Worn Unifacial Discoida

[Tesorodeoro]

Handstone

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I had posted this previously calling it a “mano rind” (my made up terminology for a worn out grinding stone that was discarded once it was no longer useful). The use surface is extremely smooth, almost like a wet stone.

Moderators were kind enough to move it to the Geofact forum (which truthfully was a little insulting). The pictured “geofact” was found adjacent to a NA dwelling, which doesn’t prove anything. In my opinion, it just gives it some context compared to some rock found in a creek or farmers field.

At any rate, I ran across more correct terminology and wanted to share for future reference. “UNIFACIAL DISCOIDAL HANDSTONE”. Can’t shine a light through it, but I still think it’s cool.

Other examples I provided could be referred to as follows;

“Indeterminate Ground Stone. Indeterminate ground stone includes objects made of abrasive material that have at least one ground surface, but the items are too fragmentary to be identified to more specific types.”

Alternatively; “unidentifiable ground stone fragments”.

I’ve read that worn grinding stones were purposely broken or repurposed when they were used up. Perhaps thrown in the fire pit?

At any rate, feel free to move this to where ever you see fit.
I will refrain in the future from reposting refuted finds.
Carry on.

 

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[BillA]

Discoidal is merely using a complicated term for Round
it is applied to many items contributing nothing to their understanding
so it would seem to be a round unifacial grinding stone

more interesting is the amount of stone ground off, and consumed
be interesting to see their molars

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Discoidal is merely using a complicated term for Round
it is applied to many items contributing nothing to their understanding
so it would seem to be a round unifacial grinding stone

more interesting is the amount of stone ground off, and consumed
be interesting to see their molars

Well it’s the terminology that folks like to use that study remnants of implements used in daily survival.
I don’t think I’d call it a “tool” necessarily.

 

[sandchip]

This is the feature that would make me hesitant to dismiss it as a just another rock. Looks like something was going on along that edge.

 

[BillA]

so it would fit the metate?
to me clearly a grinder

 

[dirstscratcher]

Definitely an artifact in my view. However referring to it as a discoidal is confusing terms. According to the attached document, it's simply a hand stone. The term discoidal is typically used in reference, well, to a discoidal, fully formed round, and flattened on both sides, with possibly some indentation on one or both sides.

 

[Tdog]

The correct name for the artifact...

Mano - noun, plural ma·nos [mah-nohz; Spanish mah-naws]. the upper or handheld stone used when grinding maize or other grains on a metate.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

The correct name for the artifact...

Mano - noun, plural ma·nos [mah-nohz; Spanish mah-naws]. the upper or handheld stone used when grinding maize or other grains on a metate.

That is also a kind of regional type definition since not every people had access to maize or relied heavily on grains. I understand here they ground acorns, venison, dried berries, nuts, herbs, roots, etc.
They also used abrasive stones to shape tools.

The typical mano used to grind maize was used with two hands. I understand this paper is making the distinction that these types of grind stones were utilized with one hand (hand stone), further classifying them.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Here is the link to the paper.

https://www.persee.fr/doc/paleo_0153-9345_1992_num_18_2_4573

It’s written to describe ground stone artifacts in the Middle East, which could be the source for the confusing use of the word “discoidal”. It should be noted that word is only being used to describe the plan view shape (having a flat circular form). They are attempting to classify 64 different shapes of utilized stones.



My point was only that a ground stone implement does not need to be shaped a special way, it only has to exhibit signs of use wear (either one side or multiple sides) and be composed of suitable material.

 

[uniface]

"Discoidal" is a standard term used re. artifacts, FWIW.

 

[BillA]

would disagree, the term discoidal has been used for a variety of artifacts many being recognizably different
but having in common a nominally circular shape and both sides the same, often with dimples

items referred to as discoidal include smaller highly polished gaming pieces and somewhat larger grinding pieces whose actual use is not understood

I have a thread on discoidal grinders under Central America here

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I tried to get a picture showing the wear marks, but it is difficult
to capture. They are very fine, linear and coming from all directions.
You can only see them when it is wet and only for a brief time while the water is soaking in.


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Who knows what it was used for, but it looks like it served its purpose well.

 

[tomclark]

Don't be conjecturing too much, too long. It's a simple unifacial scraper just all eaten up might be a sign of the age of it. I have many pieces in my collection that would be summarily called rocks because they are severely degraded and chalky paleo pieces. The work and use-wear is the chipping along the sides not the bottom or top. (IMHOP)

 

[Fat]

They are absolutely a tool. The process of making pemmican you would use a Mano and matte. Take a nice roast and pound It out into a thin well tenderized cube steak or minute steak only taken to the next next level. Add some Berry’s into the mix too. I think the terms we are using now are correct in describing.

I just started reading your reference book and on the cover page it says Identifying from ASIA. You are not useing the correct book for North American continent.

 

[MosesOfTheSouth]

only "doscodial" i have found in the middle of the pic. a perfect circle shaped like a wheel that you could roll.

i think terry got it right calling it a type of mano.

not sure why your other post got moved to the geofacts forum.

the pieces you posted in the other thread appeared to all have use. especially the one included in this thread.

they may have been fractured during use/fire/ice/time.

 

[H.P.]

Don't be conjecturing too much, too long. It's a simple unifacial scraper just all eaten up might be a sign of the age of it. I have many pieces in my collection that would be summarily called rocks because they are severely degraded and chalky paleo pieces. The work and use-wear is the chipping along the sides not the bottom or top. (IMHOP)

Tom beat me to it, it’s a unifacial scraper.,Imo.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

They are absolutely a tool. The process of making pemmican you would use a Mano and matte. Take a nice roast and pound It out into a thin well tenderized cube steak or minute steak only taken to the next next level. Add some Berry’s into the mix too. I think the terms we are using now are correct in describing.

I just started reading your reference book and on the cover page it says Identifying from ASIA. You are not useing the correct book for North American continent.

Middle East...Actually Western Asia. I was thinking these ancient tools are pretty much universal across the world?
What would an equivalent publication be for North American ground stone tools?

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I had thought that it would make a good scraper with it being ground down so thin.
Someone had said it looked like a chopper, but didn’t show enough edge wear.

Is it possible it was both a grinding stone AND a scraper AND a chopper in its lifetime?

It’s definitely not just a cleanly broken cobble used as a scraper.

Here’s the edges..

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[Tdog]

View attachment 1894764

Better move it off the TV tray before you mistake it for a biscuit!

 

[Charl]

What’s being talked about in this thread reminds me of a muller. Described in the Massachusetts Archaeological Society artifact handbook: “It is made of a flat-faced cobble of convenient size for hand use, and was used to grind...in shallow stone mortars. Mullers from Late Archaic contexts are definitely associated with nutting activities.” I believe the pecking divot in this muller likely was from bashing nuts before grinding them...