Natural or man made?

[lv2sign804]

I found this digging in the stream in my back yard. It was part of the Powhatan Indian settlement. Can anyone tell me if this is us just a really cool piece of nature or if a native American made it way back when??

 

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[Ohiogoldfever]

I found this digging in the stream in my back yard. It was part of the Powhatan Indian settlement. Can anyone tell me if this is us just a really cool piece of nature or if a native American made it way back when??

Looks natural to me. Water worn

 

[Tdog]

Mother nature made it. Can't see any evidence of human hands shaping it.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I also agree with Ohiogoldfever and TDog, natural erosion, I don't see any signs of man's hands. Most pictures are out of focus when blown up but one is still in focus and it reveals natural erosion..

 

[antmike915]

Agree with above comments

 

[lv2sign804]

Thank you so much for all your opinions. I appreciate it. In trying to learn more, how can you tell if man made or natural?

 

[Tdog]

Thank you so much for all your opinions. I appreciate it. In trying to learn more, how can you tell if man made or natural?

Take a look into pecking and grinding stone artifacts. This link should help...

Pecked, Ground, and Abraded Stone

cas.anthropology.txstate.edu

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thank you so much for all your opinions. I appreciate it. In trying to learn more, how can you tell if man made or natural?

Look at it, there are no signs of work by man, no pecking, grinding, flaking visible when picture is blown up.

Ground Stone Artifacts | The Office of the State Archaeologist

archaeology.uiowa.edu

 

[lv2sign804]

Look at it, there are no signs of work by man, no pecking, grinding, flaking visible when picture is blown up.

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Look at it, there are no signs of work by man, no pecking, grinding, flaking visible when picture is blown up.

Ground Stone Artifacts | The Office of the State Archaeologist

archaeology.uiowa.edu

I did. I asked if it was natural or not because it looked odd to me. The flat part on top and the shape of the bottom was nothing I have seen before. I know nothing about artifacts, but would love to learn. Eitj respect, telling me to look at it, "no works" ldoesn't tell me anything since I know nothing. I don't know what that means. I understand arrowheads, and the chipping on them, but nothing about other items they made.

 

[Tdog]

I can understand your frustration with this stuff as I have gone through the same thing. Some pieces are difficult to size up. Knowledge of recognizing artifacts doesn't come immediately. You have to understand the processes and examine many, many examples of the real thing. You have to know which tools are in the whole body of items that were produced in the stone age. You have to know the preferred material that was used to produce each specific item (celt, hoe, hammer, anvil, chisel, abrader, banner, axe, pipe, mano, metate, mortar, pestle, etc...) and the production technique(s) used. If evidence of human intervention or usage is absent on any stone piece, by default, it's a geological formation and not an artifact--a geofact. Discussion boards, such as this one, and it's members are here for information sharing and to help teach and point people in the right direction for learning--not to tutor. This is the information age so everyone should use GOOGLE or a similar product and do the research like I and many others here do. A geological forum IMO may be better suited for your piece. You could find out all the details about how it formed. From an archaeological point of view and as artifact hunters & collectors, we're saying specifics of what's not there for it to be an artifact but not what is there and how it's final form came to be.

Take a look at these links for understanding pecking and grinding to produce certain tools...

https://www.google.com/search?q=und...ome..69i57.19961j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I did. I asked if it was natural or not because it looked odd to me. The flat part on top and the shape of the bottom was nothing I have seen before. I know nothing about artifacts, but would love to learn. Eitj respect, telling me to look at it, "no works" ldoesn't tell me anything since I know nothing. I don't know what that means. I understand arrowheads, and the chipping on them, but nothing about other items they made.

