Maine hardstone

[mainejman]

Here are some hardstone tools that were found in and along three different Maine streams by me.They range in size from 8" to 14" long.Two full adzes a full channeled gouge.The gouge was found in two pieces..The last two pieces were a hafted adze with a little tip damage and what I believe to be an unfinished adze.I have sent a picture of it to a local archeologist to get a determination..mjm

 

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[MAMucker]

Great finds! Rare types and styles.
The channel gouge is very nice.
I’ve only seen one in person.
I remember the day some years ago, a local collector showed me a quartz gouge that he had just picked up as we met on a trail.
I think I’ll try to reach out to him and see if I can get a couple photos.

The long adze tools are interesting. What is the material?Do you mind posting more photos of these?

Please and thank you.

 

[joshuaream]

That gouge is something special. I bet it made some big canoes back in the day.

Are you inland or near the ocean?

 

[arrow86]

Great finds , you find some killer hardstone artifacts , even at my best field sites with streams running thru them and streams feeding shoreline I hunt I just never have any luck stream , creek hunting. Looks like you Have some great sites to hunt

 

[ToddsPoint]

You have the Maritime Archaic culture in Maine. They are the ones who supposedly "invented" or "discovered" pecking and polishing hardstone. No surprise you have nice hardstone artifacts up there. Gary

 

[Bodkin]

Dang!!! Living in Maine myself, how did you even spot these with all the similar looking rocks here. You have an eagle for sure! Thank you for that post and picture. (As if I didn't have enough to keep my eyes out for, now more is added to the plate!)

 

[mainejman]

Twenty years experience in Maine artifacts...you'd be surprised what you'll spot when you get your eyes trained...some of these are surface finds some were dug..mjm

 

[yakker]

Wonderful finds! (so... I'll be nearly 80 by the time I figure it all out up here, I guess...)

 

[mainejman]

I dont have any access to and plowed fields near streams...so I look near streams and pond and lake shores...it takes time but I have places I go and have great luck..mjm

 

[Bodkin]

I dont have any access to and plowed fields near streams...so I look near streams and pond and lake shores...it takes time but I have places I go and have great luck..mjm

mainejman, you are correct in a statement up above about training ones eyes. Do you happen to know of any articles or books related to "Maine" native artifacts that are worthwhile looking at? I "stumbled" upon my first native artifact ever and posted it the other day and got a lot of great feedback. The feedback was from all over this wonderful country but it got me wondering about the differences in artifacts and stone working from different areas. There must be, I can only imagine pretty vast, differences given game species, materials, etc., etc. I certainly want to train my eyes for what's around here right now and don't really know where to start. Any thoughts? Thanks a bunch and again, those are great finds! I'll be keeping an eye out for those.

 

[mainejman]

I just saw that knife. That's one hell of a nice knife...Fresh water streams that join are good spots.Where they dump into or exit bodies of water...All my sites are on the water either streams or lakes or ponds...I would just look up Maine indian artifacts or Archeology in Maine...Projectile points of Maine....anything on these lines...Any fresh water streams in Maine have artifacts.Mother nature has to cooperate..

 

[Bodkin]

I just saw that knife. That's one hell of a nice knife...Fresh water streams that join are good spots.Where they dump into or exit bodies of water...All my sites are on the water either streams or lakes or ponds...I would just look up Maine indian artifacts or Archeology in Maine...Projectile points of Maine....anything on these lines...Any fresh water streams in Maine have artifacts.Mother nature has to cooperate..

Thank you. Those seem like the logical places to look. So I guess my thinking was on. Nice to get confirmation from "those in the know". I'll do the Google thing too. Thanks again!

 

[jepjet]

The steams were the road ways I get that, and a confluence is the equivalent of an intersection. Are you finding camps above or below confluence. Are you on sea run streams were their would be lots of netting?

 

[dognose]

very nice finds. That center gouge is highly stylized, very sweet.

 

[antmike915]

Nice finds, thanks for sharing. I've been curious about artifacts from Maine? Any pictures of points from there?

 

[joshuaream]

I am glad this thread was brought up again, an absolutely amazing assortment of items.