Rare -triple grooved hammer/ axe Identification please

[hertzyinmn]

Hello, I have just purchase this for my collection and wondered if any experts could look this over and tell me exactly what I have here. From my reading I have found any grooves more than one would be quite rare and so I would guess that would make this very rare with three all around . This piece was from a collection of a retired anthropology professor from Minnesota who retired in the late 70s. One man purchased his collection and had been selling his items so I found this one that caught my eye. He was unsure of where this was originally from but some were marked with the states so it may take some expertise to know where this tool is from. I do not know material but is heavy and awesome. Would appreciate any comments remarks ,Thanks

 

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[tomclark]

How big is it? Where's the bit? I don't see any work at all on the business end. Grooves that are irregular appear to be bands of material that was softer and eroded out. JMHOP

 

[hertzyinmn]

its about 7" ,no erosion , old old handworked stone

 

[xr7ator]

Well, it's not an axe. What would they use a hammer for? How much did you pay for it?

 

[hertzyinmn]

too much anyone know a expert to get any research done ??

 

[xr7ator]

Can you take it back? I WOULD!

 

[hertzyinmn]

anyone know anyone to authenticate

 

[quito]

I have a feeling a reputable authenticator wouldn’t authenticate it.

looks natural to me.

 

[Nwohseeker]

The fine folks that have already replied to you have many years of artifact hunting/collecting. So you have been given advice by reputable people qualified to give you an answer. It may not be what you want to hear or doesn't jive with the bill of sale you were sold. You should listen more and and object less. Those groove don't look ground by man into the stone and there's no bit for it to be an ax. So you ask for experts we have plenty of them here (I'm not one of them)if you take the time to listen.

 

[hertzyinmn]

could be who knows , not that big of deal , I like it no risk no gain, It goes in my rock collection

 

[xr7ator]

I'm no expert but my opinion is that if you paid ten bucks you paid too much. It's just not that cool even if it was used by natives back in the day.

 

[quito]

You can see the same type of wear in other areas on the piece, they shows the same discoloring too.

 

[hertzyinmn]

You can see the same type of wear in other areas on the piece, they shows the same discoloring too.

Yes I agree !!! I bow down to all experts Thank you all!!!and to the smartass in Ohio, come to see the rock in person I will give you a close up view!! Free of charge

 

[Nwohseeker]

Not sure how I was a smart ass But you just said it yourself.... its a rock. Seems like a thinly veiled threat? Not sure that's allowed here, but I don't need to drive up there to see your rock we have them here. I might be interested in the drive if it was an artifact though.

 

[Fred250]

Well, it's not an axe. What would they use a hammer for? How much did you pay for it?

We are to far removed from that time period, it is not possible make accurate assumptions on what they used or how they thought.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Seeing nothing that says it was ever worked by man.

Please post by our rules, no insults.

 

[MosesOfTheSouth]

appears to be a rock that tumbled around in a river. the discolorations look like algae for the most part. the bands/grooves as you call them look to be parts that were softer than the rest and eroded/decayed easier. also, it doesn't seem to be a type of rock that the NA's typically used to make that type tool. looks kinda cool though, for a rock. wouldn't have personally humped it out, unless it was a particularly slow day, and i was in the kayak. hope you didn't pay a lot, or can get a refund if so. edit: i guess context of the find could change the above, but don't suppose that you have that from the description you gave. maybe a rough grinding/ pestle type tool but the wear on it doesn't really scream anything except river cobble imho.

 

[Huzzah!]

I'm sorry; this is natural. But use it to your advantage--study this piece! Compare the alleged impact/grooved marks to those of confirmed tools with similar uses. For one, that fissure probably would not be a selling point if I were an NA looking for a tool that would end up being used to strike something--esp if I were to spend my time making those three supposed grooved marks. My guess is that it would bust open right on that crack upon impact.

Keep looking.

 

[ShieldJaguar]

Definitely just a rock. Sorry. Being told the truth is how you learn. I can't tell you how many backpacks full of rocks I hauled out of creeks when I was first learning. In my opinion, stay away from buying artifacts until you have a really good understanding of what you are looking at or else you will go broke. There are more opportunistic sellers than reputable ones these days.

Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Yes I agree !!! I bow down to all experts Thank you all!!!and to the smartass in Ohio, come to see the rock in person I will give you a close up view!! Free of charge

You asked for opinions and got them from people with years of collecting experience and then give us crap for telling you the truth?? You even say "you appreciate all comments remarks". So much for that. SMH

I guess I'll be another smartass from Ohio and tell you this with 54 years of collecting experience in my dossier. That also includes artifacts from every state except Hawaii. It's a natural rock with erosion of a softer material that made the grooves. Maybe you should stick with metal detecting and leave the artifacts for people that know the hell they are doing.