Go to a book store and pick up some books on Indian artifacts, Lar Hothem has some good books on stone artifacts

 

[lv2sign804]

Go to a book store and pick up some books on Indian artifacts, Lar Hothem has some good books on stone artifacts

Great idea! Thank you

 

[lv2sign804]

I can understand your frustration with this stuff as I have gone through the same thing. Some pieces are difficult to size up. Knowledge of recognizing artifacts doesn't come immediately. You have to understand the processes and examine many, many examples of the real thing. You have to know which tools are in the whole body of items that were produced in the stone age. You have to know the preferred material that was used to produce each specific item (celt, hoe, hammer, anvil, chisel, abrader, banner, axe, pipe, mano, metate, mortar, pestle, etc...) and the production technique(s) used. If evidence of human intervention or usage is absent on any stone piece, by default, it's a geological formation and not an artifact--a geofact. Discussion boards, such as this one, and it's members are here for information sharing and to help teach and point people in the right direction for learning--not to tutor. This is the information age so everyone should use GOOGLE or a similar product and do the research like I and many others here do. A geological forum IMO may be better suited for your piece. You could find out all the details about how it formed. From an archaeological point of view and as artifact hunters & collectors, we're saying specifics of what's not there for it to be an artifact but not what is there and how it's final form came to be.

Take a look at these links for understanding pecking and grinding to produce certain tools...

https://www.google.com/search?

http://

 

[lv2sign804]

http://

Thank you so much! Very helpful!

I can understand your frustration with this stuff as I have gone through the same thing. Some pieces are difficult to size up. Knowledge of recognizing artifacts doesn't come immediately. You have to understand the processes and examine many, many examples of the real thing. You have to know which tools are in the whole body of items that were produced in the stone age. You have to know the preferred material that was used to produce each specific item (celt, hoe, hammer, anvil, chisel, abrader, banner, axe, pipe, mano, metate, mortar, pestle, etc...) and the production technique(s) used. If evidence of human intervention or usage is absent on any stone piece, by default, it's a geological formation and not an artifact--a geofact. Discussion boards, such as this one, and it's members are here for information sharing and to help teach and point people in the right direction for learning--not to tutor. This is the information age so everyone should use GOOGLE or a similar product and do the research like I and many others here do. A geological forum IMO may be better suited for your piece. You could find out all the details about how it formed. From an archaeological point of view and as artifact hunters & collectors, we're saying specifics of what's not there for it to be an artifact but not what is there and how it's final form came to be.

Take a look at these links for understanding pecking and grinding to produce certain tools...

https://www.google.com/search?q=und...ome..69i57.19961j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

This is so helpful, thank you for understanding and all the help. I appreciate it so very much!

 

[lv2sign804]

Thank you so much! Very helpful!

This is so helpful, thank you for understanding and all the help. I appreciate it so very much!

 

[lv2sign804]

Tdog, I found several other pieces that after watching the YouTube video you posted and watching others, believe I really do have something in another rock. I have found several others like this, but I think this goes along with the videos for identification. You can see the peck marks where the fingers go and the bottom has very rough markings going one way like it has been rubbed a lot.
The reason I'm asking to learn is that Powhatan Indians lived on my property. My house was built on one of their homesites. See the attached and see if I did my homework with the link you suggested, and the others I watched😊

Thank you so much! Very helpful!

This is so helpful, thank you for understanding and all the help. I appreciate it so very much!

l

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[Tdog]

I think that piece is a natural piece too. It looks to have a depression where a band of softer material eroded away and the end that I think you believe is battering is further erosion. There would be crushing and smoothing there if it was a grinder or hammer. What do you think it is anyway? Those finger grooves you speak of is natural erosion. Don't get hung up on "It Fits My Hand". The human hand is a remarkable piece of work that can take most any rock of a suitable size and make it feel comfortable to hold. As far as the Powhatan Indians go, I'd wager that most of what you may find would predate any known tribe name. Their names have been lost to the ages. That's what the evidence with my experience tells me. I love your enthusiasm though so don't give up. Keep searching and studying examples of known tools and you will know when you find an artifact. You won't have to ask. I would love to see If anyone else has anything to contribute to this thread,

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sorry, the piece looks natural like the other one. Don't let yourself get caught up in how a rock fits in your hand, that is not a sign of being worked by man, it is a sign of the marvel of the human hand and opposable thumbs.

 

[lv2sign804]

Sorry, the piece looks natural like the other one. Don't let yourself get caught up in how a rock fits in your hand, that is not a sign of being worked by man, it is a sign of the marvel of the human hand and opposable thumbs.

Thank you guys for you help again. Your encouragement means a lot. As I look and find, I'll post😊 I'll find something soon enough!