What is this?

[Moark]

Found in a box of old arrowheads. Location unknown

 

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[Moark]

 

[Moark]

 

[Indian Steve]

It is a rock that resembles an arrowhead in shape but just a rock.

 

[Moark]

Yeah that is kinda what I figured.

 

[Moark]

 

[Moark]

This was in there as well. Check that bevel

 

[MAMucker]

It could be a Net Weight.

 

[Moark]

I thought about that but Idk why it would have that tip on the end

 

[Tdog]

It may be a little granite axe with the bit damaged. My bud Gary found one in S.E. Elmore Co. AL very similar in size with the bit intact. Sorry there's not a size ref. on this older pic.

 

[arrow86]

It does have the look of a small grooves axe but the tip on it would be wrong for an axe hard to tell if the groove is intentional or natural erosion due to the rock itself being so eroded , I would hold onto it

 

[MAMucker]

I’d call them Notches. Does not appear to be grooved.

 

[Moark]

Yeah there’s no visible groove on either side. Looks like if it was something, water did a number on it

 

[Tdog]

Yeah there’s no visible groove on either side. Looks like if it was something, water did a number on it

Yes, maybe so but I don't think the grooves define the axe. However, it has seen some serious wear. I'd bet it didn't look like it does today when it was first finished.

 

[Charl]

It reminds me of an end pick, which my New England artifact guide classifies with stone bowl industry tools. I have quite a few, as I find a lot of steatite on my sites. But I had never seen any with side notches. Then I noticed the guide states "occasionally, side notching indicates they were hafted like axes". All the ones I've found have been hand held, but with obvious points as in the rock in question. They come in all sizes.....

 

[Moark]

Check it out

 

[MAMucker]

It reminds me of an end pick, which my New England artifact guide classifies with stone bowl industry tools. I have quite a few, as I find a lot of steatite on my sites. But I had never seen any with side notches. Then I noticed the guide states "occasionally, side notching indicates they were hafted like axes". All the ones I've found have been hand held, but with obvious points as in the rock in question. They come in all sizes.....

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That’s really good info Charl,

Thank you for sharing that report.

I could have walked by such a tool (minus the side notching), not knowing what it was. But, I imagine that the location of such a find is helpful in making the identification.

 

[Charl]

That’s really good info Charl,

Thank you for sharing that report.

I could have walked by such a tool (minus the side notching), not knowing what it was. But, I imagine that the location of such a find is helpful in making the identification.

You're welcome. Some of my sites are right near soapstone quarries, and I find end picks in the soapstone workshop areas of my sites. End picks were used in the fashioning of hardstone tools as well as soapstone objects. I did not realize some were side notched, and therefore apparently hafted, but the Massachusetts Archaeological Society's artifact guide confirms they were. That passage quoted was written by William Fowler, who did a great deal of work at soapstone quarries throughout southern New England. It's a very good bet that that tool is a side notched end pick. Once I realized they were sometimes notched, the ole light bulb went off, lol.

End pick and soapstone work:



Making a full grooved axe:



With a tip like that seen on the rock featured in this thread, and side notchng, it's hard to see it as anything other then a hafted pick. Pretty cool find. Of course, just my opinion....

 

[Moark]

 

[Moark]