Indian Artifact

[BBBILL66]

Hello All,

I found this Indian artifact near a stream bed in Monmouth County, NJ. What stuck me was the perfectly round hole in the top center. The article is made from a very heavy and solid Quartz type of rock. My guess is it was used as a hammer-head, fire lighter or something used to bang or hit with the hand.

Thank you.

[Just Bob]

The pictures are not the best but I don't see anything that would make me think this was an Indian artifact. I can't tell you why it happens but I have seen lots of rocks with holes very similar to this one in the streams in Monmouth Co. But of course I am no expert.

[Foshunter]

Not an Indian artifact, holie rock---Tom

[bone2stone]

Not an Indian artifact, holie rock---Tom

Agreed, just a stone with peculiar attributes.

Jess B.

Note: I am a mentor on an Arrowhead web site.

If you wish, I can send you a link to the site and you can verify with other collectors on your find.

You could make some friends there that just may lead you to some areas that you can find some artifacts.

You are in an area that yields some nice stuff from time to time.

[mikeymig]

I find the same type of rocks here in NY and posted about it.

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/27230-found-a-pseudoartifact-when-fossil-hunting/

Mikey

[Bev]

I would love the link to your arrowhead website! I've never found an artifact that I know of, but we are in an area rich with them.

And I find holie rocks all the time too.

[Mediospirifer]

I'd also be interested in the Arrowhead link. My husband takes a more active interest in that area, but I do enjoy them!

[Herb]

The only possible artifact I could see it being is an arrow shaft straightener.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Herb

[bone2stone]

I have posted it else where but, www.arrowheads.com.

Who could remember such a difficult name such as that.

Jess B.

[Foshunter]

If this piece was used as an arrow shaft straightener, the hole would be smooth on the inside and a little more substantial for applying pressure to the wood, this has none of those features----Tom

[pinkpantherbeekeeper]

This is obviously way too small, but I have seen larger rocks with holes in the used as boat anchors in the Mediterranean. Anyone know if they have been used in North America?

Edited August 24, 2013 by pinkpantherbeekeeper

[painshill]

Agree. It’s not an artefact.

Arrow straighteners (known as “shaft wrenches”) were almost invariably made from bone or antler and occasionally hard wood. They have one or more drilled holes to accommodate shafts of different thicknesses and a moderate length to get some leverage. Like this:

[Picture from South Dakota Historical Society website]

Arrow smoothers (known as “shaft abraders”) were made from stone – usually a coarse stone like sandstone – and were two-part tools but it’s rare to find both parts together. Both parts had a groove in which the shaft was inserted and they were wrapped round the shaft for use like a sanding block. Here’s one half:

[Picture from CAS Anthropology Collection Database]

Canoe anchors certainly exist as holed stones in Native American contexts but as Pinkpanther says it’s way too small. It might work as a fishing net weight but without context (or evidence of a biconical hole drilled from both sides) it’s just a stone with a hole.