pottery plummet..may hint at use.

[GatorBoy]

I have heard of a couple of these... only a couple. I was lucky enough to find 1 of them. With all the debate and questions about the use of plummets I thought this was worth sharing. since most are made of stone or shell they are limited in the types of use that would be visible on their surface. I believe this rare artifact may be showing some information very rarely seen. I inhanced one of the photos to bring out small wear patterns that do not appear to be intentional. they look to me like cloth or cord impressions. Have a look..

 

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[rock]

Very interesting Artifact for sure. I couldnt begin to think of a answer for you though. I just have never found or seen one in person. Maybe someday.

 

[hotrod]

cool

 

[unclemac]

I always figured they were sinkers for fishing lines....if fact, come to think of it, I have found my share of lead ones that look near the same.

 

[GatorBoy]

Hey..what's up with you Hotrod? You seem to only have 2 words in your vocabulary... cool.... nice.. I even clicked on posts made by you on your profile page.. and yup... that's pretty much all you say?

 

[NC field hunter]

I always figured they were sinkers for fishing lines....if fact, come to think of it, I have found my share of lead ones that look near the same.

I second the lead ones. I have only found a half of one in my life. Cool pieces.

 

[GatorBoy]

Unlclemac That is made of pottery... It is not going to work as a sinker.

 

[GatorBoy]

Haha.. It's definitely different

 

[moundbuilder]

cool

 

[unclemac]

well it aint a gonna float is it?...sure it could be, maybe not the best, I grant you...

 

[GatorBoy]

There are hundreds of other shells and various stones available for use as sinkers on every shoreline here. makes no sense to make a crappy one from pottery.

 

[GatorBoy]

These came from the same site. they make more sense as quick and replaceable effective sinkers to me. Seems like way too much work to Peck and grind something into the shape of a plummet for nothing more than a little weight on a fishing line.

 

[GatorBoy]

 

[unclemac]

..sure and a fire hardened pointed stick makes a mighty fine spear too so why make one of these?

Although no one can say for sure exactly how any one particular plummet was used, there are several facts that are known about them. They have been found on village sites located near large bodies of water and they have been found in burials that also contained fishhooks made of shell and copper. At least one Florida plummet was found that was carved with a head of a duck. In 1870 a plowed dry lake bed in Sonoma County California produced many hundreds of plummets. So the archaeological record does show a connection with plummets and water which can mean they have something to do with fishing and hunting water fowl.

 

[GatorBoy]

Every village as far as I know had somthing to do with water. Do you know one that didn't...MR. pointed stick? I mean.. the archaeological record shows a connection with humans and water. Also..that piece you pictured is a knife.

 

[unclemac]

shouldn't you be in bed? isn't it nigh on 2 in the AM where you are?

 

[GatorBoy]

Haha...

 

[rock]

I was just on a Artifact site and they had some of those but with 2 notches. One on each end and they called them spear throwing weights, the (A) word. Do you think yours is the same? And it might be not trying to sound rude.

 

[unclemac]

I was just on a Artifact site and they had some of those but with 2 notches. One on each end and they called them spear throwing weights, the (A) word. Do you think yours is the same? And it might be not trying to sound rude.

now that would really not be heavy enough I am thinking

 

[GatorBoy]

The ones with the groove on each end Could very well be atlatl weights. This pottery one would never work for that. The single grooved ones wouldn't either.. so that makes me doubt any of them were. I know plenty of people will argue otherwise.. it just doesn't seem logical that there are boat stones and plummets used for the same purpose.