Maine gouge

[mainejman]

I am fortunate to have an archeologist of Arthur Spiess's caliber to help me identify some of my finds.He told me that these expanded sided full channeled gouges appear early in the sequence of gouge forms in Maine.For example 6500 years or so or earlier.Early archaic or middle archaic.These early archaic sites are pretty scarce due to most of them being lost to rising ocean levels...mjm

 

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[GatorBoy]

Check that out!
Considering what was being made with them I bet there's alot of them..and sites for that matter..under water.

 

[Charl]

mjm, glad to see you touched base with Speiss. He was as stunned as we were by the sheer quantity of gouges at your site.....

 

[mainejman]

Well the last three gouges were actually found at a different site than the majority of them were found.Both sites are stream side.Part of are swap of information is I tell him where I found them.Both of these sites are well known.I'm just fortunate to have been born with gouge eye...mjm

 

[GaRebel1861]

That is really nice! I sure like the material that it is made of.

 

[Get-the-point]

Very nice gouge!! Love the banded slate!!.....Way to work the "Gouge Eye".......lol................................GTP

 

[mainejman]

It is definetly in my top three gouges.What set this one apart is that much of the area that I cover is made up of rock on rock that is never really gonna change much in the years that I will be hunting it.In this situation I was in an area where it changes yearly and possibly a few times more in the year due to heavy rains.It was basically found in dried up silt.And I feel fortunate that just the right amount of silt didn't cover her up...mjm

 

[rock]

That sure is a beauty. So its made from slate?

 

[old digger]

Amazing Find! Would love to find one of those.

 

[sullymission]

Those are amazing.

 

[monsterrack]

That thing is awesome , I had never seen one till you posted some of your finds. Great find and keep it up

 

[Montgomery]

Wow! What a terrific artifact! Red Paint culture?

Kindest regards,

Montgomery

 

[Tnmountains]

Very nice as always. The ultimate cool tool and one I appreciate working in wood often. Never found a gouge and that one is exceptional. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mainejman]

Rock I'm not sure if its slate or not.I'm not real good at identifying stone.Eventually I'll have some of my finds looked at by an archeologist. The gouge and adze seem to be more prevalent than the Celt and axe here in Maine.I believe our ratio of gouges to axes is probably about 15-1 and the adze -celt ratio pretty similar... mjm

 

[Charl]

New England in general is the epicenter for ground hardstone adzes and gouges. We've only found 2 in decades of surface hunting in RI and Ma, though. From Willoughby's out of print "Antiquities of the New England Indians", here are a wide variety of these tool forms from New England:

 

[Charl]

Check this out!! A bear effigy adze from Ct. What a score!!

 

[Get-the-point]

The material appears to be banded slate. Banded slate was commonly used for hardstone artifacts east of the Mississippi River. Hope this helps...........GTP https://www.google.com/search?q=ban...AhIGQBQ&ved=0CB8QsAQ&biw=1138&bih=488&dpr=1.2

 

[quito]

WOW! Nice score!

 

[mainejman]

Thanks Quito and thank you GTP. Charl is that yours? That thing is crazy a true inspiration for what a person is capable of finding.Makes me wonder what that is worth.Definetly ceremonial or a burial item...Anybody know what a gouge from the northeast is worth?...mjm

 

[rock]

I have never seen that material before even in books. It is one of a kind for sure real beauty