Horse tether or axe? Central South Dakota

[highnam]

Hello Netters-
I visited with a 92 y/o lady a few times while in central South Dakota pheasant hunting. Her husband had grown up near the property I was curious about for metal detecting. She had photos of the property and was a great source of information.
i asked her if she ever found arrowheads while growing up in SD and she said she had but her mother threw them all out, “had no use for them”!
She farmed this area her whole life and in the 50’s she was breaking ground up with a tractor in the same area I was curious about and unearthed two odd stones. She picked them up and put them in the tractor. They had been in her garage ever since. She could tell I loved history and said she couldn’t think of a better person to have one. She gifted me the larger of the two
stones.
I treasure this stone like I found it myself, I was humbled that she thought to give it to me, any information I could learn about it would be great.
With the size (6”x6”x4.5”) and height of the stone, I couldn’t image trying to swing it as a axe. So I am leaning towards horse tether
it seems like granite.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

It is a Native American grooved stone maul.

 

[Tdog]

Yes... a maul (hammer). The groove is for hafting a handle likely made of wood.

 

[arrow86]

Yep and a nice one at that .... like a ancient giant sledge hammer

 

[welsbury]

That was a very nice gesture on her part.A person can learn a lot from the older generation.

 

[quito]

Definitely a maul. Very typical form for this state. You were likely not to far from the Missouri River saying central S.D. hunting everything including artifacts is very good out there.
I can take some pics of some of mine so you can see.
which county?
how was the hunting?

 

[highnam]

Definitely a maul. Very typical form for this state. You were likely not to far from the Missouri River saying central S.D. hunting everything including artifacts is very good out there.
I can take some pics of some of mine so you can see.
which county?
how was the hunting?

Thank you everyone for the information, I’m happy to learn it is a maul as it could be older than a horse tether would be.


I am in Lyman County guiding pheasant hunts with my pup for the pheasant season. In my spare time I metal detect and research the history of this county. Locals have been super kind and helpful.

I would like like to see any like artifacts from this area if you would post...thank you!

pheasant hunting should be interesting this week, snow drifts are deep!

 

[old digger]

That was very nice of the lady. I would have asked where her mother might have tossed those arrowheads, maybe out in the field? I still believe that the larger ones were used to tether horses to keep them from wandering too far.

 

[quito]

Interesting! I have friends in Presho and Kennebec.

here’s a couple similar. The large one weighs 13 lbs.

 

[quito]

That was very nice of the lady. I would have asked where her mother might have tossed those arrowheads, maybe out in the field? I still believe that the larger ones were used to tether horses to keep them from wandering too far.

there would be evidence of being dragged around if they were horse hobbles old digger. And I doubt they would have put in the energy making them so well formed, when a couple of notches like those in net weights would suffice on a suitably sized stone.

 

[quito]

Here is a photo posted by our late friend Larson 1951 that shows the wear on a horse hobble compared to a similar maul.

 

[highnam]

I hunt properties mostly around Presho...Vivian, Lyman, and Reliance as well. Started guiding 7 years ago after hunting the past 18 years here. I plan to move out here eventually. I might know your Presho friends or know someone that would!

thank you for posting those Beauties, are they from a particular time period? Did you find them all yourself?
if you haven’t been in Presho’s Museum there are some incredible artifacts in there..
I can swing a maul being from the Pacific Northwest and depending on a wood stove for heat...but I wouldn’t last very long swinging 13 Lbs !!

 

[old digger]

Thanks for sharing those, Quito.

 

[quito]

I hunt properties mostly around Presho...Vivian, Lyman, and Reliance as well. Started guiding 7 years ago after hunting the past 18 years here. I plan to move out here eventually. I might know your Presho friends or know someone that would!

thank you for posting those Beauties, are they from a particular time period? Did you find them all yourself?
if you haven’t been in Presho’s Museum there are some incredible artifacts in there..
I can swing a maul being from the Pacific Northwest and depending on a wood stove for heat...but I wouldn’t last very long swinging 13 Lbs !!

I’m sure the names Brakke, Mowrey and Langenbau will be recognized. I also had a young man named Allen Anderson from presho that worked for me years ago. Allen’s dad had some land west of town and used to own a bar in town. Maybe still does. Think it was called Charlie’s. Allen was killed in a truck accident many years ago. He was a great kid!!!
I will have to check out that museum sometime.

 

[highnam]

I’m sure the names Brakke, Mowrey and Langenbau will be recognized. I also had a young man named Allen Anderson from presho that worked for me years ago. Allen’s dad had some land west of town and used to own a bar in town. Maybe still does. Think it was called Charlie’s. Allen was killed in a truck accident many years ago. He was a great kid!!!
I will have to check out that museum sometime.

heard nothing but good things about those families, hope to meet them someday...I spend most days looking at my dog hunting and always in plots or grass, if I could walk more bare ground and really look I might find my first arrowhead!

 

[quito]

Well you are a ways from the river, so I would check any dirt you come across near a creek, or any gravel you see in a creek. Good luck!!!