Is is common to find pine tar?

[Fred250]

Found a hunk of tar like substance that smells like pine, hence I assume pine tar. I had read an article about ancient tar production and wondered if anyone found these commonly. Will get some pics up in a little bit.

 

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[Fred250]

Originally was one big piece

 

[releventchair]

Glue for arrow heads ,knives ect. was often pitch heated with added powdered charcoal and very dry dung or vegetative similar powder.

That does not mean raw ,or pre tempered/mixed and allowed to reharden pitch was not carried or stored instead of visiting a bark wound at intervals to collect it when desired.

Not sure about tar. Though real tar smells different than raw pine pitch for sure. And runs black , vs amber.

You could heat some in a disposable can carefully and test and experiment...

 

[Fred250]

Glad to know there is dung now that I played with it. Thanks for the info

 

[Fred250]

I would call the inside color black and really strong pine smell. Almost like it was coated in something to allow handling. Not trying to make fabulous claims, judt wondering if a common find.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Pine tar was important in the age of sail for preserving rope and sealing seams between the planks. An important industry in the New England and Southeastern colonies. England paid a bounty for naval stores, and it was an economic jump start for early settlers when they initially began clearing the virgin forest along the east coast in America. If you found this in these areas, it may be a remnant of this crucial industry.

 

[Fred250]

Thanks It could be I’m in New England, and I did look it up before posting so could well be modern, just found as everything else in a context that to me speaks native. I have zero knowledge and it was near some modern planted pines of a particular species I can’t recall but a southern variety I believe. I wondered if it somehow was related to those but not likely in my mind. I just hoped it might be something cool.

 

[releventchair]

Thanks It could be I’m in New England, and I did look it up before posting so could well be modern, just found as everything else in a context that to me speaks native. I have zero knowledge and it was near some modern planted pines of a particular species I can’t recall but a southern variety I believe. I wondered if it somehow was related to those but not likely in my mind. I just hoped it might be something cool.

It is cool.
Besides historical uses ,and for a scent when burned today ,it brings a relationship to amber for an even deeper history.
A good thing to have in a firemaking kit in your ramblins outdoors as it will still help when wet.

Keep it fun ,you'll have fun. Beats the alternative.