Are these artifacts? Also, a cool looking scraper.

-=METAL=- · Oct 31, 2014

What's up guys,

Ok, got a couple of weird ones here. Now the first one I'm pretty sure is nothing, but the edge is what makes me want to make sure, take a look. Next one, what the hell is the deal with this rock? Is this the work of a plow? Next pics are of a pretty cool scraper, the material is nice, can someone tell me what it's made out of? It's from the MA/RI area. I really like the fact that the cortex is still showing. Then just for shiggles I'm including a pic of a broken point found the same day. I look forward to your responses, thanks in advance :thumbsup:

NCPeaches · Nov 1, 2014

The one in pics 4,5 & 6 looks like a tool to me but I'm not good on tools so don't take my word on it, I woulda kept it too. The one in 7 & 8 looks to have been worked and probably was a tool, do you know the material? The others I'm not sure.

Charl · Nov 1, 2014

OMG! Well, my "rookie" friend, you have gone and found one of the very best sinew stones I have seen from around here in a long, long time! Absolutely killer find! Drop me an email and tell me you found that you know where! Just guessing. Looks like it's likely a quartzite cobble, a common choice for sinewstones.
WOW! I've never found one in 50+ years of surface hunting sites in RI and Ma.

They are from the Woodland Era because that's when the bow and arrow were introduced here, and these were for sinew used in bows.

Get excited! You found a prize! Already sent photos to collector friends.....

http://www.memorialhall.mass.edu/collection/itempage.jsp?itemid=5234

yakker · Nov 1, 2014

WOW! Go figure-- and congratulations on your 'who knew?' find!! Yakker

-=METAL=- · Nov 1, 2014

Wow! So I take it that it's a rare find?? I'm amazed, so I'm guessing they would attach one end of the sinew to the bow, hold the other end, and run the stone back and forth over it? Just a guess :dontknow:

Any idea how long it takes to work the groove into the rock? It's unreal, I love surprises like that :laughing7:

Charl, I'll drop you an e-mail buddy. Also Charl, that is a scraper in pictures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, correct? Any idea on the material?

Charl · Nov 1, 2014

That material looks like jasper with cortex or rind. Not sure if it's more then a spall, but not like them to waste any jasper. The only local source is Lime Rock, RI. Visually, it can't be distinguished from Pa jasper of the same color. I'm not sure if it's more then a flake though. Keep it, though, jasper is jasper, not real common here.

As for the sinew stone, I've never seen them in use to know the process itself.
Did find this illustration...

rock · Nov 1, 2014

Nice find Metal I have never seen one before except for the pic Charl used from that site. I could tell it was used for something by the design, congrats

Charl · Nov 4, 2014

Finally found a decent photo of sinew stones:

-=METAL=- · Nov 6, 2014

Nice pics Charl, and thanks Rock!

monsterrack · Nov 8, 2014

This is a very cool find and I can tell you from dealing with sinew it would take a very long time to wear it down like that. This is JMO but maybe they started the groove and then used it to smooth down sinew :dontknow:

Never found one, only seen photos. Very rare find :notworthy:

Charl · Nov 10, 2014

monsterrack said:
This is a very cool find and I can tell you from dealing with sinew it would take a very long time to wear it down like that. This is JMO but maybe they started the groove and then used it to smooth down sinewNever found one, only seen photos. Very rare find

If you noticed the illustration of usage I left above in the thread, it isn't what I would have conceived at all, as far as what the grooves were for. So, it's a puzzle to me, actually. It's a great thing to find, a cool looking artifact, but, like yourself, monster, I'm not at all clear on actual usage with sinew...

monsterrack · Nov 10, 2014

Charl said:
If you noticed the illustration of usage I left above in the thread, it isn't what I would have conceived at all, as far as what the grooves were for. So, it's a puzzle to me, actually. It's a great thing to find, a cool looking artifact, but, like yourself, monster, I'm not at all clear on actual usage with sinew...

I don't understand it either , because when I use sinew, if it's back strap sinew I just bend and twist it with my hands and it comes apart and if it is a leg tendon sinew, I use a hammer stone to break it up into fibers. As much as I have used it, I have never seen the need for it to be smooth. Once you soak it in water it becomes so flexible you don't have a problem with it, even to sew with it when it's dry and most plant fibers are smoother than sinew. Don't get me wrong about the use of the stone because sinew is a very strong fiber and could wear a groove if used a lot and I think a lot. :dontknow: