Trailside Mortar

[Charl]

Something like this is called a trailside mortar because they obviously were not portable, and must have been used communally. This one was moved where it sat in Goddard Memorial Park in RI, and into the pavilion area. The park is located in an area called Potowomet, on Greenwich Bay, where the Narragansett held Summer festivals.

 

[rock]

I wonder how long it was used by the deep hole in it and being so deep how they got the finished product out.

 

[monsterrack]

Now that is a object you would not wont to pack around, but if I found one of that size I would have to hire a crew to get it home. Thanks for showing it.

 

[Charl]

I wonder how long it was used by the deep hole in it and being so deep how they got the finished product out.

This mortar was actually originally located at the base of another very large rock or outcrop, which had a well worn trough running down it, with that trough or deep channel terminating directly above the basin in this mortar. Whatever was being processed, it involved two rocks.

 

[DigIron2]

Thanks for posting that Charl. Here is a dry pic of the bowl of the one from WVA. At first I was sure that is what I had found. After some research I came to the conclusion that is was from running water? It was found on the edge of a big creek, but was still in the creek enough to where higher water would have ran over top of it. After looking at the one you posted now I am not sure? What do you think?

 

[Sallysue]

Thats a neat find

 

[Charl]

Thanks for posting that Charl. Here is a dry pic of the bowl of the one from WVA. At first I was sure that is what I had found. After some research I came to the conclusion that is was from running water? It was found on the edge of a big creek, but was still in the creek enough to where higher water would have ran over top of it. After looking at the one you posted now I am not sure? What do you think? View attachment 1360521View attachment 1360522

I thought it looked like a mortar before, and even more now. It looks battered right around the periphery of the depression. I don't have a lot of experience with mortars, but that looks like one to me.

 

[DigIron2]

I don't know much about them either.Kind of hard for me to distinguish natural from altered with stuff like this. I never had a second opinion about it before,always just thinking it was natural. But that is great news, thanks for the help .

 

[NCPeaches]

It's a bigun! Thanks Charl for posting about it!