Pequot/Sukiog/Tunxis Pestle

[Molly_Hatchet]

farmington river, CT
Bell pestle?

ill try to add a video in the morning

 

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[The Grim Reaper]

We need more pictures from different angles. It has the look and very well could be one, but without different views it's hard to say for sure.

 

[rock]

The flat bottom would be a good start for another pic of it.

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

Pics:

Here are a couple of photos. I can't tell you how much I want to poke around the river and post rocks all day. I've been busy. I'm missing river time...
can anyone tell me how to post a video?

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

someone asked if there were others...

 

[rock]

Thats a hard one with the creek stain. The bottom has a pit on it like some do. But the pitting on the bottom for me throws the idea out for me on it being used. But at the same time they did use them to pound with at times. I guess I am at 50/50 on it. Just to hard for me to say, sorry

 

[The Grim Reaper]

That one is still hard to say. My gut says it natural, but it does have the LOOK and it seems to have the divot in the bottom. It could be one, I just can't be 100% sure with actually holding it.

An interesting side note on Pestles. We have always assumed and been told that these were used for grinding grains and such. A week or so ago someone posted a video on Facebook from the early 1900's that showed a man using a Pestle to pound in shims to split a very long log into planks. If anyone has ever seen Trevor Garrett's really nice Quartz Pestle, the one this man was using looked identical. First time I had ever even seen one used that way. Maybe we are all wrong. lol

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

How do I check that out? Did it really look verysimilar? And of course, where was that filmed?

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

Here's the depth of the divot. I think a video would answer a lot of questions... please hang in there with me. I either need to get over this river, or over this rock. Does it matter that my photos post sideways? I dont know WHY it does that!

 

[rock]

More pics really doesnt help me much in deciding but I have found 1 and by the way if it is a pestle it is called a Hoof Pestle. Here is mine I found it in a field so there is no creek stain. The natives used the hoof from the buffalo for glue and the books I have read say they believe the Hoof Pestle is shaped that way on purpose to look like a buffalo hoof. Little history for you and it didnt cost you a thing
Mine is smooth on the bottom so Im sure it was used for grinding and not pounding like others.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

How do I check that out? Did it really look verysimilar? And of course, where was that filmed?

It was somewhere in the northeast, I think. I really can't recall. I tried a Google search but couldn't find it.

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

This is awesome! It definately looks like a hoof. Thank you!

 

[Charl]

As other folks have noted, it might be a pestle. BTW, I am used to seeing that form referred to as a bell pestle. Do a google image search for bell pestle, and this is what you get. You can see the similarity to the form of your rock. Your's does appear to be possibly smoothed from usage on the bottom....

https://www.google.com/search?q=bel...0ObOAhVJ-GMKHfxqAPAQ_AUICCgC&biw=1024&bih=653

 

[Charl]

Here are two hardstone bell pestles from my own collection. These are orphans, meaning origin unknown, but might be from Ohio. In the first you can see the pit or divot often seen on the base of these forms. Not sure how the pit is interpreted, maybe cracking large nuts? And the second one has no divot. Your piece does look possible smoothed from usage on what would be the business end were it a bell pestle. These were pecked and ground into shape....

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

ps.. my gut leans to natural kind of on everything, but it's that CHANCE that I'm holding an old tool that keeps me asking. Treasure hunting is simultaneously so interesting and relaxing, and thats a lot of reward... Quite like my dog must feel on a walk, I'm thinking.

Thank you for checking out my posts!

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

As other folks have noted, it might be a pestle. BTW, I am used to seeing that form referred to as a bell pestle. Do a google image search for bell pestle, and this is what you get. You can see the similarity to the form of your rock. Your's does appear to be possibly smoothed from usage on the bottom....

https://www.google.com/search?q=bel...0ObOAhVJ-GMKHfxqAPAQ_AUICCgC&biw=1024&bih=653

of course an image search yeilds so many pics of people selling natural rocks... passing them off as native american. I think the bar must be set high to qualify an artifact as authentic , even to the point where an artifact may be authentic, but not "good enough". That said, I personally value my collection... natural, "not good enough", or what have you. It's all about the wondering

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

Here are two hardstone bell pestles from my own collection. These are orphans, meaning origin unknown, but might be from Ohio. In the first you can see the pit or divot often seen on the base of these forms. Not sure how the pit is interpreted, maybe cracking large nuts? And the second one has no divot. Your piece does look possible smoothed from usage on what would be the business end were it a bell pestle. These were pecked and ground into shape....

Those are beautiful stones you have there!

 

[rock]

Hang onto it you never know. Maybe you will find another and be able to compare the 2. Not all grinders were made equal and each period they were made a little different. The last one I found a week ago and it was found on a site that dates 1500-500 years old.

 

[Molly_Hatchet]

Hang onto it you never know. Maybe you will find another and be able to compare the 2. Not all grinders were made equal and each period they were made a little different. The last one I found a week ago and it was found on a site that dates 1500-500 years old.

Beautiful. I love the white one.
No.. I wont let them go. They'll travel through the house... First night is always on my nightstand, then the living room, the table in the backyard, in a planter, or back to the river!

 

[rock]

Thanks I hadnt posted it yet but I liked it enough to carry it home. Most of this I posted have divots on them so the last one due to the size could be what is called a nutting stone or even a metate for grinding nuts and corn.