Atlatl Help

[Sheperdess]

I need to educate myself on atlatl weights. Is there anyone out there who can help me with this?

 

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[Sheperdess]

I sent many pictures to Sandchip last night. He is going to post them for me. So please stand by...

 

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[sandchip]

Here are Sheperdess's pictures. I numbered them so that she and others can make comments about them. Sorry that it took so long. Been a busy day.

 

[sandchip]

A few more. Love that corner tang.

 

[Sheperdess]

Picture #1 & 2 I am comparing it to the one in my Dad's collection. I love the little divot on the end of his.

 

[Sheperdess]

Picture #3 I wanted you to see that one side is flatter while the others are rounded.

 

[Sheperdess]

Picture #4 I took it to the post office and weighed it. It's actual weight is 4.8, but it tipped the scale to 4.9 when I rolled it to the edge to fit it into the picture. Mine weighs a little more than Dad's.

 

[Sheperdess]

Picture 5 I am showing the flat side of it, which I believe it would have been against the wood.
And #6 shows the polished sheen from use.

 

[Sheperdess]

Picture 7 and 8 are my other finds of the day.
The Corner Tang was unbelievable! That made my summer!!

 

[Sheperdess]

In picture 7... The stone in the center has a groove down the middle of it on bother sides. And another on the edge as I am showing in picture #9. This grinding stone shows very smooth wear on all sides except the one opposite where they used it to chop the heck out of something. It is an awesome tool!
My family has hunted this private land since the early 1960's. It has treated us well.
Now let's hear what you guys have to say.
A big thanks to Sandchip for communicating my pictures. And thanks to all else for you patience.

 

[Garscale]

I believe both are artifacts but suspect neither are weights. I would guess both are loaf pestles .

 

[Sheperdess]

They are not ground down on the ends. The dark one IS an atlatl weight. State Archy told me that when he saw it. And I ask ed him because my Dad had said it was, and I wanted to be sure.

 

[releventchair]

They teeter on the edge for me.
Yes they could have been secured with wet rawhide or sinew for example. And would suffice for expedient weights.IF weight suited the users desired weight.

The wear suggests something else.
I'm no whiz with studying pictures though.

They have been handles since recovered. That adds oil. How much they had signs of oil when found could tell more if they were handled a lot prior.

Garscale mentions pestles.
Like others , there's lots of experience with artifacts behind that. More experience than mine.

Georgia , and more specifically the recovery sites and what existed at the time for nuts or grains a pestle would be used on is where I'd look next.
Yes , they could have been used on the flesh side of small thin hides to touch up areas of epidermis the scraper didn't get, but anytime my hand gets cramping ;it's the wrong tool or process...

Again , what existed in the suspected era? Pine nuts?
Were feather quills flattened before cutting?

Porcupines are not known (to me anyways) to have been in the state.
(A trader from Florida wanted them up here in the midwest years back at a shoot.)
Those quills are flattened to work with for quill work. I tried a knife back. A long enough pestle shape could be dragged along them.A thumb rest would help.


So , congrats on the relics. But I don't know what the suspected weights were used for for sure.
Context of the area and previously identified relics might help.
Though not all i.d.'s are accurate.

 

[Mine Shaft]

I don't see a Atlatl weight.

 

[Tdog]

My opinion is they both look like water-worn river rocks with no evidence of alteration by man.

 

[Huzzah!]

My opinion is they both look like water-worn river rocks with no evidence of alteration by man.

Agreed.

 

[Aurora1959]

Yep, that corner tang is a beauty, but the "atlatl weights" look like natural rocks IMHO. It seems like you've got a good hunting spot Shepherdess...keep posting pics of your finds!!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I believe both are artifacts but suspect neither are weights. I would guess both are loaf pestles .

From her scale they are only 3 inches long, or about the size of a lighter. I'd think that's a little small for a Pestle. I also don't see anything that says Atl-Atl Weight to me. Not seeing any grooves and the indentions could very well be natural. There are some nice pieces in picture #8, but everything else looks natural to me. JMO

 

[Garscale]

From her scale they are only 3 inches long, or about the size of a lighter. I'd think that's a little small for a Pestle. I also don't see anything that says Atl-Atl Weight to me. Not seeing any grooves and the indentions could very well be natural. There are some nice pieces in picture #8, but everything else looks natural to me. JMO

I hear you. I have seen cigar sized rocks like those well used to grind or work leather. From the pics I can't be positive they aren't natural. I am pretty sure they are not atlatl weights though.

 

[Sheperdess]

Ok, so the scale leans towards it not being atlatl. That is what I needed to know. That is ok with me. I can picture it as a tool to rub across a hide. It fits my hand that way too. So I'll go with that theory. It makes sense. But, I must inform you all, that I have been hunting Indian artifacts for over 60 years. All rocks in my photos are Native American . I know the difference between a river rock or a natural stone and one that has been worked by Natives. Maybe you should check out some of my old threads. You will see some of my collection. I'd like to thank everyone for their input.

 

[Quartzite Keith]

The stones are natural in the sense that they were shaped by nature, not human hands. There are creeks around me where stones like that can be picked up by the bushel. There is no need to modify them, whatever size or shape you want can be found with enough looking.

What makes them unnatural is the context they were found in, in a place they didn't belong and in association with recognizable artifacts. So, someone had the presence of mind to bring them there and they must have had some use. The wear pattern on the darker one in photo #1 is interesting in how it is heavier on one end and appears to extend around to the fatter end. One can easily imagine the narrower end (left side in the photo) being where it was gripped, tilted up slightly, and rubbed on something not terribly abrasive. Like a hide? Could be.