Slate Lizards

[joshuaream]

Slate Lizards or effigies are a group of stone 'problematicals' found in Ohio and surrounding states. Some of them were probably atlatl weights, some of them are similar to birdstones, some are like flattened plummets, some of them are finely made, and some of them are very crude. Aside from being interesting and quirky, they are one of the more common slate ornamental tools and for many years were fairly reasonable in price if you were looking to add some to your collection.

I have found 3 complete examples over the years and have a couple of broken pieces as well, and have added probably another 20 or so from auctions. Here are a couple of recent additions that will eventually go into that frame. If anyone has any, please feel free to post them. Conjecture about use is also more than welcome.

The first piece isn't very photogenic, but it's really well made. It is pictured in Ohio Slate Types, and in the Archaeological History of Ohio back in 1902. Ex Cameron Parks collection. It is pretty clearly an animal of some type.

 

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[joshuaream]

This next lizard was collected by Dr. Meuser and has been pictured a couple of times, the earliest is 1950 in the Ohio Relic Collectors Bulletin and in the Meuser sale catalog and Converse's book about the Meuser collection. Since they usually have a flat side, some of these old ones are tattooed like a sailor with old collector marks.

 

[joshuaream]

This last one is also ex- Dr. Meuser. The face is faceted making eyes and a nose/beak.

 

[jamus peek]

Do you have any crude examples? I may have some crude examples that are not as nice as yours but take on a very similar shape.

 

[joshuaream]

Do you have any crude examples? I may have some crude examples that are not as nice as yours but take on a very similar shape.

The top piece and the bottom piece are pretty typical 'rough' examples. (These are not mine, I lifted the picture from an auction site.) The vast majority of them are made from slate or shale, I've also see a couple made from limestone and granite. The are usually chipped into shape and then smoothed to some degree. Finer details (the neck, head, tail) are often made with typical peck and grind. On some the slate is basically chipped into shape, a neck is chipped in and that is about the end of the work. Most collectors don't consider the rough ones to be unfinished examples or preforms, for some reason they just weren't particularly well made. Moorehead apparently thought many of them were kids toys.

Given that the material is usually pretty soft, it wouldn't take too long to grind out the marks, but many lizards have left over chipping marks. They are visible on the first two examples I posted from my collection. (It's interesting that on the refined examples they took the time to create details and polish the slate, but left the chips in places. They usually erased the chips on birdstones, bannerstones, celts, axes, etc.)

 

[jamus peek]

View attachment 1744578

The top piece and the bottom piece are pretty typical 'rough' examples. (These are not mine, I lifted the picture from an auction site.) The vast majority of them are made from slate or shale, I've also see a couple made from limestone and granite. The are usually chipped into shape and then smoothed to some degree. Finer details (the neck, head, tail) are often made with typical peck and grind. On some the slate is basically chipped into shape, a neck is chipped in and that is about the end of the work. Most collectors don't consider the rough ones to be unfinished examples or preforms, for some reason they just weren't particularly well made. Moorehead apparently thought many of them were kids toys.

Given that the material is usually pretty soft, it wouldn't take too long to grind out the marks, but many lizards have left over chipping marks. They are visible on the first two examples I posted from my collection. (It's interesting that on the refined examples they took the time to create details and polish the slate, but left the chips in places. They usually erased the chips on birdstones, bannerstones, celts, axes, etc.)

Thankyou for the elaborate information! Really interesting. The crude examples that may be nothing that i have found are made of banded slate. Whenever i find slate i can usually attribute it to a type of artifact some pieces more polished then others. For the most part i find banded slate in one creek and the next creek over i find hematite but very little slate.

There is banded slate that naturally occurs here in the Bay area with in 20 miles or so. So slate can find its way down the creek over time.

I may have some crude examples and some areas on the pieces do look pecked or chipped some seem to be ground smooth and lightly polished.

I may also have some crude banded slate birdstones that are ground smooth and polished to some degree with eye like features. They are squared off fairly decently but may not fit the bill. I will post some of them when i get a chance tomorrow.

My thoughts on some lizards are they were meant to be viewed from the side. As you mention some are not fully worked on the top view. If they were hung like we would hang a model airplane horizontally the top portions would not be as visible so they may not of needed to fine tune an area that was less visible. Even with your nicer examples the side view is more appealing to look at then the tops. They seem to have fine tuned features from the side view. For instance the very well rounded belly is easier to distinguish from the side view and the neck area seems to be more geometrically shaped from the side view. With a lot of artifacts we tend to show one angle but with lizards we naturally like to turn them sideways possibly because that view seems to give you that wow eye candy feeling.

