Native American Artifact?

[Sandsted]

I've recently found this stone. At first, only being able to see a corner and one rut in the stone, I thought it was some type of freak water erosion. And I thought it was rather unique so I dug it up. But then I saw that it had a few more ruts so I thought it was hit by a disc or plow or something. But then as I got it fully out of the ground I found that these carvings go all the way around the stone and even if it were possible for a disc to carve consistently all the way around the stone, it would have had to repeatly hit it. Over and over again.

So I've concluded that it must be something else.

The only thing I can think of is some type of Native American tool or weapon.

But it doesn't look to be much use to my eye, but then I don't know a whole lot of Native American culture.

It has very deep carvings, and in each of them there is a thin line down the center.

It's rather large stone to be used in the matter of which I assume. It looks to be tied to something and it's measurements are about 19 cm wide, 15 cm in length and about 10 or 11 cm high.

I've included pictures to see the over shape of the stone. It also has on one side what appears to be a mostly natural cut into the stone so it makes tent sort of shape when lieing on the ground. (see pictures)

I found it on May 6th in Western (centralist...little North) Minnesota.

Any info or insites would be greatly appreciated.

 

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[silverswede]

Hi Sandsted:
I was raised in Mn. a bit north of you and we found a alot of Indian artifacts on our farm. Some were granite clubs or axes similiar in size to what you have. All we found were ones with a single"groove" around them. Sorry I can't help you more, but there are some real experts on this site and you should see some posts soon. I you have any tilled fields in the area where they were found walk it after a heavy rain and look for arrow heads, flint chips, obsidian and even pipestone comes from that area. you may be near an ancient campsite. Happy Hunting.

 

[Sandsted]

That's one of the reasons I am so puzzled with this stone is that it has so many grooves, some straight with each other and some that look a little more disorganized.

But yes where I live there are many artifacts of native american culture. On my grandfathers land (now my dad's) they always pulled stuff out of there. And my great uncle would dowse on many things for them to help identify them. They also found about three indian graves somewhere near our land...not sure.

 

[mojjax]

Maybe part of an Indian war club , Just a guess - nice find ! Those grooves definately look man-made .
mojjax

 

[bakergeol]

I am just giving you another option here. If it was found in Minnesota perhaps it is glacially derived(past glacial ice ages). You have striated or grooved bedrock in your state. Look under glacial striated bedrock or erratics for possible references.

George

 

[Sandsted]

Like the Kensington Rune Stone?

The Kensington Rune Stone I believe is a glacial erratic, that is why it is as flat as it is, because it was broken off and taken by a glacier.

Although I had not pondered this, now that I do I do not believe if it were altered by glacier that it would be as consistent in the depths of the grooves as it is. Also, not only in the depth, but in the type of carving. Down the center of every carving there is a thin, short line. You can see it in the pictures, and I still don't understand that.

But perhaps you can speak in more detail. As towards geology and information relating to it I am very uneducated.

If this were to be a sort of human alteration. How does one go about carving like this?

Or...how did the Native Americans carve the rope lines on their axe heads and such. Or like the hammerish item I was given by my grandfather long ago. It has been impacted to fit the groves of the hand. and comes down to one point. Now weathered and not very pointy.

I thank you all for your replies.

I believe in the pictures I posted you can see the line.

 

[numnydar]

Looks like a net sinker heres a link to a simalar stone

http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/mtools1.htm

 

[Cannonman17]

Nope, it's not a net sinker, it's not an axe, it's not made by human hands at all - sorry. This is a natural occurring rock. I can't put the exact name on it- I'm not a geologist but the various little grooves in it are there for one reason and one reason only. The grooves are there because they were composed of a different material than that of the rest of the rock and weathered or erroded at a different rate. You can even see vestages of the different material in the bottom valley of the "grooves" (see the little squiggy line). Native American artifacts are made much more precisely by the peck and grind method witch leaves broad rounded grooves in a stone and also produces a smoother finish. Created simply by hitting one rock against another. Each time the harder rock hits the softer a tiny pit is taken out. Repeated over and over again for several hours each day for weeks on end and you too can make one. I will worn you though that you may suffer from arthritis in your hands years later like I now do!

 

[Sandsted]

I have established that it isn't human made, perhaps I should have posted that here. But it is not as you say.

It is a natural formation, which was formed in the year 979 A.D., there was an asteroid that came close to the earth travelling from the southwest to the northeast, which wiped out everything at that time, in a pathway of about 1000-1600 miles wide thru Mexico, Minnesota all bordering states along the way. It was as far west as eastern Colorado and as far east as central Kentucky.

These rocks are classified as "Organic Rocks" because of the ingrediants formed into the stone, to name a few, Vegetables, fruit, candy, date coconut, live, canola, legume, bulger, buck wheat, spice, salt, yeast honey, milk, ...marijuana.

Anyway, the white material on the bottom of the stone, geologist Scott Wolter would classify it as a...calcite? But really it's what Orval Friedrich would call Ancient Cement formed in 979 A.D. from the dung of either the camal or elephant, in this particular stone...camal.

This stone was formed out of the same asteroid as the Kensington Rune Stone, I didn't notice this until pointed out by Leland Pederson, you will notice it is the same color, and has the same A. Cement that the rune stone does. Leland has found many of these stones.

 

[Sandsted]

I just noticed I don't have any pictures of the bottom of the stone, on the bottom (you can see a little bit of the cement) but on the bottom it is very thick and covers the whole bottom.

 

[blurr]

I have established that it isn't human made, perhaps I should have posted that here. But it is not as you say.

It is a natural formation, which was formed in the year 979 A.D., there was an asteroid that came close to the earth travelling from the southwest to the northeast, which wiped out everything at that time, in a pathway of about 1000-1600 miles wide thru Mexico, Minnesota all bordering states along the way. It was as far west as eastern Colorado and as far east as central Kentucky.

These rocks are classified as "Organic Rocks" because of the ingrediants formed into the stone, to name a few, Vegetables, fruit, candy, date coconut, live, canola, legume, bulger, buck wheat, spice, salt, yeast honey, milk, ...marijuana.

Anyway, the white material on the bottom of the stone, geologist Scott Wolter would classify it as a...calcite? But really it's what Orval Friedrich would call Ancient Cement formed in 979 A.D. from the dung of either the camal or elephant, in this particular stone...camal.

This stone was formed out of the same asteroid as the Kensington Rune Stone, I didn't notice this until pointed out by Leland Pederson, you will notice it is the same color, and has the same A. Cement that the rune stone does. Leland has found many of these stones.

That is classic