I’m stumped

[Laneybug]

I have mostly hunted artifacts in New Mexico, (my families private property) there I am very familiar with what I am looking at when I see it.
I have , however been looking in a new site in central Utah (again on a privately owned ranch) recently and it has me a bit confused. First of all the site has an abundance of stone tools, and buried rock walls but NO pottery. That doesn’t make any sense to me. Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge of the history of that area?
Second, I came across a stone block about 12 inches squared with 1 rounded corner. It has clearly been chiseled into shape but doesn’t look quite finished. It has no evidence of grinding on any surface and seems the wrong shape for a matate but again things have been a bit different at this site than what I am used to seeing. It does have some shallow grooves along two edges that could possibly have served some sort of purpose. I hesitate to put up pictures because the ones I took don’t do it justice. It is metamorphic rock but I know it is not modern I just don’t know what it’s purpose could have been. My best guess is an unfinished matate but if so it is a very different shape and material than usual.
Please help if you have ever seen something like this before or just have some guesses of what it or was intended to become. the dark spot is not an indentation, it is wet.

 

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[Laneybug]

I have mostly hunted artifacts in New Mexico, (my families private property) there I am very familiar with what I am looking at when I see it.
I have , however been looking in a new site in central Utah (again on a privately owned ranch) recently and it has me a bit confused. First of all the site has an abundance of stone tools, and buried rock walls but NO pottery. That doesn’t make any sense to me. Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge of the history of that area?
Second, I came across a stone block about 12 inches squared with 1 rounded corner. It has clearly been chiseled into shape but doesn’t look quite finished. It has no evidence of grinding on any surface and seems the wrong shape for a matate but again things have been a bit different at this site than what I am used to seeing. It does have some shallow grooves along two edges that could possibly have served some sort of purpose. I hesitate to put up pictures because the ones I took don’t do it justice. It is metamorphic rock but I know it is not modern I just don’t know what it’s purpose could have been. My best guess is an unfinished matate but if so it is a very different shape and material than usual.
Please help if you have ever seen something like this before or just have some guesses of what it was or what it may have been intended to become. The dark spot is not an indentation it is just wet.

 

[Older The Better]

Just wondering aloud about the pottery, 3 things come to mind, the site predates pottery in the area, the area isn’t favorable to the preservation of pottery, alternatives to pottery were used, wood, skins, pits, stones.
Can’t help with the stone but it is interesting, it does looked worked with all those dimples on the side.

 

[Laneybug]

Just wondering aloud about the pottery, 3 things come to mind, the site predates pottery in the area, the area isn’t favorable to the preservation of pottery, alternatives to pottery were used, wood, skins, pits, stones.
Can’t help with the stone but it is interesting, it does looked worked with all those dimples on the side.

Thank you so much for your response. These are some of the same thoughts I had.

 

[releventchair]

Guesses? Ooo ,I can almost always guess.
Pictures can confuse me though...

Are the dark edges stains?
I could see breaking small hides on them , but not confident about creating such a stone to do so.

Before reading the size I was thinking carriage block. In the case of no carriage, still a way to mount a horse for a short person.
Again the labor for such a purpose would be a luxury.

Cordage could go around the grooves to drag it or carry it.
Or tether a burro or goat ect..
A fancy weight for a door cover?
Or a counterweight to wind up a slow twirl over a heat source with cordage above and below meeting at the stone?

I better stop guessing now...

 

[unclemac]

Baskets too, baskets were an alternative to pottery, a good one will hold water.

 

[smokeythecat]

That blocky stone could be many things. One thought is a property marker.