Stone tool working table?

[Ed144]

I've been exploring an area known to have more than 3000 Hohokam era petrogylphs. This stone "table" is on a ridge that has ancient camp sites, caves under boulders and hundreds of petroglyphs. Does anyone know what this stone table was used for? It appears to be worn on top over most of the surface and has 16 or more small divots worn into it. The rock is about waist high, more or less flat on top and about 3' in diameter. I was standing on top of another boulder to take the photos. Perhaps it was used to grind something small that would accumulate in the divots? Could it be for working hides? Thanks for any comments. Ed, Arizona.

 

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[newnan man]

Photos?

 

[Ed144]

Photo attachment. The boulder is granite.

 

[newnan man]

It could have been utilized as a food prep station.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Need better pictures of closeups of the holes to see the inside condition

It could also be Omarolluk also called omars.

 

[russau]

Nuts and grain griding stone for sure ! My wife's relatives in Sacramento California has a big one in their backyard just like that one you have in the picture!

 

[oldmxrat]

Those are fairly common in the western Great Basin of Nevada. I've seen some with over a hundred of those little holes pecked into the boulder. I've never heard a good explanation for them, as some are done on big round boulders and are all around, not just the horizontal surfaces.

 

[Ed144]

I think some sort of seed/meal grinding table makes sense. I believe the ancient people used the ridge for a defensible position and camp site. Many of the petroglyps in the area seem to discuss strife. Attached is a glyph from a lower stepped area that descends toward the main canyon via an impassible boulder strewn wash. I attempted to descend the wash and realized it narrowed to boulders without any safe path. The glyph explains that the route is a poor path. Although this is purely conjecture, I think the glyph is showing: "If you are uncertain if you can go down in this direction, hold up, turn back, the path is impaired and you will need to walk on boulders. The direction is dangerous."

 

[CreekSide]

Interesting