Medicine Rock

[IMAUDIGGER]

This rock was found in the 1960’s in a cave.
Dad belly crawled into a limestone cave. In a small room, he sifted numerous nice obsidian points.

Then something caught his eye reflecting off his flashlight.

It was sitting up on a ledge shelf near the ceiling.

As soon as my dad picked this rock up, he felt that it had been handled by many people for a very long time.



There was no other wash gravel in this cave, it was brought in from somewhere else.
I fully expect all the experts here to respond that it’s just a random rock that was left in the cave at some point in time. .

It’s colored and shaped like a heart.
When you hold it in your hand, you can feel it’s smooth polished surface. That’s not uncommon to find smooth polished rocks along streams.

However it’s the human oils soaked deep into the rock that makes the hair on the back of your neck tingle. I feel like it may have been a medicine rock used to give bravery or perhaps good luck before a hunt. Everyone that has held this rock said they experienced a weird feeling of awe.

Never know for sure, but wanted to share. Not all artifacts are worked stone.

 

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[Charl]

There is a name for things transported to a camp by humans, that are not otherwise altered by humans for use as tools, or show usage otherwise. They are known as manuports. Sometimes it's a fossil, or a crystal, a particularly attractive rock, etc. Unless they are found in a direct context with actual artifacts, via a dig in other words, it's usually impossible to be absolutely certain. A collector who knows a site like the back of his/her hand is in the best position to at least make an experienced call with those things that seem out of place at a site at a site they're familiar with.

 

[old digger]

Your item looks quite similar to a gastrolith (dinosaur gizzard stone). Not far from where I live you can find quite a few of them in one general area. In about a half mile square area. I have found several specimens that were several miles away that had been worked with chips laying on the ground. I am sure that peoples back then were fascinated with unusual rocks also.

 

[Hawks88]

I like it. I can see that it does look oiled. But I’m no expert. Great find and I would just keep it.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I like it. I can see that it does look oiled. But I’m no expert. Great find and I would just keep it.

Because of the feeling people get when holding it, it sits on the shelf on full display.
We call it the power rock.

I have no doubt it has been handled for many generations.

My dad said it looked exactly like that when he picked it up and that he noticed it because it was shiny.

 

[Kace]

I like it!

I think the Native Americans were not any different than people have always been. We all have made use of things that were there or handy...Why make some special tool when you find one that works perfectly for a purpose.

Some people now use different kinds of stones for healing...maybe the energy from your Father's stone does give a power feeling and that's exactly what it was used for.

I met a group of some older guys in WV back in the 90's who were serious artifact hunters...I wish I had photos of their collections...Anyway, they had some polished and shaped stones and effigies that they said were formed to a smooth finish by using hides and the oils.

Kace

 

[Kantuckkeean]

I like it!

I think the Native Americans were not any different than people have always been. We all have made use of things that were there or handy...Why make some special tool when you find one that works perfectly for a purpose.

Some people now use different kinds of stones for healing...maybe the energy from your Father's stone does give a power feeling and that's exactly what it was used for.

I met a group of some older guys in WV back in the 90's who were serious artifact hunters...I wish I had photos of their collections...Anyway, they had some polished and shaped stones and effigies that they said were formed to a smooth finish by using hides and the oils.

Kace

Agreed. My father-in-law has a spear point or something on a shelf in his office in a tooling shop. It’s about the size of a Snickers bar. It might be unfinished. The piece is covered with oil from all of the dirty hands that have picked it up. When you look at it, you can’t help but pick it up. Something instinctual about it. I’ll post it sometime.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Your item looks quite similar to a gastrolith (dinosaur gizzard stone). Not far from where I live you can find quite a few of them in one general area. In about a half mile square area. I have found several specimens that were several miles away that had been worked with chips laying on the ground. I am sure that peoples back then were fascinated with unusual rocks also.

You are absolutely right! It’s odd that so many that are pictured on the internet have a similar shape and surface..very odd. I wonder if the gizzard muscle structure or digestive action shaped the stones that way?

Never know for sure, but there were Wooley mammoth bones excavated within a couple miles of this location.

 

[pghDFXer]

Yep, I agree it was used for something, not all "handled" artifact tool ect are flaked, ya sometimes pics dont always emmit the energy you feel when you handle a handled artifact. You can just tell they were handled! They're keepers

 

[NCPeaches]

It is interesting and I lean toward a gastrolith also. There's no telling what it was used for, if only we could go back in time and see. Is it possible to post other pics of all sides? It's really cool.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I’ll follow up with a few more pictures in a few days.