help Iding this bone or antler tool

[larson1951]

help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

i don't know if this thingy is antler or bone
it looks unfinished
it has cut marks length wise opposite each other one cut on the inside and one cut on the outside of the curved edges
i appears some one was trying to cut it in half

it seems they thought the cuts were deep enough so they could split or break it in half
it's obvious that it did not work
i can;t imagine how ticked off the maker was when it broke

i just can't figure out what it was intended to be

please give me your thoughts, ideas, or just plain wild guesses
thanks, larson

 

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[*Molly*]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

Steve, you have any idea what animal these bones are from? all deer?

Molly.

 

[larson1951]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

possibly elk, or mountain goat ?

 

[pickaway]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

Thats a big piece of bone...

 

[Neogeo]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

It is hard for me to take it all in...do ya have a wider view?

 

[11KBP]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

i don't know if this thingy is antler or bone

It has to be antler and because of the size I would say elk antler.

11KBP

 

[larson1951]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

hey thanks pickaway, i think it might be a piece of antler but maybe you are right on the bone idea
yes thanks 11Kbp i 1rst thought elk cuz i have pieces of elk antler that look a bit like it but not as long
thanks frank,a couple of the images show it all at once but i can try for a few more if you wish
you know there has to be someone out there that would have some knowledge, how's about Matt

larson

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

It looks like a large piece of antler to me so it's from a very large deer or an elk.

That would have been a massive rack.

Why do you think they were trying to split it in two?

 

[joshuaream]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

It's definately antler, probably Elk although Moose were also common along the rivers back then. And Steve is probably right about it being prepped for splitting. To the north of you they made a lot of tools (needles, harpoons, pins, fish hooks, etc.) from split antlers.

Moose Antler is denser than Elk Antler, does it seem heavy to you?

 

[larson1951]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

yes it is very heavy,
north dakota still has moose here so i think it could be moose
i still can't figure out what in the world it could have been
lars

 

[11KBP]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

yes it is very heavy,
north dakota still has moose here so i think it could be moose
i still can't figure out what in the world it could have been
lars

Yes and elk were present as well, even down into Nebraska and Kansas as late as the 1800's.

Look online at some examples of the palmate shaped moose antlers, you will see very few moose racks that have rounded tines as long as the one you are showing.

11KBP

 

[SonOfBeanman]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

It looks like an Elk antler billet used for knapping. Don't know about the groove, maybe some type of sinew or rope tool.

 

[Buckhunter]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

Gotta be Elk antler. Im thinking they were trying to split it to make handles or spoons. I have seen it made into both.

 

[larson1951]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

maybe it was getting ready to be split into bracelet blanks
here is a piece of a finished bracelet end
they are always broke whenever i am lucky enough to find one
most of the time they are about 1/2" inch long cuz they are always broken when a person is lucky enough to find one

what do you think of that idea ?

larson

 

[11KBP]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

Interesting link J.B.

 

[larson1951]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

thanks much for the link to you mr j brown
very informative
i'm gonna bookmark it

larson1951

 

[flintdigger]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

That is a very interesting piece.

 

[chong2]

Re: help Id'ing this bone or antler tool

damm lars open up a museum already...................... def a antler, too arr for any bone