I think I found a "nutting stone".

[Seadog]

Hello All!
I am a new member to the site. I live in Northern Illinois. I was on a construction site in McHenry County walking along a road adjacent to a farm field when I spotted a rock that looked like it had a brown circle on the side and picked it up. I had seen something like this before so I took it home. From what I can determine is the rock is what is sometimes called a "nutting stone". I have found arrow heads before but this is the first one of these I've found. Any info or help would be appreciated. I'll post some pics.

 

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[IllinoisDug]

Even though people on this forum hate the term "nutting stone"... YES it is a nutting stone or paint cup or whatever the real indian use was but it is the real deal and sweet! Nice find!

 

[soilgal]

Great find!

 

[leprechaun]

Nice find.

 

[pickaway]

More than likely not a nutting stone, its natural, now some expert here will and try and tell you it is a artifact so check this link out.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/american-indian-artifacts/47657-whats-not-nutting-stone.html

 

[Seadog]

Thanks for the info. I have seen these before identified as various things with various uses. What ever the origin they are interesting. If it was larger it would make a great ash tray for my cigars!

 

[trevmma]

Nutting stones can be very similar in appearance to omars. Omars are naturally formed stones that have hemispherical bubbles in them.

 

[trevmma]

yeah i would say a omar, someone pictured a bunch on here somewhere

 

[Twitch]

Looks like a nutting stone to me.

 

[IllinoisDug]

While I agree that all omarolluks were not artifacts I do feel that many were. Especially the ones found in areas near other artifacts. The one I have has grinding and sharpening marks all around the stone where it was used as a tool in addition to the cup being used. It seems too hard a line to say that all omars were not artifacts.

 

[Dirt fishing Wolf]

I've found a few

 

[SOHIO]

thats what she said

 

[Gold Maven]

That does look like a man made hole, but doesn't resemble the nut stones I've found in Ohio rock shelters.
They are common in a shelter, usually sandstone, and covered with small cups.
An archeologist explained to me that the depression helped hold the nut while grinding, but when it got too deep they started another hole.

 

[BJS in Iowa]

I don't see any grinding wear marks in the hole. I've found several of these as well and they had me going for a while. I took one to a show and they also called it a leaverite. (Leaverite where you found it.) I think omar.

 

[Gunrunner61]

All I can say is "I'd like to see the size of those nuts.........................

 

[birdpointgriswold]

thats what she said

Hey none of that

Johnathan Griswold

 

[RGINN]

Still I would have picked it up and took it home too. I do not see any wear marks. Sometimes you might have missed with the hammer and I see no marks from that. I don't know if nuts even grew in the area, but personally I would think the wife might like a much bigger stone, perhaps in the bedrock with several indentions, because one little dip in a five inch rock just really don't get it for big time food production. To determine what a nutting stone looks like, maybe y'all could get a bunch of walnuts or pecans, gouge out a little indention in a rock, put the nut in it and hammer away and see what the resulting wear looks like. The only firsthand info I have on nut processing by natives is my grandpa told me 'we cracked walnuts with our teeth.' One of those grandpa statements that make you go 'hmmmm'. There are stones out there used for that purpose, but they might be easy to confuse with other rocks.

 

[capsmith]

Is that granite? If it is I would call it a artifact.It looks like a river rock that has been tumbled by water or could have been worked by man,just my 2 cent.I could be wrong.

 

[Ron Kelley]

An omarolluk is a very special item. People who study glacial movement are very interested in them because they gave an exact line of movement. An omarolluk is also volcanic evidence. What can be confusing is that Native Americans sometimes found omars and picked them up to use them. I found an omar and use it in my friction fire making. I use it as a palm protector or socket or thunderhead.
Ron

 

[Ammonhotep]

Ron ... every time I see a post like this I think exactly what you did: palm protectors for fire-making with a bow. With a stone like that you'd be able to get great downward pressure and stability.

-Ammo