'Unusual stone artifact found in North Carolina likely dates from 3,000 to 1,000 BC'

[nunyabiz111]

https://www.wbtv.com/2019/12/16/unusual-stone-artifact-found-north-carolina-likely-dates-bc/

"It’s 7.2 inches long, 2 inches tall and nearly an inch and a half wide, the N.C. Office of State Archaeology posted on Facebook.

David Cranford of the Office of State Archaeology believes what the landowner found is an ancient tool: An adze (or adz) used for smoothing and trimming wood.

“It is unclear how old this object is, but if it was made during the time that many of the grooved axes were being made and used, it would likely date to the Late Archaic period (3000-1000 BC),” Cranford said in a post that accompanied a 3D model of the stone.

The tool “could have been used prehistorically to make wooden bowls, dugout canoes, or other wooden objects,” state officials posted."







3d model....good frickin grief


but yeah, anyone wanna spare a few thoughts on the specimen? for argumentation's sake...

 

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[Tdog]

I have my doubts about it. Looks like a water-worn geofact to me. More, in focus pics at various angles would help. You know, like the terms everyone agreed to when joining Tnet!

 

[nunyabiz111]

seems a lot like the ubiquitous rocks i kick over all the time. without drawing comparisons on anything but their possible use as manual tools ('artifactual' or not) based on [...]“the edge damage on the tapered end.”











can't help but feel i glimpsed a photo of the real item when i originally clicked upon its headline sometime last year from a different source. tho if it's any better, here's the link to the interactive 3d model they pasted together out of "46 shots" taken from the actual specimen.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/gro...SWbu-pTRrWhwttkJ5B4mylnFnsLV390brULSTCRT8JF7I

 

[newnan man]

No wear polish on it. Personally I don't think it's an artifact.

 

[Charl]

I have to keep in mind that someone from a state archaeology office had it in hand, and I do not. I defer, usually, to knowledgeable eyes that also have it in hand.

The depth of the groove through me off, never seen a grooved adze with such a deep groove. And I could not figure out what angle I was seeing, as a result. Then, I realized I was looking at this thing in profile, in other words a side view, poll end on right, bit end on left. Here is a full groove adze shown in similar profile, a side view like the object in the thread....



And looking down on the top:



Now, with my first photo, I can at least see that this is the angle shown in the object of the thread.

So, is it a grooved adze? Well, again, if the guy in the archaeologist office has any experience, I won’t simply dismiss his opinion. If he’s just an office worker, well, I don’t know. If it is an adze, it’s polished right past any signs of the pecking used in its creation. Water worn? Well, does not say as much. Sure would help to see other angles. But, it certainly has the shape of a grooved adze in profile, just an extra deep groove. If, as I read, the bit end is only 1 1/2” wide, that’s a very narrow bit, but certainly not unheard of, and I can at least extend benefit of doubt to the guy who has it in hand. Maybe it’s a full grooved adze. Here is a double grooved adze.



I can’t rule out it’s a full grooved adze. Still would like to see many angles, but it certainly has the correct profile. Just an unusually deep groove, and no vestige pecking visible....

Edit: the man from the archaeologist office does mention pecking within the groove. Enlarging the photo, it’s really a bit too blurry, but I can see what might be vestige pecking within the groove, if only that photo were in focus. If that is out of focus vestige pecking, that would lean me toward a full groove adze being more likely, and with the guy who has it in hand noting pecking produced the groove, well, again, he has the advantage by having it in hand. I cannot dismiss his interpretation of the rock seen, and this could easily be exactly what he believes it is....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

seems a lot like the ubiquitous rocks i kick over all the time. without drawing comparisons on anything but their possible use as manual tools ('artifactual' or not) based on [...]“the edge damage on the tapered end.”


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can't help but feel i glimpsed a photo of the real item when i originally clicked upon its headline sometime last year from a different source. tho if it's any better, here's the link to the interactive 3d model they pasted together out of "46 shots" taken from the actual specimen.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/gro...SWbu-pTRrWhwttkJ5B4mylnFnsLV390brULSTCRT8JF7I

Looks more like a fossil than an artifact.

