Nutter, mortar, paint cup, or just a rock?

[Wes213]

Found this one in the ground today, the divot looks ground out to me as apposed to water wear. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!!!

 

[BagLady]

I don't see anything that indicates it was used to grind anything. If it were, there would be the dark/different color of use in the "divot". (see my avitar)
I think it is just a rock.

 

[Tnmountains]

Boy that is hard to say. Is the rock soft? They used mountain stone around here and it is pretty soft. It could be just depends upon where you found it. If found on a site I would say yes. They used little platform stones or lap stones when they worked . They were often broken.

 

[Hot diggity]

The notch kind of resembles a spokeshave & the divot possibly for fire starting? Maybe. I'd hold onto it for now just in case. I've kept junkers & tossed worked stone no doubt.

 

[Calgarychef]

I've used stones as a mandrel for fire starting with a bowdrill. The depression always gets polished and yours is the same texture as the rest of the rock.....

 

[woodstock]

Sometimes dripping water on a softer rock will in time make a simular divot mark . It might have had been keep in place either as part of a larger rock or just had a spot where a constant drip from above ... just sayin' .... Woodstock

 

[Hot diggity]

I've used stones as a mandrel for fire starting with a bowdrill. The depression always gets polished and yours is the same texture as the rest of the rock.....

Agreed, but after you did it all-around erosion didn't have a chance to take place. Could be an odd rock though. Idk I've never found a fire starter stone. Unfortunately. Edit: or I've tossed them. They needed those & lots of them. Many must be getting overlooked & understandably so. I don't mean to give false optimism to the OP, but he is on a site(s) judging by previous posts. I'll shut up now

 

[Bow Only]

Nutting stone. Is it slightly bigger than a walnut?

 

[Mowwhay]

Sure looks like a "nutting stone" to me! (Same thing as ,many believe, an antler billet grinder.)

 

[The Grim Reaper]

That looks like a Pitted Stone and they were used for many different things.

 

[Wes213]

Nutting stone. Is it slightly bigger than a walnut?

The pit is slightly bigger then a walnut. Thanks for all the great feedback from everyone, much appreciated.

 

[creekhunter]

Definitely worked that way, I have several that were all found on sites.

 

[rock]

I find those darn things to but the ones I have found are usually pitted hammer stones from what I can tell And some are nutting types. They used them divots for something but dont know for what all the times. I know the fingers work well for gripping in the divots. I say keep it.

 

[DownNDirty]

Nutting stone imo

 

[Bow Only]

Pitted chert that is used as a hammer stone has longitudinal fracture lines in the divot from the shearing force from the hammering. The divot in a pitted hammer stone is often not completely round and bigger than a nutting stone. The pitted hole in chert that is used for a nutting stone often looks like the pic posted here.