Matching Mano/Metate

[IMAUDIGGER]

These were found in the 1950's. They were sitting just like this when they were found. They had been covered with branches and duff. A fire came through and exposed them.




How often are they found with the matching mano?

I see these selling on the Internet frequently..some going for some hefty prices.
This wouldn't be sold, but what do collectors pay for these sorts of items?
Does it matter what the age of other items found in the vicinity were?
Does provenance matter?

I'm sure things like this are sold at yard sales from time to time.

 

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[IMAUDIGGER]

Also the metate seems to be just big enough to be useful and nothing more. Is this an indication that it may have been moved from camp to camp? I have heard of people digging these sorts of things up in camps, almost like they were stashed when they moved to the next camp?

 

[southfork]

Also the metate seems to be just big enough to be useful and nothing more. Is this an indication that it may have been moved from camp to camp? I have heard of people digging these sorts of things up in camps, almost like they were stashed when they moved to the next camp?

Think about your question would you carry a big rock ? Or more important items to help you survive . A lot of them were flipped over when camp was moved to protect from elements and to help keep them clean / keep animals from marking their spot .

 

[Saguache]

Finding a good metate is rare but one with a matching mano is extremely rare. Most were picked up by collectors as they were easy to spot. I went to a cabin once that was close to a large camp and the guy who built it in the 30's had a patio with about 30 of them laid in concrete.
This one is a double sided/ground mano, one side flat and the other curved matching the metate which was laying upsidedown at a spring encampment. Interestingly the grinding direction on the mano is 90 degrees of each other.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Southfork. I get your point, but being a hunter/warrior...I wouldn't concern myself with worrying about those types of problems.
The women of the camp would need to know their kitchen utensils would be waiting for them at the next camp. If not..there would be some pissed off hunters.

I guess the small size of the metate relative to the mano kind of seems odd. Usually you see the metate being several times larger in area than the Mano.
It's also fairly thin.

 

[old digger]

Think about your question would you carry a big rock ? Or more important items to help you survive . A lot of them were flipped over when camp was moved to protect from elements and to help keep them clean / keep animals from marking their spot .

They are also found in this area the same way. Instead of hauling them from one camp site to another, they were were left at the camp site. They have been found sometimes turned upside down with the mano under the metate.

 

[southfork]

I haven't weighed any of these but would hate to carry very far . It wasn't easy to get these home I used a chain fall hooked to a tree to lift a few of the boulder mortars into my pickup .

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Think about your question would you carry a big rock ? Or more important items to help you survive . A lot of them were flipped over when camp was moved to protect from elements and to help keep them clean / keep animals from marking their spot .

I'm trying to put myself in their shoes...following the food sources.

I suspect it depended on the type of camp (hunting or gathering).
Camps that focused on gathering nuts and berries probably had dedicated camp tools that were left behind each time they moved. Camps near springs or rivers probably were the same way.

If you were following elk or buffalo herds, would it be easier to carry hundreds of pounds of meat and hides to a central camp or carry your tools to the animal? If it was very far to the central camp, the meat would spoil before it got there.

I would send someone back to camp to spread the word that I had an animal down. Everyone in camp would pitch in and carry the tools to the animal. Maybe move the entire camp.

We would eat fresh meat for a few days. While the women and children were processing the meat..I'd set out chasing the elk again. They would cut the meat into strips and dry it so it could be ground into powder which would be placed into a leather satchel or woven basket and stored for harder times. Once that was done, they would probably go into gatherer mode while they waited for more fresh meat.

Maybe after a week or so..camp would receive word there was another animal down...things would get packed up and it would start all over again.

At least that's how I envision things. I can imagine having the need to pack a smallish mano/metate.
Does this conflict with the current theories?

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I haven't weighed any of these but would hate to carry very far . It wasn't easy to get these home I used a chain fall hooked to a tree to lift a few of the boulder mortars into my pickup .

Nice collection! They all contrast sharply with the picture I posted.
The one I shared is approx. 12" long x 4" wide x 1-1/2" thick.
I can imagine it had to be braced up against some wooden stobs driven into the ground or large boulder to keep it from moving around while it was being used. That's why I pondered if it was small and light for a reason. It also seems too small and light to actually grind up very many pounds of meat. Don't know?? Looks like there was probably a mortar associated with that mano given the rounded end?