 

[Relicgrubber]

reminds me of a stalagmite...

 

[outlaws15]

Walrus tooth was my first thought, but I don't know how teeth age over time.

 

[Doubter in MD]

No wear polish on it. Personally I don't think it's an artifact.

It's not a photo. It's a still frame from the 3D model.

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/grooved-adz-with-scale-f9d45287ee1349af938a1d16d5de2139?fbclid=IwAR0c4hm4H5Yud9SWbu-pTRrWhwttkJ5B4mylnFnsLV390brULSTCRT8JF7I&sscid=21k5_rim7d&utm_source=shareasale&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=314743_1272560

 

[xr7ator]

You sure it's not a picture of a photo of the still frame from the 3D model? })

 

[Doubter in MD]

You sure it's not a picture of a photo of the still frame from the 3D model? })

Ok. Not sure what difference that makes but to be more clear, it's not a photograph of the artifact. It is either a still frame or a photograph of one view of the 3D model. Look at the link to the 3d model to get a better idea of what this looks like. https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/grooved-adz-with-scale-f9d45287ee1349af938a1d16d5de2139?fbclid=IwAR0c4hm4H5Yud9SWbu-pTRrWhwttkJ5B4mylnFnsLV390brULSTCRT8JF7I&sscid=21k5_rim7d&utm_source=shareasale&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=314743_1272560

 

[nunyabiz111]

I have to keep in mind that someone from a state archaeology office had it in hand...

which they probably hastily 'misplaced' and had this 3d model conjured up....nonetheless, they seem like an easily amused society of eggheads and acadamia nuts in some instances (take the header specimen on the title page of this province's heritage conservation act, for example): https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/...ntent/archaeology/NBHCAartifactDiscovery.html

 

[dirstscratcher]

Have it checked out on a fossil forum somewhere.

 

[Charl]

Ok. Not sure what difference that makes but to be more clear, it's not a photograph of the artifact. It is either a still frame or a photograph of one view of the 3D model. Look at the link to the 3d model to get a better idea of what this looks like. https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/gro..._medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=314743_1272560

Thanks, that made quite the difference. It does look like an adze, although the bit looks like it’s been pounded blunt.

Edit: assuming it’s a faithful model, now I can clearly see the pecking. The cavity at the poll end was most unexpected. I have never seen that feature before. It has to have served as part of a hafting arrangement involving both a socket and a groove. That’s unique in my experience....

 

[Charl]

which they probably hastily 'misplaced' and had this 3d model conjured up....nonetheless, they seem like an easily amused society of eggheads and acadamia nuts in some instances (take the header specimen on the title page of this province's heritage conservation act, for example): https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/...ntent/archaeology/NBHCAartifactDiscovery.html

I wouldn’t know. I’m just looking at the 3D model and having no problem seeing a grooved adze with the bit blunted, just as it was described. I don’t know what type of fossil is being suggested here as a more accurate interpretation. Obviously, adze and gouge tools are more common here in New England than elsewhere in the United States. Although the groove is far deeper than any I’ve seen from my own region, I have no real problem understanding why someone would see it as a adze with very worn down bit. But I needed to see the angles shown in the 3D model, that certainly helped.

Edit: just noticed the cavity at the “poll” end. That’s unique, and if an adze, must have involved a socket and groove hafting.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I wouldn’t know. I’m just looking at the 3D model and having no problem seeing a grooved adze with the bit blunted, just as it was described. I don’t know what type of fossil is being suggested here as a more accurate interpretation. Obviously, adze and gouge tools are more common here in New England than elsewhere in the United States. Although the groove is far deeper than any I’ve seen from my own region, I have no real problem understanding why someone would see it as a adze with very worn down bit. But I needed to see the angles shown in the 3D model, that certainly helped.

Edit: just noticed the cavity at the “poll” end. That’s unique, and if an adze, must have involved a socket and groove hafting.

For myself I wasn't talking about the 3D picture in opening post as a possible fossil, I was talking about the one below, the original picture (3D) is no doubt an adze in my opinion.