this? I have hunted for 50+ years in my area of southern Ohio and have found only one piece that I think may be a gouge and it too is kind of crude looking. I'll get a picture and post it later.

 

[Charl]

I've noticed that too. Are there any theories about the reasoning behind this? I have hunted for 50+ years in my area of southern Ohio and have found only one piece that I think may be a gouge and it too is kind of crude looking. I'll get a picture and post it later.

Yes, it's likely because the Maritime Archaic, one phase of which were once known as the Lost Red Paint people(the Moorehead Phase) were deep sea fishermen. They went well out into the Atlantic hunting swordfish, etc. So, they built many sea worthy vessels for generations, and needed gouges and adzes to do that degree of woodwork. Even down here in RI, in the 1600's Roger Williams reported the Narragansett built vessels that could carry 50 men, and were ocean going vessels. I've only found one intact gouge myself, and a couple of broken, but it's the Maritime Archaic, which developed in the Middle Archaic, who really went to town where deep sea fishing was concerned. And they were concentrated in coastal Maine into maritime Canada up as far as Newfoundland and Labrador....

 

[arrow86]

Really unreal to think about the boats they were building and going that far ..... Even for boats built today that's still a difficult excursion