Just a strange shaped rock or something?

[davewil58]

Hi All,

I grew up in central Virginia outside of Charlottesville. My parents had about 90 acres of land and every summer they would plant a vegetable garden. I remember that we would always find an arrowhead or two. We knew that there had been Native American activity there. Several eyars before she passed away, my mother found what she was convinced was an artifact. I'm not so sure.

Top is shown on left, bottom on right.. What do people think? I took these with my phone. I can take higher resolution with my digital SLR. Thanks

 

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[catherine1]

That could be a blade. Is it made of flint?

 

[yelnif]

Doesn't look like flint. My guess is a hammer stone. yelnif...

 

[rock]

I am going to say rock and I am not trying to be mean. The reason I say rock is because the cortex has not been altered on either side. Does it have a edge on it where top and bottom meets? If it doesnt then its a rock with a cool shape.

 

[davewil58]

Thanks 'Rock'. Not mean at all. I really had no expectations one way or the other. To answer your question, one side is slightly flattened along the axis where top and bottom meet. As for the composition of the rock, it is not flint. Holding it in your hand leaves a sandy residue. as soon as I can I will add some 'profile' shots.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Can you show a side view? It looks natural to me though.

 

[davewil58]

Here are some more pictures. This appears to be a composite. Notice what appears to be greyish stone under the sandy/crusty exterior layer. Do I dare abrade the brownish coating?

 

[arnofarrell]

Looks like sand stone.

 

[yakker]

Certainly not flint or chert. But keep in mind that rocks change over time- some that appear sandy and loose and not at all good for anything like a tool- were once solid and structurally sound. Your piece doesn't appear to have that tell-tale edge that wrked pieces have along their edges. Ground perhaps? But so decomposed it's hard to tell. Given that it's probably not the finest piece in your collection, why not take the chance- and give it a wack. But first, take another look down its edge. See if you can see any ripple or wavy-ness (which would show 'work'). Many people would say an artifact isn't an artifact until you put all the evidense in context. In my neck of the woods, I wouldn't dare pick up such a piece-- there are too many, and they're too common--and clearly geofacts. But placed in the right context, this could be something. My grandmother gave me a chunk of red/purple chert she was certain was an arrowhead- her words. I (of course) still have it, but it by no means is an arrowhead-- maybe a hand axe. But back to your piece... You'll never know if she found it in water, woods or field (tho I'm suspecting field?), so you don't know the context. If you chip a piece off, you might know whether it could have been something, once...
BTW, I used to live in the pink warehouse downtown. Nice to have C-ville represented here! Yak

 

[davewil58]

I finally got around to abrading the surface. The sandstone came off fairly easily with sandpaper. Nothing about this looks natural, especially the point. Also one side is flattened.

 

[bmartin0693]

I think it's a type of highly meta-sandstone artifact (maybe like granite). I find similar processed forms of that material here in Pilot Mtn, NC. I think it was a perforator but it's really exhausted. Everyone I find have little evidence of a maker, b/c that is how meta-sandstone weathers over time. Check out the big knob on Pilot Mtn on a map. It used to be a huge sand dune composed of white beach sands. Over 500 million years of natural processes created the very resistant meta-sandstone/quartzite knob with schist layers embedded. The quartzite from the Sauratown Mtn range is known for it's purity, 98 percent quartz. I find artifacts made from that frequently and people here have said natural. I believe that your stone was maybe something at one time but it's really a tough call due to it's actual age.

 

[GatorBoy]

If you sanded it more do you think it would change shape still?
I'm not saying you did..but it seems possible that you sanded with a shape in mind..therefore enhancing it.
I think it's only sandstone and not an artifact..but that's just my opinion.. if anyone can show me any artifact from your area..ever documented made of that material and in that shape I will surely think different.
Things like bowls,manos,matate, abrading stones were all made of sandstone for very logical reasons...it was the right material for the job.
When Flint,quartz,probably rayholite and also bone were all available there is no reason to try to make a perforater from sandstone.
These folks were smart..much smarter than most of us when it came to making a life with strickly what mother earth supplied.

