Hematite artifact! What was it used for?

[Oldrvrrat57]

A friend of mine brought this into church this morning to show me, he is a retired farmer and found it several years ago here in Jersey county illinois. Im thinking maybe used for pecking celts or axes! I've collected for 45 plus years and it's a first for me, any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[newnan man]

It may have been a larger artifact at one time and repurposed into something else. What I don't know.

 

[CreekSide]

Could have been rubbed and used for the pigment for paint.

 

[Gene Mean]

That´s a lot of use wear on that stone right? And a lot of it in the same direction.

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

That´s a lot of use wear on that stone right? And a lot of it in the same direction.

It fits perfectly in my hand as shown and is worn smooth where my fingers are. All the edges have been rubbed smooth except the point that i circled

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It fits perfectly in my hand as shown and is worn smooth where my fingers are. All the edges have been rubbed smooth except the point that i circled View attachment 2217692

Was it found near moving water?

Fitting your hand is just the marvel of the human hand. Hematite is a pretty hard stone, 5- 6 on hardness scale
I think. I cant see it being rubbed that deep by a thumb or finger with very little signs any where else. Maybe piece of something else......just my own opinion.

​

 

[choo]

That’s Hematite! Those are found all along the Ohio River! They was used as an atalatal weight!

 

[ToddsPoint]

Could have been rubbed and used for the pigment for paint.

This is the correct answer in my opinion. Red paint from hematite was super important to the Indians. And mining hematite for paint started in paleo times. Look up the “Powars II site” in WY. It’s the only known Indian hematite mine in the US. Random pieces of hematite used for paint pigment can be found near Wickliffe KY just below the junction of the OH and Miss Rivers.

 

[CreekSide]

This is the correct answer in my opinion. Red paint from hematite was super important to the Indians. And mining hematite for paint started in paleo times. Look up the “Powars II site” in WY. It’s the only known Indian hematite mine in the US. Random pieces of hematite used for paint pigment can be found near Wickliffe KY just below the junction of the OH and Miss Rivers.

Grasshopper gets one right once in a while lol

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

Was it found near moving water?

Fitting your hand is just the marvel of the human hand. Hematite is a pretty hard stone, 5- 6 on hardness scale
I think. I cant see it being rubbed that deep by a thumb or finger with very little signs any where else. Maybe piece of something else......just my own opinion.

​

No it was found in a farm field in Jersey county Illinois

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

This is the correct answer in my opinion. Red paint from hematite was super important to the Indians. And mining hematite for paint started in paleo times. Look up the “Powars II site” in WY. It’s the only known Indian hematite mine in the US. Random pieces of hematite used for paint pigment can be found near Wickliffe KY just below the junction of the OH and Miss Rivers.

I've recovered 5 Hematite plummets and a few small Hematite celts in Jersey county and only 1 was found near a water source. But they did not have the red color . Thanks ToddsPoint .

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

I've recovered 5 Hematite plummets and a few small Hematite celts in Jersey county and only 1 was found near a water source. But they did not have the red color . Thanks ToddsPoint .

This is the type of hematite that I've found ,not showing and red pigment. Thanks you to everyone that's responded!!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Lot of Hematite in mid Missouri area. There is even a town named Hematite, Mo that has large deposits near.

 

[Older The Better]

This is the correct answer in my opinion. Red paint from hematite was super important to the Indians. And mining hematite for paint started in paleo times. Look up the “Powars II site” in WY. It’s the only known Indian hematite mine in the US. Random pieces of hematite used for paint pigment can be found near Wickliffe KY just below the junction of the OH and Miss Rivers.

That’s what I was thinking as well, I’m not 100% sure on my id but I’ve found stones like this one on known sites, and I think the marks are from sawing at it to get a fine dust to mix into a paint

 

[Tnmountains]

I agree that is was probably used for paint mud/slip on clay pots in that area.

 

[metrotec]

Is an artifact
But souvenir shops sell a similar stone called a "worry rock". The idea is , you rub it for some time and it relaxes you, taking away your worries.