Hardstone plummets

[mainejman]

Here are a few different styles of plummets and a few odds and ends..mjm

 

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[MAMucker]

Love those, all!

 

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[MAMucker]

I have seen a hexagonal form in a fellow collector’s collection. Most that I have seen are made of Hematite, which is a very dense/heavy yet soft material.

 

[MAMucker]

That fishing lure configuration would make an excellent bottom jig with a little strip of clam on each hook. I’ve often wondered how NAs caught Cod Fish (deep water bottom dwellers)

 

[tomclark]

In FL for grouper and shark!

 

[mainejman]

And it's safe to say you dont see many like this...mjm

 

[Out Of Time]

I've read that , in certain areas of California at least, 'plummets' were used as charm stones that were suspended from a stick or tree branch above favoured fishing spots.

I think this is as good an explanation as any for their precise function.

 

[tomclark]

pottery.... MANY plummets have a flat or flattish side.... and some plummets have two knobs or a groove down the center. Charl's grooved one is perfect..... for tying onto a long stick to use as a gig-weight...... what say you boom?

 

[redbeardrelics]

I was thinking the illustration of a fishing weight and hook rig looked a little "fishy" to me. Most plummets have a top knob groove that seems too shallow to hold up to the rigors of reeling in a fighting fish of much size? It also seems that plummets are also found in locations where fishing weights would not be expected to be needed, or found.
I am liking the idea that they were some sort of loom weaving weights, as being one of the more plausible hypothesis out there. The thinner, smaller and flat sided plummet designs might play into such thoughts? Cool artifacts and awesome examples posted here !

 

[A2coins]

Those are absolutely amazing I have a display case for artifacts like that and have looked for stuff like that for years it remains empty lol Thanks for sharing those really great finds Wow Tommy

 

[arrow86]

I was thinking the illustration of a fishing weight and hook rig looked a little "fishy" to me. Most plummets have a top knob groove that seems too shallow to hold up to the rigors of reeling in a fighting fish of much size? It also seems that plummets are also found in locations where fishing weights would not be expected to be needed, or found.
I am liking the idea that they were some sort of loom weaving weights, as being one of the more plausible hypothesis out there. The thinner, smaller and flat sided plummet designs might play into such thoughts? Cool artifacts and awesome examples posted here !

Have you ever found any around your area ? Personally I have not and can’t think of many local collections I see
Them either

 

[Tnmountains]

Tom Clark said as a gig weight. Made me stop and think about my flipping sticks and jigs for fishing. Sometimes the idea is to jig straight down into a downfall or obstruction. A plummet would take you straight down into an obstruction and it would also hold the bait down to keep it from floating up. So its use is two fold hold the bait down and straight, just as you do when running a trot line.
Pretty cool items. I have one of pottery which I think is a net weight.

 

[redbeardrelics]

Have you ever found any around your area ? Personally I have not and can’t think of many local collections I see
Them either

I only have one that I found locally as shown in the photos from the day I found it. Odd story in that I was metal detecting an old home site in one of the fields I surface hunt for artifacts. The home site wasn't actually on one of the several prehistoric sites that I am aware of in that field, and this plummet wasn't visible on the surface of the ground. I only found it by digging up a signal that turned out to be the only Indian head cent I found on that site, and the plummet came up out of the small hole the cent was in. I couldn't believe it, and got so psyched I pretty much stopped metal detecting and started surface hunting for artifacts through the unturned and winter weathered soybean stubble, and found a few other things. I am not sure if I found it where it was left by it's original user(s), or if it was found elsewhere by someone who lived on that historic home site, and then lost it there?
Most of the local collectors that I have seen set up at local shows seem to have a couple plummets in their collections, but not many from what I recall. I think they are considered fairly scarce here on the Delmarva.

 

[Tdog]

Looks like you found a couple of quartz Morrow Mountain stemmed points and a chert Brewerton side-notched point as well as that plummet. I've found 1000's of Indian artifacts but never a plummet. Good score.

 

[arrow86]

I only have one that I found locally as shown in the photos from the day I found it. Odd story in that I was metal detecting an old home site in one of the fields I surface hunt for artifacts. The home site wasn't actually on one of the several prehistoric sites that I am aware of in that field, and this plummet wasn't visible on the surface of the ground. I only found it by digging up a signal that turned out to be the only Indian head cent I found on that site, and the plummet came up out of the small hole the cent was in. I couldn't believe it, and got so psyched I pretty much stopped metal detecting and started surface hunting for artifacts through the unturned and winter weathered soybean stubble, and found a few other things. I am not sure if I found it where it was left by it's original user(s), or if it was found elsewhere by someone who lived on that historic home site, and then lost it there?
Most of the local collectors that I have seen set up at local shows seem to have a couple plummets in their collections, but not many from what I recall. I think they are considered fairly scarce here on the Delmarva.
View attachment 1792477 View attachment 1792478

That’s awesome! I bet you will always remember that day ,that plummet found you. Thanks for the pics and backstory

 

[CHUDs]

I think they put so much work into plummets so that they wouldn’t get snagged. They were rounded so they wouldn’t spin or flip in the water with current. It kept the bait more stable.

 

[Force_of_Iron]

Possibly some sort of slung weapon for when you are closing on an opponent. You mentioning hieroglyphics reminded me of the sling weapons the egyptians used.

They used theirs to throw stones in later periods but perhaps in the earliest days they were still tied to a lash.