Artifact video

[Fossilman]

This gives you all a better view of the artifact I brought back from Montana...

[fernwood]

Thanks. That showed a lot. The 3/4 groove was common with some tribes. A war club? But, the flat end combined with a rounded one is special. Usually the war clubs were rounded on both ends. A duel purpose item?   War clubs have been ID'd that are up to 5" long.  

I am hooked and will be watching to see if anyone can come up with a definitive ID.

[Fossilman]

The kicker is,it's a type of quartzite,green in color..
Brother in law and I were looking at it,in the sun..

[coloradocliff]

Do you think the type of rock had a significance... ie. where it came from. Maybe just a native rockhound found a pretty rock and made something useful out of it. Maybe a weight on a net and they wanted the end weight to be more visible. Fun guessing.

[Fossilman]

Aug 18, 2017 20:31:29 GMT -5 coloradocliff said:

Do you think the type of rock had a significance... ie. where it came from. Maybe just a native rockhound found a pretty rock and made something useful out of it. Maybe a weight on a net and they wanted the end weight to be more visible. Fun guessing.

My Uncle Willis found it and he was a no nonsense type of guy..His hounding grounds were many miles away from any type of people,so I say yes,its the real deal....
With all my three Uncles,you better have a good set of legs under you,because you were going for long hounding trips....LOL

[Rockoonz]

Not a hammer stone for knapping if it's quartzsite, but it could be a hammer for other uses.
Fishing weight would be my guess.
I got a replica (fake) net weight in trade early on in my rock digging days.

[agatemaggot]

Impact type abrasion on end surfaces indicates pounding , my guess.Net weight would probably have the same surface texture all over except for the groove.
Flat end could have been used for cracking bone open and rounded end used for another task !

Neolithic mega Ball peen perhaps ?

[fernwood]

Green Quartzite is found near Hixton, WI. It is a very special type that the early residents of the area favored for tools, due to its texture, which is smoother than traditional quartzite. Hixton Quartzite (Silver Mound Quarry) artifacts have been found across the country, as they were often traded. This material, due to silicification, was harder than flint and held an edge longer. I have never seen an object like yours made from Hixton, as it was reserved for tools that needed to stay sharp. It is possible, since local historians have for centuries believed that the material was so desired, that locals made trips to other parts of the country to trade Hixton rough material and preforms for other items.

The still photos appear to be a green/pink mix in color. Does the material appear to be a course or a fine Quartzite? Or, are you familiar with Hixton?

[fernwood]

Bingo, just found one. It is from an early game similar to croquet. Just kidding, but it does remind me of a modified croquet mallet.

[Fossilman]

Appears to be fine and tight...

[kskid]

Aug 18, 2017 12:38:48 GMT -5 fernwood said:

Thanks. That showed a lot. The 3/4 groove was common with some tribes. A war club? But, the flat end combined with a rounded one is special. Usually the war clubs were rounded on both ends. A duel purpose item?   War clubs have been ID'd that are up to 5" long.  

I am hooked and will be watching to see if anyone can come up with a definitive ID.

x2

[jamesp]

Mountain areas of SE US, piedmont zone too. Quartzite was the best choice for artifacts. Easy to work in the plane parallel to the faces of the layers it often occurs.

Tallahatta quartzite for instance. Nary a fracture, dense and takes a mirror polish in the tumbler.
Cemented with chert and chalcedony. HARD and tough.

www.geoarchaeology.southalabama.edu/tal-sand_home.html



The groove in that artifact seems worn or smoothed. Common to find 3/4/full ax heads smooth, obviously sanded or polished.

If that is an axe or hammer head it sure is round and chunky. Those guys were no different than us though, they needed heavy hammers too.
The fat shape is totally unique. Guessing the groove is for hafting to a handle. Maybe a short handled maul.
Would do a fine job mincing meat on a log for instance. Guessing they had bad teeth later in life and could use tenderized meat.
Could think of a lot of uses being they had to make many of their tools out of stone.
Maybe for driving stakes in the ground, not a job for a 16 ounce hammer. Pretty sure they put stakes in the ground regularly.
Pulverizing vegetative matter for food prep ?
Breaking moose bones...how else do you dismantle heavy joints and break bones butchering a large mammal ?

My guess it is a maul. No witnesses, no guarantee lol.




Ohio mauls www.arrowheadology.com/forums/hardstone/22514-ohio-full-grooved-maul.html

[Fossilman]

Useful tool,whatever is was used for.....Got in my collection now....We have a museum back home in Montana (Musselshell County),got to talk to them about donating when the time comes to down size my collection of Montana goodies...