I found this rock next to a arrowhead I found was wondering if it is natural?

[Kingofthekats]

I found this rock next to a arrowhead I found, was wondering if it is natural and what kind of stone it is, I accidentally got stain on it while painting my fence.   

[Kingofthekats]

[caldigger]

Looks like a rock with natural river tumbling erosion. I see thousands of It's brethren every time I get in a river.

[Tidgy's Dad]

I agree, a river pebble, I think. 

Can't see any signs of cut marks from a tool. 

[Kingofthekats]

yeah because it would not fit the artifact category and its use would not make sense, I just was not sure because of the fact that it was right in the area I found the arrowhead in my backyard

[caldigger]

Seriously, what is with all these guys being able to find great stuff in their backyards?!  How can you find anything without burning a half a tank of gas and having to climb over at least three steep hills to the point of exhaustion before you even touch the shovel to the ground.

It's just not fair!!!

[JarrodB]

Nice point but the rock is natural. 

[Kingofthekats]

There were alot of oyster shells and charcoal and a tons of broken rocks and bones from food, how I found my arrowheads some arrowheads are on top of all those rocks piled on top of each other from cooking food and some are way at the bottom or some are in the middle. When you find charcoal and oysters shells and a ton of rocks and debitage then pretty sure it is a midden mine was on a hillside.  

[JarrodB]

1 hour ago, Kingofthekats said:

There were alot of oyster shells and charcoal and a tons of broken rocks and bones from food, how I found my arrowheads some arrowheads are on top of all those rocks piled on top of each other from cooking food and some are way at the bottom or some are in the middle. When you find charcoal and oysters shells and a ton of rocks and debitage then pretty sure it is a midden mine was on a hillside.  

That would be a great place to dig.  lol

[Tidgy's Dad]

5 hours ago, Kingofthekats said:

There were alot of oyster shells and charcoal and a tons of broken rocks and bones from food, how I found my arrowheads some arrowheads are on top of all those rocks piled on top of each other from cooking food and some are way at the bottom or some are in the middle. When you find charcoal and oysters shells and a ton of rocks and debitage then pretty sure it is a midden mine was on a hillside.  

Perhaps the pebble was used, as a rather uncomfortable headrest or pillow, or to rest something on, a pole perhaps. 

Perhaps not.

[Wrangellian]

I thought the stone might have been used to grind things on, in that concave area (as a pestle of sorts)... I think it's possible if it was found amidst other artifacts and debris from human habitation.

[RJB]

I found a couple of midden piles when I use to live in Northern California but left them alone cause I thougth it may be ileagle.  I think just about everything in california is illegle?

 

RB

[digit]

I too was of the skeptical opinion that not every interesting or unusual rock found near known artifacts need necessarily be somehow related to the artifacts. Confirmation Bias is a strong tendency to search for evidence that supports a pre-existing belief and similarly any unusual object found in a midden area becomes suspect as another wishful artifact. We'll pick up any random stone and try to imagine how it "fits comfortably" in the hand or imaging uses for such a stone. In 99% of the cases it is merely wishful thinking tinged with a mild case of pareidolia.

 

Having said that (and hopefully lowered expectations), I looked back at your stain-stained object and considered Wrangellian's suggestion that it might have been used as some sort of pestle (actually the mortar is the "bowl" and the pestle is the blunt club-shaped object used with the mortar to grind things). I reasoned that if it were used as some sort of very primitive grinding stone (or perhaps a husking or shelling implement) that it should have more wear in the concave portion. Looking at your final image above (copied here again for convenience) I do see that the concave area does seem to have a different texture than the rest of the piece. Could this be an area that was worn down by use over time (think cracking chestnuts or acorns) or might this be an area that received less abrasions while the piece tumbled around in the river that gave the piece its initial smooth shape? I am by no means an expert in Native American artifacts (having found but a few) but I'm not sure you can dismiss it completely--context is probably the most important clue in this case. Are there other rocks of this composition and river-tumbled form in the area or is this more of an anomaly? If no other rocks of this type are to be found in the area, then that might seem to indicate that this piece was selected from a nearby river to be used as a pre-made simple tool. If the midden is full of other tumbled river rocks than I'd have to be in the "just another rock" camp.

 

Nice projectile point--wish I could find those in my backyard. All I find are fossils shells and corals (the grass is always greener).

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

[caldigger]

10 hours ago, RJB said:

I found a couple of midden piles when I use to live in Northern California but left them alone cause I thougth it may be ileagle.  I think just about everything in california is illegle?

 

RB

Pretty much!

[Wrangellian]

21 hours ago, digit said:

 (actually the mortar is the "bowl" and the pestle is the blunt club-shaped object used with the mortar to grind things).

 

 

Oops, that's the one I meant! I do know the difference, just like I know the difference between a stalactite and stalagmite, and that there's no such thing as a stalagtite.  

 

I'm with you, I'm not confident that this thing is an artifact, and would like to know how unique it was among the other things found there.

[digit]

1 hour ago, Wrangellian said:

I know the difference between a stalactite and stalagmite, and that there's no such thing as a stalagtite.  

Or you can avoid the confusion and misspellings and call them all speleothems (at least in limestone caves).

 

Would still like to hear if similar rocks to the one in question were found in the area or if this one is notably out of place among the rest of the stony material.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Wrangellian]

4 minutes ago, digit said:

Or you can avoid the confusion and misspellings and call them all speleothems (at least in limestone caves).

Yeah, I can't see anyone misspelling that one... 

 

Actually I hear people say 'stalagtite' more than I read it misspelled, so I don't know if there's any hope.

 

That rock looks better as an artifact in the latter pics than in the first few.. I don't know what to make of it.

[Kingofthekats]

There are no river rocks in the area all the rocks that come out of the ground look like this.

[digit]

Interesting. If this rock type is truly a novelty in the immediate area you might consider investing in a can of turpentine (paint remover) and see if you can't clean up the stain that got slopped over this rock (to make it look a bit more presentable). If you have a local university in the area you might consider contacting them and see if you can find someone in the archaeology department who might be able to give you a more professional opinion on what you may or may not have found.

 

Let us know what you find as it will be informative.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Malone]

On 12/17/2017 at 11:10 AM, Kingofthekats said:

That's a cool shape