Indian Rock North Ga

[Essex]

Thought some may be interested in seeing this rock we have locally. It has a bowl on the top of it and a groove running off the side. It is in a very isolated area where two creeks come together.

 

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[PaDirtDigger]

Ive seen something similar somewhere in the past... Very very cool... I appreciate you sharing that with us!!!!

 

[Americus]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[rock]

What do the professionals say it was used for? By the looks of the one side it looks as if at one time the water was rushing against it to carve the side out like that.
Just a good example of how high the water use to be many years ago.

 

[Essex]

I took a geologist friend who attended UGA (and avid indian artifact hunter) down there and he told me that the bowl was likely used as a press of sorts; mainly for corn, but also nuts, remedies, etc.
He said that the water from the creeks had carved the stone into the shape it's in. Where it's located in relation to the creeks (just beyond one of the creek banks), it's conceivable that flood waters could reach it still.

 

[rock]

I could tell it had been shaped by water. Lots of big boulders were used like that around creeks. Thanks for posting

 

[GarbageCollector]

I've read that similar stones were used to produce pine pitch. Fat pine wood was placed in the bowl shape, covered with clay, and then a fire built on top of it. The pitch then ran thru the channel into a container.

 

[Essex]

That is really interesting! I'm going to catalog that so I can share with others. I guess something as permanent as a rock bowl would've had many uses like that.
The more I learn about the Native Americans, the more amazed I am at how resourceful they were. Of course I guess they had to be.
Thanks for your comment.

 

[GarbageCollector]

There's an interesting story about how the mountain folks up in your neck of the woods used them for that same purpose in one of the Firefox books. I would assume that one group learned from the other. Love those books.

 

[Essex]

You know, I've been to the Foxfire Museum in Clayton, but never read the books. I may see if I can find some digital copies and read them; or better yet, maybe I'll run across the video documentaries.

 

[rock]

I guess the thought of an alter would be crazy? I say that with the flat section on top and also on how the bowl has a drain section for run off. If it was a Mortar it wouldnt have the run off section imo. Probably be a mystery for many years to come as to how it was used.

 

[Essex]

With something like this I wouldn't rule out anything. I think "mystery" is a good way to describe it.

 

[GarbageCollector]

I thought about it being used as an altar also. I don't really know if the Creek or Cherokee did anything like animal sacrifice, but who knows about the people before them. I've found some good research articles on the more "recent" Native Americans in our area but not as much as I'd like. I can't remember the professor's name, but they're listed on his page on the University of West Florida website. He studied mainly Creek sites up and down the Flint and Chattahoochee basin. Fascinating stuff.

 

[GarbageCollector]

Found the link. His name is John Worth. Papers are listed in the research section if interested.

John Worth - Welcome

 

[Essex]

I read some of his papers and find his research very interesting. I enjoyed it, thanks

 

[Essex]

My daughter and I hiked back to the Indian rock and I took a few pictures of the underside. What are the smooth indentions (now dirt dobber homes)? It's just on one side of the rock.

 

[rock]

That rock is huge! If it were me I would get a clear view of the higher spots beyond the ancient water level according to the rock wear to see where the camp site would of been. Cute kid you have I bet she had a blast with her dad.

 

[GarbageCollector]

Those indentations almost look like someone knocked pieces of the rock off at one time to use for making tools or something. Your daughter definitely gives it scale, it's wayyy bigger than I thought from the first pics.

 

[Essex]

Yeah when I went back I hadn't remembered it being that big either.
That's a good idea rock. Next time I go I'm going to evaluate the site a little better. It's a really interesting place bc in front of the rock is a nice size creek. Behind it is a hill that goes up, then drops down to another creek.
My daughter does love to go. She plays in the creek while I look. Ha

 

[ptsofnc]

That is really interesting! I'm going to catalog that so I can share with others. I guess something as permanent as a rock bowl would've had many uses like that.
The more I learn about the Native Americans, the more amazed I am at how resourceful they were. Of course I guess they had to be.
Thanks for your comment.

Yeah. Just as smart and intelligent as us "modern people" without the accumulation of knowledge as we have. Probably just as evil and capable of good as we are too...maybe. People.