found this in 2 pieces, anyone know why so huge?

[flintmel]

took a walk today to an old haunt, saw this lying in tire tracks. I've found a couple pendants in the past but only a couple inches in length, can't understand why this one's so long?

 

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[SOHIO]

all i know is its cool

 

[Gunrunner61]

some type of Shaman's Gorget or Medicine pendent...JMHO....HH

 

[Charl]

Mel, your piece is the exact size and shape of a perforated whetstone illustrated in Curtis Hoffman's "A Handbook of Indian Artifacts from Southern New England"(1991, Ma. Archaeological Society, p. 71). When these whetstones are perforated, they are countersunk pecked from both sides, followed by drilling. The materials most often used are argillite(slate), schist, and sandstone. So your piece may be a perforated whetstone, which are usually in the 6-8" length range. If used as a whetstone, it would show "wear from long even lengthwise strokes of rubbing. Because of this, and the narrow proportions of this honing stone, it is thought to have been used in grinding the blades of gouges and other woodcutting implements"(Hoffman, p. 71) I cannot rule out very large pendant, but the size, shape, and countersunk perforation suggests a whetstone.

 

[submarine]

I agree with Charles. My father had one in his collection that looked almost identical to it.

 

[Twitch]

That's an amazing find. Holy crap. I'd still be dancing in the field if I found that.

 

[flintmel]

Response to Charl

Mel, your piece is the exact size and shape of a perforated whetstone illustrated in Curtis Hoffman's "A Handbook of Indian Artifacts from Southern New England"(1991, Ma. Archaeological Society, p. 71). When these whetstones are perforated, they are countersunk pecked from both sides, followed by drilling. The materials most often used are argillite(slate), schist, and sandstone. So your piece may be a perforated whetstone, which are usually in the 6-8" length range. If used as a whetstone, it would show "wear from long even lengthwise strokes of rubbing. Because of this, and the narrow proportions of this honing stone, it is thought to have been used in grinding the blades of gouges and other woodcutting implements"(Hoffman, p. 71) I cannot rule out very large pendant, but the size, shape, and countersunk perforation suggests a whetstone.

Charl, have seen a couple "whetstones" generally thick but well made otherwise, this piece is long and slender and of a material desirable for pendants or atlatl's not for honing

 

[Americus]

That is an amazing find. Thanks for sharing.

 

[catherine1]

Nice artiface find. I never find anything that large. Thanks for showing your finds!

 

[Charl]

Charl, have seen a couple "whetstones" generally thick but well made otherwise, this piece is long and slender and of a material desirable for pendants or atlatl's not for honing

Works for me, Mel. Heck of a find.

 

[PrimitiveOne]

Just a thought-What would be sharpened with this stone...Primitive Americans used stone and not metal. There would be no practical use for sharpening in this method..JMO

 

[flintmel]

I believe Charl is referring to sharpening the bits of gouges, celts, axes or adzes