What do I have?

[Jelly936]

I am very new to native artifacts so my knowledge base is pretty low. I do have an idea of what this may be but I’d like some informed opinions from folks in the know on this type of stuff.

Found in a farm field in Southern Iowa/Northern Missouri. Sandstone/Soapstone.

Appears to have been worked or shaped. It has one very obvious cylindrical groove area and a second less obvious on an edge. Gouge marks could be plow strikes but they seem more purposeful/decorative looking than accidental.

If anyone can give me their opinion or inform me as to what this might be I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[8_Way_Santa]

I do have an idea of what this may be...

If anyone can give me their opinion...

I had this piece looked at before I even posted it. I have an experienced and reputable friend... He immediately confirmed it to be an arrow shaft sander...

You already knew what it was.... Showing up on this forum (or any other forum) just to grind an axe/call people out/ride in on your high horse seems quite cheap to me. Is this all a game to you?

Not only do they debate it incorrectly but they fail to provide any justification for their opinion. Most people won’t back their opinions...

Asking for opinions - like you did in your first posting - and then disparaging the folks who provided theirs makes it seem like you are just here to pick a fight. Sigh...


Peace.

 

[russau]

Jelly936 I like your posting this object and asking for a informed opinion in which I thought you got. As it turns out , it was what I thought it was (except for the shaft sanding part of it I missed on that and never posted my opinion because I wasn't a informed kinda guy on this object. But then again I liked seeing this and it's I.D. for it . I also liked where you went out and got very knowledgeable person to confirm it's I.D. !!! Everybody has their own opinion on everything ! Thats their right to have one and right wrong or you did ask for a informed opinion and got some ! Thanks for posting this object for us to see ! To me , it's a great find and I wish I can find a real one sometime ! Until then I'll keep using my homemade Abrader !

 

[Jelly936]

You already knew what it was.... Showing up on this forum (or any other forum) just to grind an axe/call people out/ride in on your high horse seems quite cheap to me. Is this all a game to you?


Asking for opinions - like you did in your first posting - and then disparaging the folks who provided theirs makes it seem like you are just here to pick a fight. Sigh...


Peace.

Yep I sure did. It is a pretty good way to figure out real quick who you can rely on for opinions and who you can’t! A test of knowledge of sorts! No high horse here, you either know your stuff or you don’t and if you do then you should be able and open to debating it, not just complaining that the evidence is lacking.

I have no concerns whatsoever what you or anyone else thinks of me or what opinions you harbor subsequently from this or any other post. I use these forums as a way of figuring out who and where to rely on to identify finds or artifacts, not to be everyone’s cup of tea. I appreciate every opinion regardless of its accuracy because it lets me know who knows what and what kind of people I am dealing with to gather information.

This forum is just one of many to further a historical education and I don’t like to learn from people that have an opinion and then aren’t open to debate to back up their aforementioned opinion. So why not run a test and see where the cards fall. Taking an account of who knows what and who is able to back up what they say can seem abrasive sure but my end goal is to further my education not be mr congeniality.

If I’m wrong on an artifact then I’m willing to be corrected and learn! If an opinion is given and isn’t accurate that is not an issue for me. It is an issue when that opinion is given and excuses are used to stand behind it instead of facts.

Some people use these sites as a place to feel at home and enveloped in communal friendship centered around common interests. Others use it as a way to learn about relics and artifacts and their subsequent history.

Thank you for your input and feel free to have your opinion of me or anything I post but be prepared to be challenged and have your ducks in a row! Life isn’t all sugar plums! 😉

 

[Jelly936]

Jelly936 I like your posting this object and asking for an informed opinion in which I thought you got. As it turns out , it was what I thought it was (except for the shaft sanding part of it I missed on that and never posted my opinion because I wasn't a informed kinda guy on this object. But then again I liked seeing this and it's I.D. for it . I also liked where you went out and got very knowledgeable person to confirm it's I.D. !!! Everybody has their own opinion on everything ! Thats their right to have one and right wrong or you did ask for an informed opinion and got some ! Thanks for posting this object for us to see ! To me , it's a great find and I wish I can find a real one sometime ! Until then I'll keep using my homemade Abrader !

Russau you put that very eloquently! Yes I did get opinions and that was the goal. Also we know what this artifact is now so you and who knows how many in the future can use it as a reference to identify their own finds potentially.

Yes, I may seem combative or abrasive to some but we know what this artifact is and can be used by others at the expense of people liking me. I’ll pay that in the name of preserving history. I have to wonder, would it have been better to be just another post where a handful of people give a guess, maybe one or two have some knowledge, and at the end there is no real clarity on the artifact?

