PLEASE Help Identify This Artifact!

StoneSoberish

Newbie
Sep 16, 2020
2
7
Huntsville, Alabama
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Hi, I found this stone tool(presumably) about 200ft from the Tennessee River, near Decatur, Alabama. This is my third attempt at seeking out someone who has seen a tool of this particular shape/size & who has some knowledge of what its intended purpose was. Judging by what appear to be finger indentions worn into the stone over countless years of use, it must have been a very useful tool of some sort. So far, ive been unable to find any pictures of similar artifacts online. I have a suspicion i should have started with this site in the first place!
Thanks, Drew

*Regarding the "finger indentations", there actually appear to be to many indentations. So i may be completely wrong about what they are? Hopefully, someone can enlighten me!*
 

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gunsil

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Dec 27, 2012
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Sorry, I don't believe you have an artifact here. It appears to be an oddly shaped natural stone.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Welcome to TreasureNet, sorry they are natural river rock. For future reference when you post finds with questions try putting something in the picture for size reference.
 

eyemustdigtreasure

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Well, if the rocks in the neighborhood, where you found it, has natural holes in them, this might be a remnant of one of them
 

OP
OP
S

StoneSoberish

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Sep 16, 2020
2
7
Huntsville, Alabama
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Maybe These Pics Will Clear Things Up...

Thanks to everyone who responded. Im grateful for your input and advice. However, i feel VERY confident regarding its classification as a Stone Tool used by humans, for an extended amount of time, at some point in the past. I am including some more detailed pics in this post. Take note of the darker, worn down areas on a couple of the inner corners and on one side, which correspond to markings caused by using a tool repetitively over an extended period. Also, on the most pointed end of the three end points you can see a darker brown color( with worn down appearance, which also resembles repetitive use of some sort. Finally, the circular indentation which can be found in several places on the item all have a worn down, smooth appearance and the same darker coloring, which is found on many heavily used pre historic stone tools. One last comment...when you hold the tool in your hand, placing on the worn down locations, it has a very distinct and purposeful feel to it. There are even two small holes that line up perfect with where your pointer and middle finger lay on the opposite side of the stone. Again, I have no clue what purpose this stone was used for...but these findings and observations require, imho, , at the very least a reconsideration of its purpose. I hope ive done it justice...
Thanks, Drew

*I'm also including pics of other artifacts i have found, just to show that i am not a complete hack, and that i do have some experience with Native American artifacts. A couple of these pictured Arrow Heads were actually found within approximately 200yards of where the "unknown tool" was found. Also, many other artifacts have been recovered by others in this same area.*
 

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1320

Silver Member
Dec 10, 2004
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East Central Kentucky
Honestly, you have answered your own question, sometimes you just gotta throw in the towel. Sounds like the other two attempts provided dead ends as well. That's what we call a consensus lol.

"This is my third attempt"

"unable to find any pictures of similar artifacts"

"no clue what purpose this stone was used for"
 

jeff of pa

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Naturally I Disagree With Natural .
Something Created the Holes. whether unusual Erosion, Human Intervention, Or fossilization .

Not Natural IN my Mind.

But I'm just 1 Person with an Open Minded Opinion :coffee2:

Definitely a Keeper

IMG_8390.JPEG IMG_8417.JPEG
 

Last edited:

Back-of-the-boat

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A lot of rocks end up with holes in them from naturally occurring processes, they are not all man made if you have been around rivers a lot you will see where a smaller rock has worn a hole in another rock by being swirled around in the same spot for years on end and that is what it looks like happened to yours.Then your rock finally broke away from its larger rock through that wear over time.It is a cool looking rock though thank you for sharing it with us.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Holes called pot holes are common in stone river beds and beach shores, rocks and gravel are caught in small whirlpools and over time they wear holes in the base rock.
Pot Holes In River Rock.jpg

Pot Holes2.jpg


Pot Holes.jpg
 

Last edited:

Toecutter

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It looks like sand stone, if it is sand stone then its to soft to be used as a tool..
 

Fossils

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Oct 25, 2019
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My gut feeling is that it's Native American. Some of the indentations look "pecked in" as opposed to naturally eroded. Perhaps they picked up a rock that already had some natural indentations and then added a few more.

The fact that you've found a lot of confirmed artifacts nearby is a plus. The rock has the context of the surroundings going for it, at least.

It's hard to tell what it was used for. Perhaps it was a large sort of "nutting stone" used for cracking several nuts at the same time.
 

Willownsrn

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Jun 23, 2021
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Old Fort Tennessee
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I have a stone very similar to yours. Believe mine may be longer but similar I will have to find it. I have many rock piles lol Looks very important to me and like u I believe it is a stone tool.
 

T.C.

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May 17, 2012
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Hi, I found this stone tool(presumably) about 200ft from the Tennessee River, near Decatur, Alabama. This is my third attempt at seeking out someone who has seen a tool of this particular shape/size & who has some knowledge of what its intended purpose was. Judging by what appear to be finger indentions worn into the stone over countless years of use, it must have been a very useful tool of some sort. So far, ive been unable to find any pictures of similar artifacts online. I have a suspicion i should have started with this site in the first place!
Thanks, Drew

*Regarding the "finger indentations", there actually appear to be to many indentations. So i may be completely wrong about what they are? Hopefully, someone can enlighten me!*

It has somewhat of an appearance of a "slave killer" from the Pacific Northwest. Do I see a face on one of the ends? Neat artifact...I'd keep it!
 

xr7ator

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That looks like an exhaust manifold off of Fred Flintstones car! })
 

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