Carved stone Identification

CedarCreek1 · Aug 5, 2020

Carved stone Identification help please

I found this stone in an area by my house where some small trees and privet hedge had been pushed up by the roots. It is about 2 1/2 inches wide x 1 1/2 tall x 3/4 inches thick.. it's obviously been carved but i have no idea what it is? Any suggestions?

The Grim Reaper · Aug 5, 2020

What state please.

CedarCreek1 · Aug 5, 2020

Sorry... im new here... found in Coweta County Georgia.

Fred250 · Aug 5, 2020

Reminds me of a rope making tool, but maybe only because they were in the archaeological news recently.

GoldieLocks · Aug 5, 2020

It is hand shaped modern clay.

CedarCreek1 · Aug 5, 2020

Definitely not clay.. looks like quartz/ granite if I had to guess.

GaRebel1861 · Aug 5, 2020

Looks like it’s made of steatite?

CedarCreek1 · Aug 5, 2020

And that is definitely a possibility.. I just know that it is stone. I posted it here because I value the knowledge you folks have on items like this!

newnan man · Aug 5, 2020

Welcome! I have no clue as to what it might be. Interesting.

Tdog · Aug 5, 2020

I think it's steatite too.

tomclark · Aug 6, 2020

Sweet. Sinew stone??

GaRebel1861 · Aug 6, 2020

tomclark said:
Sweet. Sinew stone??

Having never found one or seen one, I had to look it up and I think you are correct!

monsterrack · Aug 6, 2020

The stone has definitely been altered by man, but not putting down this find an this is JMO. I don't buy into the sinew theory of splitting the fiber with a stone in that shape. I have handled whitetail, elk, moose, mule deer and even Emu sinew an you don't have to strip it. All you have to do with the leg tendon is let it dry an hit it with a stone an it will break up into threads. As for back straps clean the meat off let it dry an you can twist it with your hands working it back an forth and it will divide into very nice pieces of thread. Just my thoughts due to the fact that I have handled 100's of pounds of sinew.

Charl · Aug 6, 2020

monsterrack said:
The stone has definitely been altered by man, but not putting down this find an this is JMO. I don't buy into the sinew theory of splitting the fiber with a stone in that shape. I have handled whitetail, elk, moose, mule deer and even Emu sinew an you don't have to strip it. All you have to do with the leg tendon is let it dry an hit it with a stone an it will break up into threads. As for back straps clean the meat off let it dry an you can twist it with your hands working it back an forth and it will divide into very nice pieces of thread. Just my thoughts due to the fact that I have handled 100's of pounds of sinew.

Although the archaeological textbooks probably have not caught up, it seems to have been established by amateur flintknappers, who also happen to be artifact hunters, that so-called sinew stones were part of knapping kits, and had nothing to do with sinew. This was discussed, at great length, on another artifact forum, where some of my local artifact friends who had found sinew stones and were also experienced at knapping pretty much proved their point, in my estimation.

southfork · Aug 6, 2020

My first thought was an abrading tool ? But if steatite a little to soft can you scratch it with a finger nail carefully ?

CedarCreek1 · Aug 6, 2020

Supposing that it is a sinew stone, educate me on how exactly it was used?

dirstscratcher · Aug 6, 2020

monsterrack said:
The stone has definitely been altered by man, but not putting down this find an this is JMO. I don't buy into the sinew theory of splitting the fiber with a stone in that shape. I have handled whitetail, elk, moose, mule deer and even Emu sinew an you don't have to strip it. All you have to do with the leg tendon is let it dry an hit it with a stone an it will break up into threads. As for back straps clean the meat off let it dry an you can twist it with your hands working it back an forth and it will divide into very nice pieces of thread. Just my thoughts due to the fact that I have handled 100's of pounds of sinew.

Well, maybe not sinew. I was mowing CRP ground today and cursing the Dogbane. The other name for the plant is Indian hemp, which does need to have the stem sheath stripped from the inner fibers, and was supposedly used by the NA's for cordage.