Eastern Oregon pestle? and a bonus half point!

littlewindmill829

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Feb 20, 2022
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Columbia Plateau, Oregon
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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

littlewindmill829

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2022
44
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Columbia Plateau, Oregon
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
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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unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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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.
 

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littlewindmill829

littlewindmill829

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2022
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Columbia Plateau, Oregon
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Relic Hunting
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

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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. :laughing7:
 

unclemac

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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.
 

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littlewindmill829

littlewindmill829

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Feb 20, 2022
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116
Columbia Plateau, Oregon
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
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.

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littlewindmill829

littlewindmill829

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Feb 20, 2022
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Columbia Plateau, Oregon
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GB Paleo

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Feb 10, 2017
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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. :laughing7:
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.
 

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littlewindmill829

littlewindmill829

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Feb 20, 2022
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116
Columbia Plateau, Oregon
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
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!

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Tdog

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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.
 

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littlewindmill829

littlewindmill829

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2022
44
116
Columbia Plateau, Oregon
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
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!
 

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