Is this a Roller / Rolliing Pestle?

[post50]

Some guys on the "Today's Find" thread suggested I post here. I found what I believe to be a rolling pestle but figured this board could better identify it. I wish I could say I found this along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville FL but I can't. It was actually found at a local thrift store...

It is made of rough porous rock/stone and is about 15" long. One end is very well rounded. The circumference is not completely round. There are two horizontal areas that are subtly flat so the item doesn't roll when placed on a small incline. The stone weighs about 8 pounds. If more photos are needed, please let me know I will upload them

Any thoughts?

 

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[choo]

Yeah that looks like a roller pestle!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Need more pictures from several different angles, but it does look like it's been pecked so it very well could be

 

[post50]

Thanks for the replies! I took some photos in better lighting with different angles. I am a TOTAL newbie so forgive my ignorance with terminology, but what do you mean by "it's been pecked"?

If this is a pestle, are they pretty common (easy to find) in the artifact world?

 

[rock]

No they are a tough find in my area. I have found one broke in half but never a whole one. Value is a tough call for me

 

[Tnmountains]

Pecked means it was tapped on by another stone tool which is common with items such as yours. It does look to be a roller type pestle/ginder that has suffered some damage and possibly discarded. You can see the work marks are not consistent in the breaks or so it appears in the photo. Big question will be where it came from. If it is a roller/ pestle where did the stone come from and what culture. It is like a puzzle for more knowledgeable people that I.
Welcome to artifacts!

 

[post50]

Thanks for the responses! Although it was not found in nature but rather in a store in Jacksonville FL, it might have belonged to the Timacua Indians that were indigenous to that area...but I suppose it could be from anywhere and possibly not even Native American.

Tnmountains wrote: "where did the stone come from and what culture?" Now that is a question that boggles my mind and am amazed there are people that can actually have the brains or knowledge to be able to date and/or place a geographical location to these artifacts.

I am fascinated by this message board and the treasures people have unearthed in nature.

 

[GatorBoy]

It could have come from your area it could also be from well before the Timacua tribe was recognized.
The material looks like basalt and the closest available outcrop to that area would be in northwest Georgia.
That's very feasible considering artifacts of that material have been found as far south as Miami Florida and I have personally found artifacts made from it on the south central coast of Florida

 

[Charl]

The overall texture, esp. as shown in the second photo where damaged, resembles sandstone. Basalt is a very fine grain igneous rock, and normally would not be that large grained on the interior. This photo shows the interior of a basalt adze. While it is a fresh break, it is extremely fine grained. Which basalt is. The grain in the pestle looks like sandstone, which is a more common choice for roller pestles overall.

 

[post50]

Any ideas of possible value in a collectors market?

 

[rock]

Any ideas of possible value in a collectors market?

How much did you pay for it?

 

[post50]

That's a private question if I am looking to sell something.

 

[rock]

Well its easy to research google it

 

[RGINN]

How much did you pay for it?

He's asking you that because pretty much what you paid for it is what it's worth. Not a breakthrough archeaological discovery, and it's documented provenance is a retail store.

 

[GatorBoy]

Speaking of charter members those guys are allowed to sell items on treasurenet

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Post50 please read our rules and post by them, no insults or attacks....There was nothing wrong with RGinn's post, certainly no call for the response given.....

Since item was found in a retail store and has zero providence the value will be low to knowledgeable buyers unless it is papered by a highly reputable source....

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