Spherical club head?

[jakedai]

I just found this interesting stone in the mountains of Colorado above Fairplay. Looks to my amateur mind like the broken head of an old club. Any thoughts from those with more experience and knowledge? Thanks! Photo shows a standard paint can opener for scale - only thing available at the moment!

 

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[jakedai]

I just found this interesting stone in the mountains of Colorado above Fairplay. Looks to my amateur mind like the broken head of an old club. Any thoughts from those with more experience and knowledge? Thanks! Photo shows a standard paint can opener for scale - only thing available at the moment! View attachment 1993322 View attachment 1993323

Not sure if this is relevant, but of course there is a lot of old mining activity in this area, so possibly a mining remnant, but it seems quite different from usual mining objects.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Looks like an Indian artifact, a full grove ax that was broken in half somehow.

 

[Up-North]

Axe or grooved maul.. even broke, it’s a nice find….👍

 

[Fat]

Looks like an Indian artifact, a full grove ax that was broken in half somehow.

.... I think it’s natural... It is broke like a maul will but the groove doesn’t look right, there some over hang.
I like though, and would have packed it home too..

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

.... I think it’s natural... It is broke like a maul will but the groove doesn’t look right, there some over hang.
I like though, and would have packed it home too..

Fat, I think you are correct, I didn't use my mag ap on it the first time I looked, blown-up the groove doesn't look man-made.

 

[oldmxrat]

You can see a different type of material just under the groove at the break which was obviously softer than the rest and wore naturally.

 

[Buckleberry]

I agree it's natural. I used to live in both Fairplay and Alma (highest city in the US) 20+ yrs. ago, I miss it dearly, that is some very spiritual country there and I know there was a documented native site not too far from Fairplay, I remember it being a small rocky hill heading out into the High Plains, the sacred hunting ground of the Utes back in the day.

 

[jakedai]

Wow, thanks everyone for the quick and thoughtful replies! That makes sense about the weakness in the rock as seen in the break point. I think what caught my eye more than anything was (a) how linear the groove line is right along what seems a likely attachment line, and (b) how that would form normally/naturally. Additionally, it's such a different rock than what is normally found in this area it jumps out even more.

@Buckleberry , glad you spent some time in this area. I'm writing now from our mining claim at about 11,000 feet SSW of Fairplay. Definitely a special place!

 

[unclemac]

What we are seeing is no difference in patina between the groove and the rest of the rock. Were it pecked there would be a big difference. The groove also does not show any indications of being worked. As for how the natural process works, different forces (time, pressure, heat, erosion), Work on minerals in different ways. In this case it would seem a mineral band was formed (looking at the broken side) as the minerals in the stone precipitated over time. While not impossible the placement of the band is wrong too, it is not centered and would create an unbalanced club.