Obviously pure speculation just some thoughts.

Thanks again for taking the time.

 

[newnan man]

Great post. I've seen one of those in a collection from Franklin County Oh. I wasn't sure what it was. It was in a library display. Thanks for the info.

 

[MAMucker]

Joshuaream,
Thanks for starting this post.
This is an item that I have not studied, but after viewing the many photos, it struck me that the shape of these effigies/artifacts resembles a type of bird of prey (notice the shape of these diving birds -a fraction of a second before they stab into the surf)
https://images.app.goo.gl/NKUVdQiJvfQrSzUJ7

Lizards are cute and interesting.

But, it would certainly bring more assurance to a hunter to have one of those birds adding power to my ATLATL.



Unless, of course, these lizards have special magic or some paranormal connection to the afterlife. Then we go with lizards, yes?

 

[arrow86]

They are neat looking especially the banded slate , Joshua what do you think was there purpose ? I think toys for kids is a possibility maybe even a challenge for the kids to make their own ..... I’m sure there was some long winter days and nights that left the kids itching to do something maybe this would help pass the time.

 

[welsbury]

I could see those being atlatl weights.

 

[southfork]

Real nice artifacts ! But I keep seeing birds of prey the lizards around here are real skinny

 

[Rege-PA]

First two remind me of an Otter, faster than a trout in the stream.

 

[Tdog]

Their anatomy and overall appearance reminds me more of a bird--a Mourning Dove (except the one in post #3). A good likeness for one perched in a tree above you.

 

[reuellis]

Are there any examples of ones made from flint/chert?

 

[old digger]

Those are quite interesting. I don't believe we find them out here.

 

[jamus peek]

Here's a few pics of some possible crude lizards found in creeks with some creek wear they are from California a hop, skip, jump and climb from most of you.





This one is not slate possibly polished and is a igneous rock I believe. Some lizards have in laid beads in Caifornia. I thought possibly the depressions may have had beads. The lines I believe are incised and are only on one side





they all seem to sit flat

 

[joshuaream]

Are there any examples of ones made from flint/chert?

There is a type of polished lizard effigy made out of chert, but they quite different from these.

As usual, Lithic Casting Lab has some amazing info an pictures of them.

Polished Chert Lizard Effigies, Page 1

 

[joshuaream]

That's one of the unique things about regional differences. These lizard stones have a really small distribution, part of Ohio, part of Indiana and then a smattering that pop up in Michigan, & Kentucky (maybe Pennsylvania, but I haven't seen any from there.) California would be a big hop, skip, jump and plane ride from that part of the Midwest.

Here's a few pics of some possible crude lizards found in creeks with some creek wear they are from California a hop, skip, jump and climb from most of you.

View attachment 1744861View attachment 1744862
View attachment 1744863View attachment 1744864
View attachment 1744865

This one is not slate possibly polished and is a igneous rock I believe. Some lizards have in laid beads in Caifornia. I thought possibly the depressions may have had beads. The lines I believe are incised and are only on one side

View attachment 1744866View attachment 1744867
View attachment 1744868View attachment 1744869
View attachment 1744870

they all seem to sit flat

 

[southfork]

Here's a few pics of some possible crude lizards found in creeks with some creek wear they are from California a hop, skip, jump and climb from most of you.

View attachment 1744861View attachment 1744862
View attachment 1744863View attachment 1744864
View attachment 1744865

This one is not slate possibly polished and is a igneous rock I believe. Some lizards have in laid beads in Caifornia. I thought possibly the depressions may have had beads. The lines I believe are incised and are only on one side

View attachment 1744866View attachment 1744867
View attachment 1744868View attachment 1744869
View attachment 1744870

they all seem to sit flat

Sorry but they all look natural to me just rocks .

 

[jamus peek]

That's one of the unique things about regional differences. These lizard stones have a really small distribution, part of Ohio, part of Indiana and then a smattering that pop up in Michigan, & Kentucky (maybe Pennsylvania, but I haven't seen any from there.) California would be a big hop, skip, jump and plane ride from that part of the Midwest.

Yes the regional issue is a big one. I have not found very much information here maybe for good reason.

Thanks again!