Posted on 12/03/2021 3:32:40 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
An interesting rock.
I’ve seen quite a few real artifacts and stream worn rocks in my life in ID and AK, and to me this strongly resembles the latter.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks a bit too large to hold in one hand, which would rule out the great majority of human uses.
The hole is waaaay too narrow to be a pestle, not to mention a pestle shouldn’t have a through-and-through hole in the first place..
I’ve seen plenty of rocks with much larger and/or more symmetrical holes in streams that were clearly naturally occurring; that rock is easily within the realm of what water can do. The lack of symmetry strongly argues against a rotational use such as firestarting, as does the angle against the surface of the hole (should be near perfectly square).
I hate to say it, but given the awkward size/shape for handling and lack of rough symmetry, my money would be on a natural (non-human) origin for that rock. I’ve seen quite a few natural origin rocks that looked more “made” than that.
Put differently: I can assert with 100% confidence that that shape is completely within the realm of natural origin, while simultaneously seeing no compelling evidence of human workmanship…
It’s flint, not limestone.
Best.answer.ever.
Ok, 42 is the best answer, but this is close.
Yeah, I think it was used as a fire starter.
I'd have to agree.
Paleolithic Ring Doorbell
I agree
although I would use the term :" banner stone".
It is used on a spear shaft to add heft/weight to the spear to assure a deeper puncture to the hunted animal.
A projectile point on the tip of an unweighted spear might not even puncture the animal hide,
but just create a superficial wound and bounce off.
It’s an early fertility idol. See the hole?
Come on guys, seriously? I honestly thought it was an indian tool of some kind. I’ve never seen that kind of hole in flint rocks. Ever.
The Indians had a very advanced culture.
This is an Indian version of a laptop computer.
That, or fossilized bear crap.
How long do you think it took natives to figure out it would be easier to use/carry a rawhide pad vs lugging around a rock?
You beat me too it.
It looks like a mounting stone. When North American tribes raided each other and kidnapped their women they used stones like the one you have to relieve their amorous condition.
I think it was likly worn around the neck with a corded Buffalo skin. If you had one the women would know you could start a fire. Where did you find it?
Looks a lot like a net weight they would use them to hold down nets they would stretch out for a long length and run animals into the net, the weight would hold the net enough to keep an animal from running thru or under it. They also used them in water but most weights for fishing are well made if not sort of fancy looking.
It was used as a balance stone on an atlatl.
My driveway here in Texas is very long and is an oilfield road to the pumpjack pad. They bring in river gravel every now and then to spread on the driveway. The rock is from that gravel that was put on the driveway. Since it is from a river gravel pit, most likely was an indian campsite dug up somewhere. Pit operator is not going to report that.
Too big.
Bowl for a fire starter. It’s the wrong color to be flint, and also is not hard enough.
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