Please help and tell me what this thing is!! No one has been able to identify it!

[Firedancintracy]

This is the strangest little thing I have ever seen. My friend gave me this years ago, he dug it up on his family's settlement approximately around 40 years ago. It is about 2 1/2" long and it appears to have been "tatooed" as the ink designs are not lying on the surface. It is solid on one end and one tiny deliberate hole on the other. As you can see it also has designs carved into it. Any help in enlightining me on what this is, and what it was used for would be greatly appreciated.

 

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[austin]

Whistle of some sort?

 

[Firedancintracy]

Of course the first thing I did when I saw your post was blow in the end, not a whistle Good idea though! thanks for the input!

 

[Rean.c]

this is caved and designed bone, do you think the material of the object is similar to bone?


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[Firedancintracy]

I know this sounds strange but, I can't tell if it's bone. It doesn't feel like the bone I have, like for example a bone persian snuff box. It doesn't feel as dense or smooth. Honestly it kind of feels like some sort of coral or something. I could be totally wrong and it could be bone, hallowed out so it could feel different to me, but it doesn't appear to have the grains bone would.I'm so confused! Lol!

 

[ARC]

That is the strangest thing... heh... wonder if it may be Indian. its definitely a pottery piece. super cool whatever it is... I'm curious.

 

[Rean.c]

Interesting. A lot of different types of bone, bones have blood supply as well that could be why it has texture. Ivory is so strong and flat looking because there is no blood supply to it. Tap it on the table or something if you feel it's not going to break, and you will know if it's pottery by the noise. Here are some examples of different types of bone.

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[Rean.c]

Well I meant ivory isn't flat but it looks really smooth and even.


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[Firedancintracy]

It's interesting you said Indian because he did find lots of Indian artifacts on that property!

 

[BigWaveDave]

try packing it with herb, just a thought

 

[Rean.c]

Native Americans... Yes they have done lots of bone art and that information would have helped a lot. On the other hand the art on that piece does not look consistent with Native American art.


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[Firedancintracy]

Good point about the bone, I tapped it on a table and it didn't necessarily feel like it could break all though I didn't push that theory too far. It did make a sound kind of like when you tap on crystal opposed to the more clunky sound of glass

 

[Firedancintracy]

You are right I should have put that in my original post, but I have had it so long that the mention of it just reminded me to the fact.

 

[Rean.c]

You should post it in the North American "indian" section . I don't know why people always call us Indians but whatever.. First world problems.. Someone who knows a lot more then us can probably help you there! Sorry I couldn't help


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[Firedancintracy]

Thanks for the time to try and help Rean.C and advice. I certainly would never want to offend you or any one else for that matter. I recently posted some pottery on ebay and called it Native American and some lady emailed me chewing my ass and said call it Indian. So I am unsure of the proper vernacular now, I certainly want to use the term that means I hold only the utmost respect. Maybe you could clear that up for me

 

[Rean.c]

The right term is Native American, you didn't offend me I'm sorry if I came off that way. You seem like a nice person that was given the wrong information. [emoji106][emoji3]


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[Rean.c]

Just one of those things that people always are not sure about.


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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Does not appear to be bone (no marrow/center hollow). Looks like a mouth flute or ocarina.

 

[Firedancintracy]

Well thank you for clearing that up for me and the nice compliment. Man some of the people you meet on Ebay... I tell ya!

 

[Firedancintracy]

Good point about the lack of marrow, it seems there would be some sort of residue even if somehow someone was able to hollow it. Interesting idea of it being Ocarina, it doesn't make any sort of whistle or sound though, well nothing extraordinary, just what you can imagine blowing into something with a capped end would sound like. If that makes since. Plus I have never seen a Ocarina with stylized holes and a solid end.