# Found a Stone Tool



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

Hi again

 I found what appears to be an old stone tool on the bank of the canal literally just outside my house.

 I have no idea what it is but have a sneaking suspicion I have seen it's type before somewhere?

 Any of you guys have any idea?


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 7, 2009)

petrified hip bone from an animal.....no clue


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 7, 2009)

I am thinking either a mortar or a paint pot, if it is a tool.. neat find!


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

> ORIGINAL:  privvydigger
> 
> petrified hip bone from an animal.....no clue


 
  You know the more I have been looking at it, it has occurred to me that it may be a fossil of some kind, but the tiny hole inside the hole looks deliberate. So could it have been a bone tool that has fossilized?



> ORIGINAL:  cyberdigger
> 
> I am thinking either a mortar or a paint pot, if it is a tool.. neat find!


 
 I thought maybe mortar, but the hole is only the size of my thumbnail so it seems it would not be a productive mortar unless of course it was maybe used for medicines so only a small amount of material needed to be crushed.

 If I took this item along to a local museum for info do you think they would feel I was wasting their time? 

 I would love to know what it is.


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 7, 2009)

how big is it?
 whats the dark area on the side of the bowl where it narrows


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 7, 2009)

petrified wood maybe?


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 7, 2009)

never a waste of time if your enjoying what your doing!


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

The item is about 2 inches long and 1-1 1/2 inches wide.

 Here are some more pics:
















 Thank you for the input so far guys.


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 7, 2009)

definately worth looking into
 where was it dug?


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

I never dug it, as such I'm not a digger. I walk dogs for a living and after finding a few bottles from workmen digging up the bank to lay pipes I always keep my eyes open when out now. This was found in the mud (no where near the workmen) on the canal bank about 100 yards from my house.


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 7, 2009)

what state/part of the country?


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

Ah right. I'm from the UK and this was found in London.

 I've been looking around the net all day to ID it and so far you guys have been the most helpful with ideas. So thanks for that.


----------



## capsoda (Aug 7, 2009)

Can you show a picture of the bottom?


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

I'll take a few right now...should take 5minutes.


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

Here is a pic of it turned upside down.







 And this one is the angle I keep looking at it thinking it may have once been bone?


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

I was wondering if the small hole inside could have been for some kind of wick and the tool is some type of fire lighter? Complete guess work on my part mind.


----------



## capsoda (Aug 7, 2009)

It looks like something melted. More around the bombings of WW2. If it is indeed stone then I would say it was a staff cap.


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 7, 2009)

the bottom does not look like a fossil at all.. more like slag..


----------



## MarkL (Aug 7, 2009)

Well that could tie in as this area was heavily bombed during WWII.


----------



## GuntherHess (Aug 7, 2009)

Weird looking item. Doubt it is man made.
 Looks a little like agatized petrafied wood or a formation from a cave.


----------



## Just Dig it (Aug 7, 2009)

it would also display a marble pretty well...


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 8, 2009)

Looks like something Tim, definitely.  Are those the Abenaki's that lived there?  There's another tribe that begins with an M, I think too.


----------



## Richard White (Aug 9, 2009)

My guess is that it is natural.  It appears to be a quartz or chalcedony like material.  Will it scratch a piece of plate glass?

 Rich


----------



## Richard White (Aug 9, 2009)

Tim's one piece is defintely a mortar - or what we'd call here in the sw a metate.  As to the other, without seeing it, I couldn't say.


----------



## eviltwin (Aug 9, 2009)

looks like petrified coral, just my 2 cents


----------



## eviltwin (Aug 9, 2009)

I was replying to MarkL's  artifact  on page 1


----------



## baltbottles (Aug 9, 2009)

It looks like a piece of slag from some kind of mineral smelting furnace.

 Chris


----------



## Clam (Aug 10, 2009)

The picture of the bottom showing the chipped off piece looks absolutely like obsidian (volcanic glass) which was used for all sorts of things in days gone by. The olive greenish tint comes from iron ......


----------

