Is It An Effigy Or Not

[monsterrack]

The Native American culture was no different than us today. If we wear a jewel we want it to look nice, if we use something in religion we want to reflect how we feel about what we believe in. NA were no different in the items they made, even tho some of there tools look crude ,so do some of ours. But their artwork was no crude thing. Every time I see a post on is this a bear, eagle , buffalo shape in this rock I have to say look at books with photos. Below you will see photos of very old art work made from stone and there is no guessing or holding it this way or that way, you know what it is when you see it. I don't point out anyone on this post, but I just want you to learn what is a work of art and what is a work of mother nature

What I'm saying in the best way I know how is take a look, some of these items belong to me, some photos were taken off the net, some from friends. Your eyes see what the mind wants you to find and so goes the saying (Fool the eyes and you fool the brain). Take time and learn the subject you are hunting, because you would not want to go deer hunting and shoot a cow. !!!!!!!

 

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[BagLady]

Drooling I am...nice tutorial too!

 

[Charl]

I can only agree completely. All cultures had gifted artists and artisans. If you have to squint or use your imagination, it most likely is not a human fashioned work. Here is my favorite effigy. From a sandstone pebble. It was recently published as an example of an effigy that could be interpreted in different ways, depending on how you looked at it, in some positions being seen as a frog, with big eyes, nostril holes, and front legs in "poised to leap" position. But looking quite different if held differently. Pretty clever, if the artist intended that. But, a no brainer effigy.

 

[unclemac]

100% spot on! It seems many people think Native Americans were as talented as Fred Flintstone when it comes to manufacturing lithics. I also give you this.....made some 3,300 years ago...not Indian I know but the point is...made by hand....

 

[The Grim Reaper]

The ones I think are funny are the people that put something on here and then say, "Well, you need a magnifying Glass to really see it best." Did the NA's have those around so they could view their handiwork?? lol

The other one is, "If you hold it at just the right angle, with the sun setting at around 7:03, and you hold it about 3 feet off the ground with your head tilted to the left you can see a bear in the corner."

Just makes you wonder.

 

[rock]

ouch on the thumb rack but real nice examples.

 

[Mrdigz]

I agree 100% with your statement and these are amazing examples of how talented the Native American culture was and still is to this day! To be fair to the Newbie artifact hunters out there, there are many crude effigies that were made as well. I feel they focus more on those crude types since they can sometimes be overlooked by others as just rocks. They need to learn that the context of how something was found can be just as important as the find itself. That only comes with experience i.e. Reading, Looking, Field work and lots of walking. HH

 

[Americus]

Nice thread with some incredible artifacts.

 

[NCPeaches]

Great tutorial and more than awesome examples!

 

[JJ1965]

The ones I think are funny are the people that put something on here and then say, "Well, you need a magnifying Glass to really see it best." Did the NA's have those around so they could view their handiwork?? lol

The other one is, "If you hold it at just the right angle, with the sun setting at around 7:03, and you hold it about 3 feet off the ground with your head tilted to the left you can see a bear in the corner."




Just makes you wonder.

Its a message from the Jesuits.....

 

[unclemac]

....they're EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Its a message from the Jesuits.....

Not that's funny.

 

[Twitch]

I'm not sure I see a single artifact anywhere in this thread. Good effort, keep looking, keep your head down and one day you'll find something. Good luck my friend.

 

[ncnurseryman]

Beautiful examples. Thanks for sharing!

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[BobGuy]

Are there any good examples of positively ID'd "crude" effigies? Were all effigies highly refined or are there examples of the ones that could go either way and are easily overlooked?

 

[monsterrack]

Are there any good examples of positively ID'd "crude" effigies? Were all effigies highly refined or are there examples of the ones that could go either way and are easily overlooked?

Here are a couple of not so refined effigy's and if you look on the net for Native American stone effigy's you will find lots of sites that folks post what I see as a rock, but they believe it to be a animal.To each his own but if I can't see where man has made alterations to the stone, then it's just a rock to me. I don't know it all, but I did have some real good mentors in this hobby. JMO

 

[unclemac]

...the point being...even crude effigies are obvious and not up for debate.

 

[DigIron2]

Nice post..I found this turkey tail kind of looking knife awhile back and have wondered if it could possibly be a effigy? The reason I wonder is because what should be the Distal end is blunt and it is the thickest part of the piece? I am thinking maybe it was left that way to add more weight towards the end of the blade for when slicing or what would make more since,is it was just not finished.but if I look at it sideways like that, it kind of resembles a turtle or some kind of reptile or amphibian? Even looks like it has a eye on that one side if you look real close I am sure it probably isn't just wanted to see what you think, possibly?

 

[unclemac]

looks like quartzite and the feller just gave up on it and said "to hell with this" and chose a better stone to work.