Help please to identify this strange rock

[bill_wabo]

Hi to all,

My wife found this rock near a stream that flows in the river, she had found a few indian artifacts last year (stone polishor and a scraper) and gave them to the Abenakis museum. This stone was found last weekend, it seems broken (i'll search the other half next week). The hole have an angle of approx. 45 to 60 degrees, my thumb fits in it. Near the hole, you can see that the stone was carved, to make a curve. Maybe it was made to fix a wooden handle. I have no idea, except i'm pretty sure it is not natural. Please chime in, i cant wait to see your answers.

The item was found near the St-Francis river in the eastern townships in Quebec, were there was Abenakis population (wolve tribe i think).

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

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[Plug N Play]

I'll offer two explanations, though I've never seen one exactly like that.

The top and hole have a pecked and ground look of a stone mortar.
In most of the country, this was done in a large bedrock stone along a water source.
Perhaps the rock was sheared off by tumbling rocks, over the years ??

In the west, (certainly here, in northern California), the Indians would pack flat rocks home and make a combo known as a "mortar hopper".
The stone lasted a long time until it was worn through.
Instead of a stone bowl, the top was actually a woven basket without a bottom.
The seeds and grains were placed in the basket and pounded against the mortar with a stone pestle.
The basket was removed and the flour swept off the rock, to be used.
It may be that you've found a worn through mortar stone.

(again, this was more of a western states tradition but I see no reason why others wouldn't have figured it out, also)

 

[Plug N Play]

Small ones might have been used to grind paints or spices.
It's even possible yours may have had more holes to grind multiple colors or spices, or who knows ... ?

edit: afterthought, grinding herbs and medicines could account for small ones, also.

 

[Slingshot]

Hoe?

 

[bill_wabo]

Thanks PlugNPlay, it make sense we found this on the bank of the river. I'll buy the second explanation. Such knowledge from the west could have been exported here, since we know for a fact that tribes were trading. I know of some kind of arrow heads, made of a mix of white quartz, only knowned to be used in the Sept-Îles region (500 miles north from Montreal) were found in western U.S.
Thanks a million, i'll wait for some more input but I think you nailed it.

 

[old digger]

Your item may have used as a boat or canoe anchor.

 

[bill_wabo]

Thanks old digger, now that change the perspective. The curve near the hole might be result of wearing between the cord and the anchor, but should it be on both sides and see only one with that feature. But i have learn that the river was a major route for ancient natives. Abenakis also used canoes to fish on this river for a long time.
I don't know what are the chances of finding the missing part (if there's one), will ask my wife to help me search for it, she has a way better eye than me for those things. Will be back

Thank you Plug N Play and old digger, will keep you inform and happy hunting!

 

[bill_wabo]

Thank you Slingshot, that would explain the angle of the hole.

 

[bill_wabo]

Sorry for the long delay, was on vacation. Someone i know told me it could be part of a stone gorget. Found nothing looking similar on the web.

 

[Backwoodsbob]

Look and see if the land matches the stone. It may be used like a square. Topo,

 

[sutphin]

I HAVE A ROCK LIKE THAT . ONLY THING STRANGE ABOUT IT WAS MY WIFE MISSED , WHEN SHE THREW IT AT ME. I SAY INDIANS HAD A HOLD OF THAT ROCK . SOME SEVERE GRINDING ON THAT BAD BOY.

 

[unclemac]

if you had found it in the PNW I would have called it a cedar bark shredder....

Bark Beaters/Shredders - Browse Ethnology Collections - Burke Museum

 

[bill_wabo]

Thanks Backwoodsbob, Sutphin and unclemac.
Went back to search and found nothing yet. Unclemac, your link was very interesting and educative i appreciate. Sutphin, i always like to read your comments and for Backwoodsbob, i did not quite understood what you meant. Being french based, i don't quite catch every expression, sorry. But, i have a question for you; do you think that piece was made with the same goal? I was really surprised to see a stone similar to mine found, many many miles southest from where i live (in Quebec)

This was posted by Old Scout in last April, i did put my link on his post earlier this morning.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/458322-artifact-unique-stone.html

Anyone else have a stone like this one and can explain what it was used for? I am stoked if i may say. Thanks for your time folks.