I learned a lot about what I wanted to and hopefully helped others learn something new about an artifact!

Happy hunting!

 

[rginn]

So you already thought you knew what it was but asked for opinions anyway? That's fine, we like to look at stuff and speculate. Here's my opinion. It's just a rock and those are plow marks. Actually, I don't see it being an arrow shaft straightener or abrader. I have one of those. The straighteners were two pieces and the groove ran all the way through the stones. I do think it was used as an abrader, for tool sharpening or whatever. I haven't seen a handheld one, most are on larger stones handy at the site. Maybe it's a Viking runestone, haha!

 

[11KBP]

The straighteners were two pieces and the groove ran all the way through the stones.

I would like to see a two-piece straightener.
I have only seen one piece straighteners, however some abraders are two pieces.
Straighteners and abraders are oftentimes misidentified as they are two different tools for two different tasks.

 

[CreekSide]

I would have thrown it back not enough work on it for me to save.

 

[CreekSide]

You already knew what it was.... Showing up on this forum (or any other forum) just to grind an axe/call people out/ride in on your high horse seems quite cheap to me. Is this all a game to you?


Asking for opinions - like you did in your first posting - and then disparaging the folks who provided theirs makes it seem like you are just here to pick a fight. Sigh...


Peace.

Totally agree

 

[Jelly936]

So you already thought you knew what it was but asked for opinions anyway? That's fine, we like to look at stuff and speculate. Here's my opinion. It's just a rock and those are plow marks. Actually, I don't see it being an arrow shaft straightener or abrader. I have one of those. The straighteners were two pieces and the groove ran all the way through the stones. I do think it was used as an abrader, for tool sharpening or whatever. I haven't seen a handheld one, most are on larger stones handy at the site. Maybe it's a Viking runestone, haha!

Yes I sure did! So you do or don’t think it was an Abrader? You made conflicting statements there. Hell it could be King Tutankhamun’s favorite pet rock delivered here by an alien spaceship from the future. I guess we may never know but for now I’ll go with what the evidence shows and what the expert in this field assessed it as. Again as previously stated I’m more than willing to be wrong and corrected! Thanks for sharing your opinion with reasoning RGINN.

 

[Jelly936]

Totally agree

I’m glad you agree Creekside. I’ll value your opinion as much as you value mine.

 

[Jelly936]

I would have thrown it back not enough work on it for me to save.

You must have the greatest collection around to just be throwing down worked pieces. Turning your nose up at such things must be nice! You must be one of the greatest treasure seekers ever born! Congratulations on being so cool!

 

[Knockneed Man]

What a weird change of a thread

 

[searcher]

This thread is a self preening, disingenuous trap.

 

[CreekSide]

You must have the greatest collection around to just be throwing down worked pieces. Turning your nose up at such things must be nice! You must be one of the greatest treasure seekers ever born! Congratulations on being so cool!

Just some points I’ve found. I don’t have any pictures of my hardstone handy. I have more points to. Doesn’t include my broken pieces

 

[CreekSide]

So you already thought you knew what it was but asked for opinions anyway? That's fine, we like to look at stuff and speculate. Here's my opinion. It's just a rock and those are plow marks. Actually, I don't see it being an arrow shaft straightener or abrader. I have one of those. The straighteners were two pieces and the groove ran all the way through the stones. I do think it was used as an abrader, for tool sharpening or whatever. I haven't seen a handheld one, most are on larger stones handy at the site. Maybe it's a Viking runestone, haha!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Jelly936]

This thread is a self preening, disingenuous trap.

You stepped right into it too. Now I have your ip information…better clean up those search/browser histories! Lol jk…

Great use of the words self preening by the way! I like it!

 

[Jelly936]

Just some points I’ve found. I don’t have any pictures of my hardstone handy. I have more points to. Doesn’t include my broken pieces

A lot of just pointy rocks. I’d have left them…I’m kidding!

That is a good looking collection Creekside! Beautiful display as well. Congratulations!

 

[Jelly936]

What a weird change of a thread

Got some attention didn’t it lol I agree it is weird.

 

[antmike915]

I don't find anything hardstone (I don't think it exists in my area) but if I found that I would have kept it especially if obvious artifacts were found in the same area.

 

[CreekSide]

A lot of just pointy rocks. I’d have left them…I’m kidding!

That is a good looking collection Creekside! Beautiful display as well. Congratulations!

I’ve never really found any abrading stones. Idk if I’m missing them or we just don’t have any. I have found a couple of Celts, a pendant, hammer stones, net weights, a Gorget and some ugly Hoes. But no abraders