Please Help Identify this Artifact

reply to post by charlyv


I'm noticing that that same general radial pattern shows up consistently in many old cultures. I wonder if it is more because the cultures have a historical connection or if it is from the recognition of common shapes in nature.

Nice relics! From your collection?

some kind of cutting board, the hollow center of the back.bottom might be to keep it from wobbling while the top is use for cutting for preparing food. I don't know the size but it also be a plate to eat off of.
maybe it sits down on to a dugout piece that holds it in place.

I'm not sure what type of rock it is from the images
Here are some Rock Identification Tables to assist in identifying it.

What region of Alberta was this found in?


Of course it could be from somewhere else entirely and transported there. It happens.

Saw this on another unrelated thread here but I forget where - it was late and I was on an iPad. Anyway it reminded me of the gash markings on the 'stone.'

reply to post by ExoPatriotico


It's an anarchist symbol, but I thought those markings were accidental from ploughs scraping them.

violet
reply to post by ExoPatriotico

 

It's an anarchist symbol, but I thought those markings were accidental from ploughs scraping them.

That's what many are presuming - that the gashes were made by furrow blades (plow marks) i.e. - including myself, because it seems to make the most sense. But what if things aren't what they seem?
Anyway - I was merely pointing to the similarity - ya never know where a thought or an image might lead huh?

Nice! Very nice!

I'd send the pic to the folks at the Archaeological Society of Alberta -
www.arkyalberta.com...
and see what they can make of it. There is very little new out there that somebody hasn't already seen, so they'd be a good start.

CraftBuilder
reply to post by charlyv

 

I'm noticing that that same general radial pattern shows up consistently in many old cultures. I wonder if it is more because the cultures have a historical connection or if it is from the recognition of common shapes in nature.

Nice relics! From your collection?

Hi,
Yes, the pattern seems to be the Sun, but I do not know for sure. The radial patterns you mention are found 6, 8 and 12 an may by zodiacal or based on the star of David or even could be Pagan.

Although I have 2 of these in my collection, those shown are from the web, and are real good photographs.

ExoPatriotico

I agree. In "Paint" 'Invert colors' - then a few hits on the 'Auto Correct' function in 'Microsoft Office Picture Manager' brings it out a little more..............

Thanks.

Looks like a Thunderbird glyph to me.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


Upon looking at the pictures, I came to the same conclusion, a possible grinding stone for grain. The raised edge on the "back" suggests that it was a container of some kind. With the kind of work on the bottom to create the relief design that looks similar to a sun would have taken a lot of skill and craftsmanship, which might suggest a possible religious artifact. Maybe something for a ceremony, or it could just belong to a very influential leader of the community. All of this is pure speculation on my part however...

Guesses
1) Tent pole base. So when the ground is a bit soggy place your pole into the center of the rock and stop it from sinking as far into the mud
2) Use the hole in the middle to place or mash some herbs. Any sign of heat being applied? Put rock with herbs on fire or heat for Shaman visions...


All speculation without any means of real knowledge.
Darn it needed the same sun symbol on back side to used as a pizza cutter! LOL
Keep at it. always something to be learned from the past. i'm sure others here will have a much better handle on this,

OP I hate plugging reddit but it helps having more eyes on something like this. I would post it to reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing. If you want I'll do it for you, but not without your permission (seems rude otherwise).

Just go there, create a throwaway account and post the pictures to imgur with a description and facts surrounding the thingamajig.

I've seen a number of things that seemed more obscure figured out rather quickly over there.

reply to post by CraftBuilder


Great Post! I love looking at artifacts and wondering 'What/Why' With the pics you posted I feel that it is a grinding stone and the cuts in the stone is on purpose. Imagine with the lines face up and in the center the deepest linecut is where another tool is used to spin the disk which underneath has a worn away look to it. Implying for me that it was pressed against another hard object but with something soft in the middle.

This artifact could well be part of several which became lost in time. Like a jigsaw need all the pieces to see the picture.

I have been trying to find other references to a grinding stone of this design and honestly cannot find any reference.... So I could be way off

A Plate for axing/chopping animals killed for meat maybe?

just a shot in the dark but they would have to cut through bone so probably wouldn't hold back on hitting it hard with a semi blunt object. especially if the 'Plate' is made of granite which they could have found out through trial and error with other stones!

Who knows!!

Wonderful find, thanks for sharing this.

I really have no clue other than whats already mentioned.

I'm subscribing to this thread with hope that someone will find a definite answer to this find.