Need some help identifying what appears to be an old indian weapon or tool

[j8h9]

Hello,

Friend of mine recently found something in the Gulf of Mexico (Florida). It was found in 4' of water 20 feet from the beach... 14" piece of wood that appears to have bark bindings. The top is missing (axe? club?) but appears to have a notch carved into the top. Is it a very old indian/pirate tool or weapon?

Any insight? Or can you recommend another resource. Thank you for any assist.

 

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[Renaebri]

Curious, how heavy is it?

 

[trdking]

could be a workers tool but does not look like a weapon of war

 

[Knockneed Man]

I can’t speak for the item itself, but I do know that a Native American burial site was found two years ago in the gulf in 15-20 feet of water off of Venice, Fl and is now protected by the state. Whether or not a wood item like the attached could survive the salt water for that long and still have bark on it, I can’t say, but it is interesting looking.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I think you should try and identify the wood and the bark, just in case the bark is not original to the wood.
It just may be a naturally occurring fragment of wood that simply 'appears to have been man-made for a specific purpose'.
You also may want to consider contacting The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
34725 West Boundary Road,
Clewiston, FL

Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation

Website: https://www.ahtahthiki.com/
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 877-902-1113

"The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is a museum of Seminole culture and history, located on the Big Cypress Indian Reservation in Hendry County, Florida.
The museum is owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida."

Dave

 

[civil_war22]

In my opinion I would go back first to where it was found to see if any artifacts were found, dont call any of the indian tribes yet, because in my experience not only as a native american historian, and also a citizen of the Cherokee tribe, if you contact any of them first it will throw red flags rather quickly especially here in the states. I've helped date settlements, which tribe likely was at the site, and have even helped on some digs. I've seen first hand what a phone call can do. Now there is some exceptions, but not many. I would first go back to the site, free dive it, look for artifacts, other than just wood, like pottery shards, flint, or other native stone tools, and then share it on here, NOT THE LOCATION, but let us look at them, and help decipher some of them. I've personally dove into two separate bluff shelters now under water, taken video evidence of the findings, and then got with the local tribes that were known to be in the area. Sometimes, they'll merely put up a sign, or will call for re-enforcement's like their own University or even local Universities. I've found sticks in the ocean free diving, and scuba, as well as lakes, and they're just that (sticks), I'm just forewarning you before you contact anyone, do yourself a favor, and go look for some more signs of early life. There are over 300 known species of trees in Florida, and could have came from anyone of them. When items like wood, non-ferrous objects are under water they aren't able to get any oxygen which helps spread rot, or in metals cases rust, or oxidation.