What is It ?

[TERRY-NAMVET]

I was looking for arrow heads in a field here in Ohio.

I've found arrow heads, scrapers, bird points and one axe in this field.

This find is round but not perfectly round.
It weighs 9 1/2 ounces, more that you would think by looking at it.
Its 2 inches tall and 1 3/4 wide.

It is smooth, has some imperfections, Its some kind of ball.

 

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[rock]

Yore rite its a game ball from what I see. My friend has 2 of them he found. Is it rock or pottery type? Looks like rock.

 

[TERRY-NAMVET]

Yore rite its a game ball from what I see. My friend has 2 of them he found. Is it rock or pottery type? Looks like rock.

I think it is rock of some kind, It's allot heavier than it looks, I can't tell what kind of rock.

 

[rock]

good cause if it was pottery type it would be a milling ball or a carpet ball. Seeing it is stone then it is probably made from marble.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

More than likely a milling ball used debur metal parts. I used to have one that was exactly like it and for years I thought it too was a Game Stone, but it wasn't.

 

[GatorBoy]

This is like deja vu.. I wound up doing a bunch of research on milling balls they were made from all types of material including agate ceramic and other things besides metal especially when being used to grind volatile things like gunpowder so there would be no sparking
..... I hope no one calls it a quartz game ball!

 

[rock]

want me to show the book again?

 

[painterx7]

I'm calling it a quartz game ball haha ;()

 

[dasabighole]

I used to find these on sites in Ga. I cant find them right now but I have a few 1 1/2" -2 1/4''

 

[painterx7]

I was just kidding they look awesome but I couldn't give a correct answer and mr gator is very knowledgable as a couple other fellers on here I bet you will find out soon HH !!!

 

[rock]

I dont think I have any pics of the one I bought. It turned out to be a Carpet Ball.

 

[NC field hunter]

Lol! I admire Rock for sticking to his guns. I can't say who is correct here. Out of my range. An innocent question for the mill stone guys. Would a millstone, a used one, not have little dings and pits in it? I've never seen one in person.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Here's a picture of some deburring stones.

 

[NC field hunter]

Here's a picture of some deburring stones.

Thanks Reap! I can't see much detail, however, I do think that I see some pitting. If you don't mind Reap, I'd like to know your thoughts on this piece of mine.











I honestly do not think its an artifact. I do not think its natural either. Had I found it any other spot besides the one I did find it, I would swear it is a pee-dab. (Old timers here call game stones pee-dabs, it stuck with me) about the spot this piece came from. My Grandma has told me about driveways that had these rather than gravel. Supposedly, a local concrete factory made little balls with scrap or left over inventory and sold these to farmers. In theory these would prevent erosion ruts in farm roads and were used for a little while. I guess it was a failure because farmers don't use these any longer. My grandma said lots of these were exactly where this one came from. Odd thing, I can't find but one stone where thousands are supposed to be. Another odd thing, my grandma was told about the driveway or roads filled with these. She never saw a road full of these but does recall frequently finding these in the spot that this one came from. Is it possible that what ever game these were used in was played on that piece of ground and the farm road story was someone's lack of a better answer to why so many were found there? Sorry for the long post!!

 

[GatorBoy]

For what it's worth that doesn't look like concrete it looks like a large clay marble to me

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I agree with Gator Boy on your piece NC field hunter. It looks like a large Clay Marble and those are early settler items.

 

[quito]

Or, maybe not concrete, but just cement.

 

[GatorBoy]

Okay I will rephrase it it does not look like a masonry product to me it looks like baked clay.

 

[ncnurseryman]

So what did early settlers use them for?

 

[GatorBoy]

The game of marbles.
A lot of folks don't realize marbles started out as game pieces. Especially younger folks.