what do yall think these are..

naturegirl · Feb 16, 2013

what do y'all think these are..

they are in a big rock in front of a rock shelter/overhang. To me they look modern made, but I don't know why or with what. The shelter is in a old, very active oilfield, but it is over a bluff, in some very rough terrain, can't imagine any drilling equipment taken down there to just make a few marks in the stone...anyway, ideas?

old digger · Feb 16, 2013

Maybe they were used in shaping/sharpening the wood on Bows or other bone tools. :dontknow:

Tnmountains · Feb 17, 2013

It does look man made. Is the stone soft?

naturegirl · Feb 17, 2013

Yes the rock is soft, even for sand stone, but the surface faces in to the bluff, about three feet away from the rock wall. I've seen cables cut through sandstone, doesn't look like that, and I've seen those grooves cut into stones for shaft shaping/straightening, these are wider and deeper. Almost looks like a big fat circular saw blade was touched to the surface, but I don't think that's what did it. What about polishing a rock of some sort? Here is another picture of a very shallow one, like it was started, but not worn as deep

Twitch · Feb 17, 2013

They look modern made to me as well, though I can't tell you how or why they're made. I think your instincts are right on.

NC field hunter · Feb 19, 2013

naturegirl said:
Yes the rock is soft, even for sand stone, but the surface faces in to the bluff, about three feet away from the rock wall. I've seen cables cut through sandstone, doesn't look like that, and I've seen those grooves cut into stones for shaft shaping/straightening, these are wider and deeper. Almost looks like a big fat circular saw blade was touched to the surface, but I don't think that's what did it. What about polishing a rock of some sort? Here is another picture of a very shallow one, like it was started, but not worn as deep

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=742620"/>

Nature girl, I know of boulders that have round scooped out or concave spots randomly positioned on the large rock, and personally, I think something is there. I just get that feeling as I watch kids play on them, or as an old man sits on them to fish. The ones I know of are directly on water, but it was well populated by the Occoneechee people's for many hundreds of years. These boulders just look to much like artifacts for me to pass them by. Hey.... Weren't you the one that banged your head at me for posting "could this be" threads?? Lol! Only kidding you! Love ya much!! Thanks for bringing these large pieces to our attention!!

rginn · Feb 20, 2013

I've seen a lot of those in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. The general belief is that they're tool sharpening marks, and most of them don't look really old. These areas have a dry climate so moss and lichens don't grow in them. If there's a bunch of them in an arrangement, they might be some type of tally marks. If you can find a stem line or an implied one, well everyone knows it's Ogham writing from pre-Colombian visitiors.

naturegirl · Feb 20, 2013

NC field hunter- I don't think it was me that said anything about anyone posting "could it be" threads, I'm on this forum to learn.

we searched out this shelter thinking it may have been an outlaw holdout, and these just look too fresh to be made 100's of years ago, but I wondered about the rock polishing thought. Rginn, these don't look like any of the other grooves I've seen in context with grinding holes in shelters, which is where I've seen the grooves. these are more uniform, and wider.

thanks
lisa

NC field hunter · Feb 20, 2013

naturegirl said:
NC field hunter- I don't think it was me that said anything about anyone posting "could it be" threads, I'm on this forum to learn. we searched out this shelter thinking it may have been an outlaw holdout, and these just look too fresh to be made 100's of years ago, but I wondered about the rock polishing thought. Rginn, these don't look like any of the other grooves I've seen in context with grinding holes in shelters, which is where I've seen the grooves. these are more uniform, and wider.

thanks
lisa

I was just kiddin ya any way!!

rock · Feb 20, 2013

@ Naturegirl maybe you should put these in the thread for treasure hunters. I forget the name of it now. But it is the one where they see marks left behind for buried treasure. Maybe some of them have seen them before and would know what they mean if they arent natural that is. Looks to be made that way for a reason to me.

Charmin · Feb 20, 2013

Neat find Lisa!---I've seen something similar to that....But there are multiple grooves, close together, in the rock we found.

naturegirl · Feb 21, 2013

Charmin! those look VERY similar, looks like same kind of sandstone too, do you remember if your stone was the crumbly sandy kind? now I'm more curious... were they about an inch wide, and deeper in the center? What was your thought?.(did you see my other post about the grinding holes we've been finding? I think it's a page back now)

naturegirl · Feb 21, 2013

rock, I may do that, don't know if this was one of the outlaw shelters, and I'm on the skeptical side of the outlaw treasures in our area (Makes me a lousy hunting partner sometimes, just ask buckshot), but after seeing Charmin's similar grooves, maybe these weren't just someone killing time rubbing a rock on a rock? But I do think modern still, not older.

Charmin · Feb 21, 2013

naturegirl said:
Charmin! those look VERY similar, looks like same kind of sandstone too, do you remember if your stone was the crumbly sandy kind? now I'm more curious... were they about an inch wide, and deeper in the center? What was your thought?.(did you see my other post about the grinding holes we've been finding? I think it's a page back now)

These grooves weren't in the crumbly kind of sandstone....it was almost smooth feeling. Is this the place you took the pictures of and posted on facebook? Kinda N/NE of me? If so, this rock we found [with the grooves ]is in the general area, in the base of a beautiful rock shelter---so that would explain why they look similar. I'll go try to find your grinding holes post and give it a look.

rginn · Feb 21, 2013

Well that does look wider than the ones I've seen. Generally they're only about half an inch wide. I have seen groups that are very uniform in shape, and usually they're only about half an inch deep. Usually there's several on a rock, not just one or two. Another thing I've noticed similar to these type marks occur on canyon walls, where tree branches have worn grooves into the sandstone over the years. They look completely different than the marks you've posted though. Sounds like you've got a cool place to keep checkin out though.

naturegirl · Feb 21, 2013

Charmin, I posted some pics of the bluff on facebook, but not the grooves. These are pretty far away from you. Rginn, I haven't seen branches wear the rock above water, but I'll consider it now. I have seen roots and branches wear on rocks at the edge of a lake. The soft sandstone has been underwater for 30 years, and is now exposed. The flooded timber that is still rooted had worn grooves in the rocks while they were underwater. buckshot and I commented that if we hadn't seen the roots right next to the grooves, we would think they were man made. Thanks for pointing that out, it does happen.

rock · Feb 21, 2013

Would a bullet make the marks if it had hit at a angle?

bci101tractors · Feb 21, 2013

This is an interesting thread, wish it had more input or ideas, those are very cool, I'd bring them home...lol I agree with Old Digger but the whole treasure thing is very interesting as well. I would love to see more pics if anyone had them.

naturegirl · Feb 22, 2013

If these are modern, which I believe, then I do need to re-post in treasure signs, But a thread here on Artifacts with pictures of grooves from around the country would be interesting too....