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Riverbed Artifact

brendantc

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Hello, I posted this piece on the 'What is it' forum, and someone recommended that I re-post it here. I don't consider this item to be pre-colonial, but I am curious if anyone has ever seen ANYTHING like this. As long as we can rule out pre-colonial, it's a start. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

...My blurb from the 'What is it' forum....

"Hello all, I joined this forum today because of an object I found in the river yesterday. I live in the Blue Ridge foothills near Hendersonville, NC, and the object in question was found in the Green River, just south of town. Anyway, I was wading in the shallows looking for interesting rocks on the bottom when I spied something different. At first I thought it was a vertebrae from a very large animal, but after pulling it up I noticed that it was made of stone. It seems to be some kind of old carved stone tool or "key." It is very strange. The best way I can describe it is a "cylindrical stone key." One end of the cylinder has notches in it to "catch" and turn something, and the other end has a very obvious "knob" for turning. Parts of it are very smooth and might have been craved by a machine, but other parts are very rough. However, I can't tell if the rough parts are from hand carving, or from erosion, where small pieces and chucks have been chipped away by traveling down the river. Also note: the area of the river it was found in has very strong rapids and is know for its whitewater. I cant imagine it's been sitting on the bottom long with the current being so strong in that area. I have no earthly idea what era this is from or what it might have been used for, and it could turn out to be quite modern, but I am very curious all the same, so I thought I would give you guys a shot at it. Pictures are below. Let me know what you think. Thanks so much! -Brendan in NC.

p.s. In the last image I have done some analysis work to point out some of the corresponding features on the bottom of the object. "
 

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Upvote 0
looks like one of those porcelain telephone insulatorS

Johnathan Griswold
 
wow i can't figure it out. Seems to be a valve of some sort or a key whatever it is it was made to open or release something. very nice unique pc ....maybe harry pristis can help you on this.
 
Who is Harry Pristis, and how does one summon him?
 
Who is Harry Pristis, and how does one summon him?

Brendan I was leaning towards the insulator theory until i read what you pointed out and that was the lack of a mounting hole......Now after looking at it further it could be a carved piece for like a tombstone or decorative finial for a fence post or statue my other thought was stalagmite.....................GTP
 
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Who is Harry Pristis, and how does one summon him?

i dont know how to "summon" him but he might come across your post and reply on it
 
Brendan I was leaning towards the insulator theory until i read what you pointed out and that was the lack of a mounting hole......Now after looking at it further it could be a carved piece for like a tombstone or decorative finial for a fence post or statue my other thought was stalagmite.....................GTP

could be something like that
 
The piece is not porcelain, I cant stress that enough. I might not be an expert, but I have found many insulators, and this is not one. It is heavy, dense, solid, stone. In the areas where the object has been chipped, you can see the composition of the rock. I would ask people to pay particular attention to the picture labeled "bottom" and tell me why an insulator would have such features. If you click on the picture and look at it in better detail, you can see instantly, that this is not a simple insulator. Thanks to everyone who chimed in.
 
yeah insulator never crossed my mind here it is carved stone and could be something to the nature of what gtp said but as you very clearly exhibited in pic 5 with arrows shows that this pc was certainly was designed for locking something in place. whether that would be in say a finial to lock it into position to help stabilize it or to help place the "valve" after being closed also I can see it being used as something to lock or join 2 pcs of something together as in stone masonry. But I'm totally guessing I'm not familiar with anything that could be. Good luck. Hope someone can tell us what that is.
 
Thanks everyone for your help. I've contacted some local professors, I'll let you know if they have anything to say.
 
Made a rough outline of the features on the bottom, and took some detail pics. Hope this helps.
 

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Wow. That sure looks like some type of 'key' OR stone item you pressed in molten wax to leave a 'crest' or seal. Except the depth is too deep to fully engage the pattern. Based on your drawing it almost looks like an ancient router bit! That's very neat if that's what it is...
 
Looks like an old lock pin or lock style plug. the symmetry suggests that it was put into something and then twisted to close. MAybe an old bottle or jug plug?
 
I'm thinking drain plug, or the key to a golden city, or possibly it starts an ancient aliens ufo ignition. hope i get to find out what that is.
 
Looks like an old lock pin or lock style plug. the symmetry suggests that it was put into something and then twisted to close. MAybe an old bottle or jug plug?

agree it seems to twist then close
 
I have to admit THATS the most un useal rock that I have ever seen. I've been rock(Indian Artifact) hunting for better than 25 yrs, And Have YET to come across a critter like that! I hope someone can help with an ID on that bad boy, Let us know what becomes of it ...HH
 
I have to admit THATS the most un useal rock that I have ever seen. I've been rock(Indian Artifact) hunting for better than 25 yrs, And Have YET to come across a critter like that! I hope someone can help with an ID on that bad boy, Let us know what becomes of it ...HH

doesn't seem to be made by "indians"
 
SOHIO said:
I'm thinking drain plug, or the key to a golden city, or possibly it starts an ancient aliens ufo ignition. hope i get to find out what that is.

I'm guess something the Stark's used to lock the White Walkers out from entering the gates at Winterfell in the golden age of Game of Thrones

Johnathan Griswold
 
you could very well be right, i find when in doubt about something ..... one should make crazy guesses.
 

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