Anything?

[Older The Better]

A few weeks back I was looking at a site. I found this rock. The only reason I have any question of it being anything is the context. Right in the middle of a site full of flakes and such. It was a foot down in soil and a foot above sandstone bedrock. It’s a stone like you find in the river a mile away and shows evidence of being in a fire… so any chances it’s anything? It was enough I didn’t toss it, and probably just a rock but doesn’t hurt to ask. Maybe some sort of hammer stone although no fresh battered edges, or a small cooking stone?

 

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[Relicgrubber]

I vote "Just a Brown Rock"

What do you think it is? Why did you pick it up?

 

[LandSeig]

Definitely some high grade leverite.

 

[CreekSide]

Yeah just a stone. I blew the picture up but doesn’t show any grinding or flaking

 

[Older The Better]

I asked because it’s in middle of an Indian site, floating in the dirt, I guess I didn’t mention it’s up on a bluff so being river rock it didn’t get there through floods or anything. I thought it was worth asking because my gut says it doesn’t belong although I agree it doesn’t look like anything… been thinking since I posted and I think I have a good explanation, they used that stone, some is jasper, some is a flint to make points and tools, I think it got hauled up probably in a group from the river, thrown in a fire for heat treatment and then for whatever reason not selected to use as a tool.
Here’s a picture of the flakes within a 2’ radius, probably just shy of a couple feet deep hole

 

[antmike915]

Also agree with natural but don't blame you for picking it up. I had a site I called core city. Material was everywhere and you couldn't help but to walk out with a backpack of cores, preforms and scrapers. 99.9% was material; the other .01% was other rock. I always wonder how the "other " rock got there. Some of that were rocks perfectly shaped like small eggs. I always thought they were natural but picked them up because you never know. They sit in various places outside so if I ever found out they were something I can easily find them again.

 

[southfork]

I would have carried it home. I've looked at this several times and sometimes a tool shows. Laying out in nature for thousands of years a lot of changes happen.

 

[creskol]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if that was a pestle.

 

[scruggs]

Nice flint material in the area! Keep an eye on that spot something good may show up!

 

[Older The Better]

thanks for the interest all, i just kept looking at it laying on the table wondering about it, pestle was another thought, but I’d like to see some color change/wear around the business end. I’ve got a stash I call odd rocks, it’ll probably head there.

 

[old digger]

The two toned coloring looks like the fire rock that is found around camp sites here in Montana. Just a reminder, the river rock was heated in the hot coals and them used to heat up their food. The opposite of how we warm up our food now a days. You could confirm this if you can find more of these charred river rock in the immediate area.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Also agree with natural but don't blame you for picking it up. I had a site I called core city. Material was everywhere and you couldn't help but to walk out with a backpack of cores, preforms and scrapers. 99.9% was material; the other .01% was other rock. I always wonder how the "other " rock got there. Some of that were rocks perfectly shaped like small eggs. I always thought they were natural but picked them up because you never know. They sit in various places outside so if I ever found out they were something I can easily find them again.

It sounds like you were at a place a lot of knapping was going on. The round rocks were probably hammer stones used to knap the flint. Very common where I live.

 

[Older The Better]

The two toned coloring looks like the fire rock that is found around camp sites here in Montana. Just a reminder, the river rock was heated in the hot coals and them used to heat up their food. The opposite of how we warm up our food now a days. You could confirm this if you can find more of these charred river rock in the immediate area.

There is more evidence of fire, it’s usually sandstone that’s been burnt, and the occasional mussel shell pops up, I do believe they were eating at the site, so I’m with you it could be for cooking, next time I work that spot I’ll pay more attention to evidence of fire.

 

[CreekSide]

There is more evidence of fire, it’s usually sandstone that’s been burnt, and the occasional mussel shell pops up, I do believe they were eating at the site, so I’m with you it could be for cooking, next time I work that spot I’ll pay more attention to evidence of fire.

I’ve found polished rocks in camps before and brought them home even crystals