Eastern Oregon pestle? and a bonus half point!

[littlewindmill829]

New here because I wanted to share what we found yesterday. I haven't seen any photos of grinding tools quite like this one with the bumps on the end, maybe it's something different? Found in the same area as this half arrowhead. Has anyone seen anything like this?

 

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[littlewindmill829]

Thank you all so much for the feedback! We are feeling very lucky to have it. We are excited about this new spot - found this yesterday. Maybe nothing, but has a lot of wear in all the right spots. We're new to this so it is easy to slip into wishful thinking, but the more I look at it and handle it the more I'm convinced its something worth keeping! Found nearby another partial point.

 

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[littlewindmill829]

Never seen a pestle quite like that one either. May have a specialized use. Is the arrowhead petrified wood.?

There is quite a bit of petrified wood in the area, but none quite so red. I'm not sure!

 

[littlewindmill829]

you found this where? PNW is well known for phallic pestles, and anamorphic ones too...could be a bear?

Found in the Columbia Plateau in Eastern Oregon

 

[littlewindmill829]

The above pics were found on this website

Fossil Finds: Ladonia Fossil Park | Jurassic James

jurassicjames.com

Wow! Those are so interesting and something I would have never thought of! Those are all very tubular but the bumps on the end are identical. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tdog]

Found this searching for baculites...

File:Baculites (fossil ammonite) (Ozan Formation, Upper Cretaceous; eastern Texas, USA) 3.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

US baculite segments

www.thefossilforum.com

 

[unclemac]

100% not a fossil. Shows wear, patina and is a recognized form of pestle from the area.

 

[unclemac]

I would say that your next pestle is a natural form but was used as a pestle. A very nice example of such a "rock" that shows correct wear indicating usage. Your first broken point is jasper but often jasper is also petrified wood. Your point appears to be both.

 

[littlewindmill829]

I would say that your next pestle is a natural form but was used as a pestle. A very nice example of such a "rock" that shows correct wear indicating usage. Your first broken point is jasper but often jasper is also petrified wood. Your point appears to be both.

Thank you so much for your comments! They are so helpful, I appreciate it!

 

[Tdog]

After further scrutiny on the point fragment, I have to ask...

Has the point fragment been exposed to heat from intentional heat treating to better knap or from a camp fire or from something else? It sure looks like it in the pics with all those hinges, cracks and the variation in the frosty, yellow and red color. The overall appearance of the material also looks brittle. Is there enough identifyiing characteristics there for you west coast collectors to ID it's type? It's a corner-notched point, approx 5/8-11/16 wide and possibly as thin as a cracker. The space between the notches is approx 1/2" and hiints at it's shaft diameter to which it was hafted. A knife or projectile, an arrowhead or dart (spear point)? Just to try and stir up more talk on this thread.

 

[unclemac]

well, my initial reaction would be Merrybelle, but "corner notch" is the most appropriate... so maybe about 2,000 BP? But look at that obsidian one! Can you show where the "broke" parts are because having an asymmetrical notch is unusual! ... is the tip broken? it looks maybe purposeful blunt like that.

 

[Tdog]

First piece--I believe the basal ear tips are broken off. So maybe Elko is another possibility...

Elko Corner Notch

 

[littlewindmill829]

First piece--I believe the basal ear tips are broken off. So maybe Elko is another possibility...

Elko Corner Notch

For the first piece, I was thinking Elko Eared or maybe Hells Canyon?

There are frequent fires in the area, especially recently and this was found on the surface.

 

[littlewindmill829]

well, my initial reaction would be Merrybelle, but "corner notch" is the most appropriate... so maybe about 2,000 BP? But look at that obsidian one! Can you show where the "broke" parts are because having an asymmetrical notch is unusual! ... is the tip broken? it looks maybe purposeful blunt like that.

As for the obsidian one, which I love! I don't know, maybe Cold Springs?? Couldn't find anything closer for my area.

I don't think the breaks are intentional, but could be wrong. It's a thick one - about 5mm.

 

[littlewindmill829]

As for the obsidian one, which I love! I don't know, maybe Cold Springs?? Couldn't find anything closer for my area.

I don't think the breaks are intentional, but could be wrong. It's a thick one - about 5mm.

View attachment 2013032View attachment 2013033

Upon further inspection, I believe this one more closely fits into Bitterroot.

 

[GB Paleo]

After further scrutiny on the point fragment, I have to ask...

Has the point fragment been exposed to heat from intentional heat treating to better knap or from a camp fire or from something else? It sure looks like it in the pics with all those hinges, cracks and the variation in the frosty, yellow and red color. The overall appearance of the material also looks brittle. Is there enough identifyiing characteristics there for you west coast collectors to ID it's type? It's a corner-notched point, approx 5/8-11/16 wide and possibly as thin as a cracker. The space between the notches is approx 1/2" and hiints at it's shaft diameter to which it was hafted. A knife or projectile, an arrowhead or dart (spear point)? Just to try and stir up more talk on this thread.

Tdog is on the right track...... It looks to be a Elko corner notch that was heat treated, not from a natural fire. As far as the obsidian piece. It looks pretty thick from the picture. Cold Springs, Bitterroot and Northerns are usually very finely made. Even the large specimins are really made well and not thick.

 

[littlewindmill829]

Tdog is on the right track...... It looks to be a Elko corner notch that was heat treated, not from a natural fire. As far as the obsidian piece. It looks pretty thick from the picture. Cold Springs, Bitterroot and Northerns are usually very finely made. Even the large specimins are really made well and not thick.

Cool, I need to learn about heat treating!

I've got the book Indian Arrowheads and then use projectilepoints.net, I don't know how close to follow those descriptions though.. Y'all know better than me! Matching them up with the pictures in the book is the most fun.

Elko Corner Notch doesn't quite reach far enough north for my area, that's what made me think Snake River, as the description in Indian Arrowheads says "can resemble Elko Corner Notched points, which are found further southward."

As for the obsidian piece, the book doesn't give dimensions like the website does, and the website doesn't list Bitterroot! Dang. It does list Cold Springs and Northern though, and both state the thickness as 4-8mm, mine is 5mm.

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk about this with me, I'm learning a ton from you guys and love looking into these things. Appreciate you and your insights!

 

[unclemac]

don't get hung up on names. "corner notch" is what an archeologist would call it.

 

[GB Paleo]

Also added to unclemac's comment above. The areas that are shown are generalizations and points can found outside of what is shown.

 

[Tdog]

I'll add this in case you don't know how those terms came about.

Typically, stone "Arrow heads" are created in stages. First, suitable pieces are struck from a core. Next, they are bifacially flaked to create preforms. They are then further refined by thinning and shaping. Now comes time for the notches. For corner notched points, flakes are removed from the corners of the piece forming notches. To create side notched points, flakes are removed from the sides. Serrations are added last.

 

[littlewindmill829]

I'll add this in case you don't know how those terms came about.

Typically, stone "Arrow heads" are created in stages. First, suitable pieces are struck from a core. Next, they are bifacially flaked to create preforms. They are then further refined by thinning and shaping. Now comes time for the notches. For corner notched points, flakes are removed from the corners of the piece forming notches. To create side notched points, flakes are removed from the sides. Serrations are added last.

Thanks so much, very helpful!