What is this?

[Louherz]

Howdy All,

Here is a personal find from Eastern GA. I think it is soapstone, but could be pottery. It is 1/2 inch thick and heavily striated. I have heard cooking stone, pendant, boat anchor. What do you think?

Louis

 

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[Mcmurraywil]

This is a cooking slab!! The Inuit people used to use them for this purpose. Soapstone was widly used as a typical carving stone for thousands of years. It is still used today as house fixings, countertops, and decorations, etc. However, the Inuit peoples would carve these and super heat them hot over a fire and (in a sense) grill them or sear them for the obvious cooking purposes. This is a VERY VERY cool find friend. Hope I helped.

 

[Mcmurraywil]

It is not a cooking stone by the way as some might refer yes. It is a 'slab' because it defines a specific use for this style of cut for the soapstone. Saying it is a cooking stone would imply the only single use for the stone as such. Either way, cool find. I have family in GA. Maybe we should search too lol

 

[Mcmurraywil]

http://geology.com/rocks/soapstone.shtml

This should help as well

 

[Louherz]

Thank You very much. I have found many smaller pieces of soapstone. I was really surprised to find a piece of this size and I've never seen one found from the area in this condition (even with the break). That is very cool. I have it proudly dispayed in one of my cases. You should hunt GA. Most of my collection comes from there.

 

[Mcmurraywil]

I'm glad I could help

 

[rock]

I do have to ask......why the hole? Why not just use it flat. I agree it is not a cooking stone because those were usually round or smaller.

 

[bman3725]

Soapstone in Georgia? Didn't know there was soapstone in the south. If it was found in GA i am leaning towards it being something other than soap stone or a cooking slab for that matter Indians in the south usually used other cooking techniques than a cooking slab also the hole in it leans me to this opinion as well, i feel like it was part of something larger and has broken off. The hole in the first pic has some really perfect marks around the hole were it was made which makes me feel like it is not Indian in origin, it has to be later. Good find though it is puzzling

 

[rock]

There is a lot of soapstone in Ga. Indians used it to carve statues and pendants here. But yeah the hole throws me off as to what it might of been.

 

[Charl]

It might very well be a shard from a large soapstone vessel showing a repair hole. Have seen it many times in New England. If a piece broke off, they would drill a hole in the broke piece and another in the remaining intact vessel, then tie together with cordage. I have some smaller examples I'll post if I get a chance.

 

[Louherz]

I have found hundreds of Native American Artifacts at the site if found this. No Artifacts from any other period.

 

[Mcmurraywil]

very cool!!

 

[Charl]

Small soapstone shard with repair hole and portion of a 2nd repair hole....

 

[rock]

Small soapstone shard with repair hole and portion of a 2nd repair hole....

View attachment 724112

nice to see you, stay a while

 

[Louherz]

Here is some more soapstone from the site that I found the bigger piece.

 

[GatorBoy]

I don't find a lot of soapstone"steatite" here in Florida. I have found some but it had to be traded in from Georgia. I do however find a lot of broken pottery vessels.. and they were repaired using holes like stated above.

 

[GatorBoy]

The more I look at your peice the more I think it is pottery.. looks like I can see tooling marks in it. can you please post a photo of the edge? Also one of the inside.

 

[bman3725]

That's what im thinking GatorBoy. I haven't seen any soap stone here in Alabama used that way.....its always been pottery made from the clay rich soils. Not saying it isn't soap stone but it doesn't appear to be the type I have seen in the U.S anywhere although I do learn new things everyday.....great find all the same

 

[NC field hunter]

Pictures rarely ever provide an absolute conclusion for these mystery pieces. To me, the hole looks larger than the holes added to damaged pottery. It also looks like more time was put into drilling this hole, it is beveled off on the outer edges. If not beveled, it has equal wear all the way around the hole. I can understand drilling a cooking stone or platform. As long as the strap or "string" tied to the piece isn't positioned where it will get burnt up, it would provide a means of removing the piece from fire, or hot water, with out being burned. I'm just tossing thoughts at you based on my view of the piece. Nice find!

 

[rock]

bman lets see some of your finds in another thread. Id like to see some from Ala and hopefully quartz ones.