dognose
Silver Member
Birdstones as a handle of sorts?
Some may say this is another whacky viewpoint. OK I can live with that. Its no more bizarre than others I have read over the last many years.
Birdstones are native American relic which have been theorized to have many possible uses, but in reality nobody has a definitive answer to how they were utilized.
You can search this forum and read more than a few interesting theories.
If you google birdstone, you can read all sorts of different theories. Even Wikipedia is on board with the unique theory which I had not heard of until reading it:
A new theory recently arising from an amateur female archaeologist focused on Native American fiber processing, is the bird stone was a tool used for matt making and weaving. Many stones have been found near waterways and swamp areas where reeds grow, these areas being where materials for matt making were collected and processed. The holes in the base were potentially used for reed straighteners, or even twine making. The smooth surface of the stone is perfect for flattening fibers without breaking and the beak feature used to push reeds together. Matts were a important facet of every household and important items of trade. The Pacific Northwest tribes used a similar tool made of wood, also bird shaped.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_stone
I also collect old tools and I was looking at some antique tools when I noticed that stair saws have a similar shape as birdstones. The bird shape is the handle of these tools.
Stair saws were designed to cut dado joints for stairs, but they are useful for dado joints of all sizes. A dado joint is made from a three-sided channel cut across the grain of one work piece. A second, mating work piece fits into the slot. Dado joints are often used to build cabinets and bookshelves.
I am not proposing that native Americans used the birdstones as a stair saw or anything like this.
There is evidence on the hafting difference technique of a celt, and an adz. Gauges are found in the Midwest and the northeast. These sorts of tools, we also have in the historic period. There is no evidence that native Americans did NOT use birdstones for any sort of handle for a tool.
The theory that a birdstone could have been used for a handle of sorts is no further outlandish than other proposed uses.
It's interesting none the less that early tools have a similar shape to birdstones.
A double headed birdstone like stair saw ?
Some may say this is another whacky viewpoint. OK I can live with that. Its no more bizarre than others I have read over the last many years.
Birdstones are native American relic which have been theorized to have many possible uses, but in reality nobody has a definitive answer to how they were utilized.
You can search this forum and read more than a few interesting theories.
If you google birdstone, you can read all sorts of different theories. Even Wikipedia is on board with the unique theory which I had not heard of until reading it:
A new theory recently arising from an amateur female archaeologist focused on Native American fiber processing, is the bird stone was a tool used for matt making and weaving. Many stones have been found near waterways and swamp areas where reeds grow, these areas being where materials for matt making were collected and processed. The holes in the base were potentially used for reed straighteners, or even twine making. The smooth surface of the stone is perfect for flattening fibers without breaking and the beak feature used to push reeds together. Matts were a important facet of every household and important items of trade. The Pacific Northwest tribes used a similar tool made of wood, also bird shaped.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_stone
I also collect old tools and I was looking at some antique tools when I noticed that stair saws have a similar shape as birdstones. The bird shape is the handle of these tools.
Stair saws were designed to cut dado joints for stairs, but they are useful for dado joints of all sizes. A dado joint is made from a three-sided channel cut across the grain of one work piece. A second, mating work piece fits into the slot. Dado joints are often used to build cabinets and bookshelves.
I am not proposing that native Americans used the birdstones as a stair saw or anything like this.
There is evidence on the hafting difference technique of a celt, and an adz. Gauges are found in the Midwest and the northeast. These sorts of tools, we also have in the historic period. There is no evidence that native Americans did NOT use birdstones for any sort of handle for a tool.
The theory that a birdstone could have been used for a handle of sorts is no further outlandish than other proposed uses.
It's interesting none the less that early tools have a similar shape to birdstones.
A double headed birdstone like stair saw ?
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