 

[bmartin0693]

I agree with ya on that GB. Sandstone is weakly compacted minerals. However, Archaic people are known to make quick and easy alterations on stones. For instance, the schist & meta-sandstone materials I say I am finding. Most I have to brush with a toothbrush to get to the smooth surface. That's how this type of material weathers. The Natives knew that there was a quartz-like ingredient that can be knapped somewhat. Indeed, they were intelligent not to use up all their rhyolite just to do some quick fashioned work. I found a large meta-sandstone tip (maybe a perforator) in that creek spot today. It actually may look more like a perforator than this one. The reason this one pictured is so "iffy" b/c that stone was already very old anyway. Sounds like he done some sanding to get to his smooth surface. If some Native did decide to make it a quick tool it's b/c they knew the quartz-like ingredients its composed of. Whether it truly is, we will never know.

 

[bmartin0693]

I just want to add this and I'm finished. Retrograde metamorphism is a reversed metamorphism which occurs as temperature and pressure decrease, due to the erosion of overlying rock or tectonic plate uplift. The rock will return to its original unmetamorphosed state. For example, granite can return to meta-sandstone then to sandstone. Meta-sandstone is a tough one to call an artifact anyway b/c it can change either way. You must really know your area to give a definite answer whether this material was actually used as a tool or not.

 

[davewil58]

The artifact consists of a primary stone that is grey in color, hard and dense, perhaps granite. It easily fits in the palm of your hand and weighs approximately 1.5 lbs. It 'had' a secondary coating of what appeared to be some sort of sandstone. This secondary coating was easily abraded with sandpaper. My intent was an 'un-biased' abrading and to just remove the secondary sandstone. I do not believe that it will change shape with more sanding. The primary stone does not respond easily to the sand paper.

BTW, I appreciate your comments, Bmartin and gatorboy.

 

[Charl]

Great deal of BS geology being conveyed in this thread, IMO. Granite is a meta-sandstone?!?! Retrograde metamorphism returns rocks to their "original" state?!?! Good lord!!!! And the artifact is certainly not a perforator. Huh??

 

[Charl]

I just want to add this and I'm finished. Retrograde metamorphism is a reversed metamorphism which occurs as temperature and pressure decrease, due to the erosion of overlying rock or tectonic plate uplift. The rock will return to its original unmetamorphosed state. For example, granite can return to meta-sandstone then to sandstone. Meta-sandstone is a tough one to call an artifact anyway b/c it can change either way. You must really know your area to give a definite answer whether this material was actually used as a tool or not.

In the first place, quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone. Granite is not metamorphosed sandstone!! Granite is an intrusive igneous rock. It was NEVER sandstone, and certainly there is no process that could possibly convert it to sandstone. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock. Igneous rocks do not retrograde to sedimentary rocks. Between artifacts that are not artifacts and geology that is completely ill-informed and flat out wrong, a great deal of misinformation is conveyed! And that ain't good, IMHO. Not a geologist, but my B.S. was in geology, many moons ago. People who want to teach should first learn, then teach.

 

[GatorBoy]

My guess on this stone is that it's probably the result of minerals carried by ground water that slowly filled in a space left behind by a gas bubble in an ancient clay deposit.
Regardless ..it's your mother's find and I would keep it as such.

 

[bmartin0693]

In the first place, quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone. Granite is not metamorphosed sandstone!! Granite is an intrusive igneous rock. It was NEVER sandstone, and certainly there is no process that could possibly convert it to sandstone. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock. Igneous rocks do not retrograde to sedimentary rocks. Between artifacts that are not artifacts and geology that is completely ill-informed and flat out wrong, a great deal of misinformation is conveyed! And that ain't good, IMHO. Not a geologist, but my B.S. was in geology, many moons ago. People who want to teach should first learn, then teach.

Sir, actually I didn't mean granite. However, I really meant granulite and gneiss. So I didn't say that right word but there is such processes. I don't have a BS in nothing but I've got about 5 books on my bookshelf that describes such geological processes. Everyone I know like the back of my hand and I don't answer on these forums unless I'm 90% sure. I'm an honors graduate from a school surrounded by corn and tobacco fields. People round here love dirt and rocks! I still know what I'm talking about so Google it. Look up Pilot Mtn being made of meta-sandstone with schist layers and retrograde metamorphism (it's not common). I didn't convey misinformation entirely! I knew what this stone was immediately without reading a book. Thanks and have a blessed one!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

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I finally got around to abrading the surface. The sandstone came off fairly easily with sandpaper. Nothing about this looks natural, especially the point. Also one side is flattened.

So you are saying you took something you thought was an artifact and abraded it to that shape so you could prove it's not natural??

WOW!!!!