Hardstone Peck marks

[dognose]

I am posting this in case some of the others have not seen peck marks on hardstone, here is a close up image of the 3/4 groove ax I found recently showing peck marks.

In some cases polishing from use wear or finishing will remove all traces of peck marks.

But in many hardstone relics some peck marks can still be seen. Sometimes easily or when holding the relic up in light so that the shadows make the peck mark dimples better seen.

I held this ax up at an angle under my desk lamp to make the peck marks better visible. All peck marks on the relic do not have arrows pointed at them.


The area below the dimples on towards the bit is ground smooth, removing any signs of peck marks.

 

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[ToddsPoint]

Peck marks can be different sizes too. A guy near St. Louis pecks celts and uses them. He pecks with a fairly large hammerstone and hits his preform pretty hard each blow, leaving deep pits. When I peck a celt, I use a smaller hammerstone and don't peck as hard but I peck a lot faster, leaving lighter peck marks. After it's all pecked, I can polish out the peck marks easier than my friend. Gary

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Here's a couple of pictures that show the peck marks very well.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I appreciate these types of posts.

 

[PaleIO]

I have seen peck marks on many manos and also metates. They did it to help with the grinding process.

 

[jamus peek]

Nice examples guys here's some personal finds that I think are good examples of peck marks.

Here's a Hematite Loafstone that may have not been finished. Most loafstones I find do not show peck marks at least to this degree. The bottom is ground flat but not quite enough to rid the peck marks.



Also a monster 3/4 grooved axe made of Blue Schist
that shows consistent peckmarks through out the whole piece.




Unique well polished Basalt Celt the creation of the bit was chipped on one side and pecked on the other.

 

[joshuaream]

Here is a picture of a banded slate wing bannerstone preform in my collection that shows some decent peck marks.

Pecking is a pretty safe and effective way of removing excess material. It's not fast, but it's fast enough to work. (And probably was a decent thing to do while sitting around a fire at night in the winter.)

On this piece you can see they shaped and thinned the wings while leaving the center barrel thick enough to drill. In the second picture one of the wings has been left thick on one face, that is the unpecked part in the first picture. No idea why this piece wasn't finished, but unfinished banners are pretty common.

 

[jamus peek]

Here is a picture of a banded slate wing bannerstone preform in my collection that shows some decent peck marks.

Pecking is a pretty safe and effective way of removing excess material. It's not fast, but it's fast enough to work. (And probably was a decent thing to do while sitting around a fire at night in the winter.)

On this piece you can see they shaped and thinned the wings while leaving the center barrel thick enough to drill. In the second picture one of the wings has been left thick on one face, that is the unpecked part in the first picture. No idea why this piece wasn't finished, but unfinished banners are pretty common.

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I think seeing a piece like yours and wondering why it was never finished is what makes it so special. Nice piece!

 

[OntarioArch]

Looks like the mineralization process effects peck marks a little differently than non-pecked areas. Here's a gouge that I think shows peck marks (along with some damaged area) with significant mineralization.

 

[sandchip]

...No idea why this piece wasn't finished, but unfinished banners are pretty common...

After the weather this last weekend, I got to thinking. When an artifact is lost or unfinished, the usual guess is that the village was attacked, but a tornado or flash floods could sure scatter possessions and end the maker's life, too.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

After the weather this last weekend, I got to thinking. When an artifact is lost or unfinished, the usual guess is that the village was attacked, but a tornado or flash floods could sure scatter possessions and end the maker's life, too.

Another thing to remember..many tribes frequently moved to follow food opportunities.
How often have you left something when you picked up camp?

Or maybe you suddenly had more to carry and had to lighten your load..

 

[Buckleberry]

I actually found a nice greenstone piece that was started with pecking and abandoned and shows the beginning process pretty well, let me see if I can find the pics

Peck marks can be different sizes too. A guy near St. Louis pecks celts and uses them. He pecks with a fairly large hammerstone and hits his preform pretty hard each blow, leaving deep pits. When I peck a celt, I use a smaller hammerstone and don't peck as hard but I peck a lot faster, leaving lighter peck marks. After it's all pecked, I can polish out the peck marks easier than my friend. Gary

Would you mind starting a new thread with some pics of your repros, always like to see them and how they're done.

I actually found a nice greenstone piece that was started and abandoned and shows the beginning process pretty well, let me see if I can find the pics.

 

[Buckleberry]

First stage greenstone, likely was going to be a celt, judging by the relatively flat profile of the hardstone. Very clear pecking lines long much of the artifact with removal focused on what seems to be the higher areas.

 

[americanartifacts33]

Couple pictures of an unfinished axe. Peck marks very visible

 

[tomclark]

a pecked shell hole!

 

[Charl]

Another thing to remember..many tribes frequently moved to follow food opportunities.
How often have you left something when you picked up camp?

Or maybe you suddenly had more to carry and had to lighten your load..

This is not related to pecking as such, but relates to what you are saying. Around here at least, native bands alternated between Winter and Summer camps. Very large axes are sometimes referred to as “camp axes”. These are axes that were deliberately left behind, stashed in some way, because they were quite heavy to carry, and because they would be needed again when the band returned to the camp at which the camp axe was stashed.

 

[dognose]

Here is a well ground granite celt which exhibits many peck marks

 

[MAMucker]

Thanks Buckleberry.
Here’s my only Hardstone with Peck Marks. Found this week. AtlAtl Weight Preform.

 

[Buckleberry]

Thanks Buckleberry.
Here’s my only Hardstone with Peck Marks. Found this week. AtlAtl Weight Preform.

No problem, another significant aspect of yours in addition to the obvious pecking is the early stage drilling, started on one side and only pecked out on the other.