Native American tool?

[TennesseePickerGirl]

I got this in Blount County Tennessee (foothills of Great Smoky Mts.) from an antique dealer who buys alot out of local barns & estates. This item came in a box from a local barn here in East Tennessee. It looks like it could be something...very heavy and wonderful smooth chocolate surface patina. Measures approximately 6" long x 4.5" wide x2.25" high. Has what looks to be an X indention and maybe remnants of something in part of the X (strap of leather?) As you can see in photos, one side is flatter while overall piece has rounded edges. Any ideas? I know Cherokee were in this area and Indian burial grounds were found near here in Townsend, TN several years ago when road was widened.

 

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[kudzu74]

Is it just me or does that remind you of the top of a railroad spike? Is it metallic? What is the material thought to be?

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

I see what you are saying. It looks like it's made of stone not iron. Size of 6" x 4.5" x 2.25" seems bigger than any spike I've seen. I was noting the X indention on "top" thinking it might be where twine or leather used to tie it to a stick or handle...

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

But it is very heavy...maybe it is iron....it really looks like a squashed fat foot with the X indention being at top "ankle" section. Maybe old farm tool?

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

I did magnet test. Not iron. Really looks like stone.

 

[Plug N Play]

This is an oddity. As it goes along, I'm not seeing an Indian tool ... I think it may be a fossilized bone end.
Millions and millions and millions of years old.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

This is an oddity. As it goes along, I'm not seeing an Indian tool ... I think it may be a fossilized bone end.
Millions and millions and millions of years old.

I think you could be onto something with your suggestion that this might be a fossilized bone fragment PNP.
What you now need TennesseePickerGirl is for a orthopedist to chime in.

Dave

 

[A2coins]

hmmmmm hard to tell

 

[Tony in SC]

Kinda looks like an old shoe last.

 

[tamrock]

I think it's a natural formation known as a concretion. They can be found in very odd shapes that look as if they are man made and found in many places across the globe.

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

Thanks for all the input...hadn't thought about possibly being fossilized bone...there is a chipped area on tip of foot shape. Maybe I could take a pic and see if anyone thinks it looks like bone...

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

This piece is very heavy. Mskes me think now it may be a fossil due to weight and inside of object where chipped doesn't look like rock exactly. Don't have any experience with fossilized bones except sea fossil bones like dugong (manatee). Will try to attach more pics of chipped edge and also add bone tag. Added photos.May be at my original post. I'm new at this😜

 

[ToddsPoint]

The last pic tells me it's an iron concretion. Rust colored on the outside and greyish on the inside. Gary

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

So it's some type of iron object that has been in the ground? But wouldn't a magnet stick to it if was iron? I did magnet test & it doesn't.

 

[Plug N Play]

We don't know where this concretion originated, so we don't have a direct comparison to possibilities.
Here, California, we would take the students to the beds and they would "POP" open the suspect rocks.
It was an area known for fossils, however.
About 50% contained fossils ... it was just the luck of the draw.

What you see on the rest of your rock can be a concretion, but the question is what is the odd part that sticks out.
Here, that would raise the possibility this concretion contained a fossil to about 95%.

Your rock isn't going to "POP" open with a hammer.
If it was me, I'd run it through a rock saw ... you're chances vary, and we don't know those chances because we don't know where this rock came from.

Here's a random picture of a concretion pointing out that the chips on the outside of a concretion can show a skin with a different color directly beneath, such as yours. This is common.

It doesn't mean the concretion isn't formed around a fossil.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

So it's some type of iron object that has been in the ground? But wouldn't a magnet stick to it if was iron? I did magnet test & it doesn't.

Not made of iron, stained from iron. Read up on concretions. https://www.thoughtco.com/gallery-of-concretions-4122853

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

So I don't have a rock saw but I agree that the pieces shown in the x do like something is under there and the color underneath the outer layer do look like your pictures that had fossils. Guess I will have to always wonder! Thanks for input. And I understand the piece could colored by iron but not be iron, the reddish outer part?

 

[kudzu74]

Okay, so that leads to several questions...do you have it cut vertical or horizontal for maximum exposure of the inclusion? Also, would it be better for you to sell it as is or attempt to have it cut...and lastly, I make this statement because your second set of pictures where much better for size and texture. I believe you have one genuine, historical, homemade PAPERWEIGHT!

Or better yet what the Neanderthals referred to as a #3 Iron...just have to get the shaft and reattach it!

Usually, mammoth bone... sorry, I could not resist! Resistance is futile...

 

[Plug N Play]

When you cut rocks in half such as this, there is always that moment you get your first glance.
Sometimes it's wonderful and surprising, ... sometimes there's nothing at all.

I'd start the cut right at the toe, going the long way through ... turn your neanderthal 3 iron into a 7 and 8.
The "book end cut", two matching halves, gives you some nice display options if you happen to get lucky.

 

[TennesseePickerGirl]

Ha yes I bet it was used as a door stop in the barn! Have no intention of selling it even if it was something. I just think it's cool. Very interesting shape and feels great in my hand! I did have someone from Washington state contact me who has studied native American artifacts for 30 years. She says they often used rocks unaltered as tools. She believed this was a crude shoe last, very old, not necessarily native American but maybe. It's been worth it's weight to hear all the theories from the sites I've posted on. Very entertaining!