Bought a "rock" over the weekend but I think its much more

[bigcaddy64]

Bought a "rock" over the weekend but I think it's much more

I originally posted this in the garage sale thread because that's where I found it last weekend. Huge house with lots of old west stuff and Americana.

I ended up with lots of hard to find cast iron Dutch ovens and other Griswald and this was sitting just behind a cast iron stove. I figured it might be Native American but don't know much other then the carved band was man made.

There isn't exactly hallmarks in which I can decode an know who made it.

If there is something distinct that jumps out at you, please le me know. I curious to know if it's "real" or not.

It measures about 5 1/2" long, 3" in diameter, oval in profile and is about 5 pounds.

 

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[theviking]

Nice grooved hammerstone, or maul. Looks authentic to me, but Im no expert. I believe these date from late archaic through woodland. Great buy, thanks for posting.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Looks like a Grooved Maul to me as well. Can we see the ends? Are they battered from use?

 

[smokeythecat]

I concur.

 

[Rege-PA]

Nice pecked groove, text book example of how they should look without modern grinding. Good acquisition!

 

[creekhunter]

Man, where are all these garage sales!

 

[BagLady]

Nice skull cracker!

 

[bigcaddy64]

Thanks for the replies! So this is somewhat of a multi purpose tool? It could of been for grinding up foodstuffs/tool use or it could of been a weapon? Ill post another picture in a bit and will have to wait to get more. I let a friend who runs a small museum take a look at it for more info.

 

[bigcaddy64]

Here is a better shot of the groove and some of the end. The little inclusions appear to be natural but have the look of a face from a profile view. That's what caught my attention first and then insaw the groove 2nd

Does anybody have a guess as to what sort of rock it might be? My MIL is a geologist so next time i see the inlaws i can ask her but maybe somebody here would know.

 

[Sidevalve45]

Looks like you could make French fries outta of it.

 

[theviking]

I believe this is made from a Quartzite cobble. Although this could be used as a weapon, I know these where also used to process Bison carcasses. The groove was used to lash it to a handle, not hand held like a pestle.

 

[gunsil]

Where was it originally found?? I looks like the net weights found along the Columbia and other rivers.

 

[rock]

I say Maul also. I know quito has found some if I remember correctly.

 

[Bass]

That's a great piece

 

[bigcaddy64]

Where was it originally found?? I looks like the net weights found along the Columbia and other rivers.

I found it in the living room of a deceased couples estate sale. They didn't say much concerning location/date of acquisition.

In all seriousness, it was just something I found at an estate sale with absolutely no idea of how it got there and from where. You could consider me functionally ******ed when it comes to Indian artifacts because I know absolutely nothing about them.

I might of found a arrowhead or two when I was little visiting friends in Sonora, CA. about 25 years ago and have found some tools/pottery shards, that's what I was told, in front of my woman's family estate in Cape Cod but that is the extent of my knowledge.

Does the stone it's made of possibly give an origin of the tool? I know that there are certain kinds of rocks tha are only going to be found in particular parts of the country.

 

[theviking]

I believe this is made from a Quartzite cobble. Although this could be used as a weapon, I know these where also used to process Bison carcasses. The groove was used to lash it to a handle, not hand held like a pestle.

Quartzite is found all over the country. A typical material used for a grooved maul.

 

[Mark Todd]

Nice score, it does appear from your pictures to be a full groove hammer stone (A.K.A.) maul or perhaps net weight. However I am curious as to why you haven't showed a picture of the other side or of the ends of the stone. Multiple angle pictures are easy to take and cost nothing but a few minutes of your time and since we can't view it in our own hand you would get more informed opinions if you would do so.
Also, I concur with "theviking" that the material looks like some kind of quartz.

 

[Charl]

If it does not show battering wear on the ends, then maybe it's a grooved weight. It does have the form often seen in grooved mauls, however. And some might argue it could have been used to pound a softer material that would be less likely to show the type of wear associated with a hammerstone.

 

[bigcaddy64]

Nice score, it does appear from your pictures to be a full groove hammer stone (A.K.A.) maul or perhaps net weight. However I am curious as to why you haven't showed a picture of the other side or of the ends of the stone. Multiple angle pictures are easy to take and cost nothing but a few minutes of your time and since we can't view it in our own hand you would get more informed opinions if you would do so.
Also, I concur with "theviking" that the material looks like some kind of quartz.

I can't take any pictures because its being looked at by somebody out of town. I handed it off to my old man on Monday as he was heading home to Big Bear. His neighbor promised to look it over and provide some insight. Once he comes back ill take some more photos. Going from memory, there is little wear on the ends or on the opposite side.

 

[mcb66]

Around here (Appalachian foothills) the groove would have developed a uniform patina to the rest of the piece by now. It looks too sharp and clean for us. Not sure where you are from. It just doesn't look authentic to me. A lack of heavy weathering may make the rule different where you are. I've seen what I know are modern fakes that look very similar to this piece.