What is this?
Contributors to this thread:New York
From: Jdawg
11-Mar-20
What is this?
What is this?
Found this today in the woods. Sort of half buried in the dirt at the base of a crumbling rotten stump. Appears to be maybe quartzite but quartz usually more “milky”. Doesn’t look manufactured but it appears to have been “worked” all along the outer edges and only about 3/8” thick and thin edged all around. Actually thought it was just a piece of ice at first? I’m perplexed but kinda think someone here might have an idea what it is.
From: Jdawg
11-Mar-20
Another view of edge view
From: Shawlerbrook
12-Mar-20
Could it be hardened sap from a nearby tree ?
From: Jdawg
12-Mar-20
That’s an idea. However it’s as hard as glass, no stickiness or whatever. Just like quartzite rock. It’s got some reddish “inclusions” that appear to have bled into it or where in it when it was formed.
From: Overland
12-Mar-20
That's a beautiful find. Likely a Native American knife or similar tool. The rock may not be local to the area and may have been acquired in trade. Definitely a type of obsidian or quartz. In what part of NY was this found?
From: Al Dente Laptop
12-Mar-20
Sap would've been my first guess, but it nearly a perfect rectangle. Very cool find anyway.
From: Jdawg
12-Mar-20
I found that item in Onondaga County. I’m pretty sure most stone points, blades, scrapers, etc found in this area are Onondaga chert or chert from the Hudson Valley or wherever. It’s definitely not sap. So yeah, if this is an artifact or stone tool, the maker would’ve had to have acquired it through trade. I’ve got a bunch of points from Long Island which are quartz but more milky white. I’m going to have to get this in the hands of someone knowledgeable in archaeology to try and determine if it’s an artifact. If. It then it’s just a “whatizzit.
From: Shawlerbrook
14-Mar-20
Send a picture over to the Geology dept. at SU or SUNY-ESF.
From: Jdawg
16-Mar-20
Thanks....I’ll do that.
From: Squash
17-Mar-20
Looks like the remains of a trophy rock mineral block ?
From: OTC_Bowhunter
20-Mar-20
Himalayan salt rock!
From: UK
25-Mar-20
UK's Link
That's a beautiful find. Likely a Native American knife or similar tool. The rock may not be local to the area and may have been acquired in trade.
From: UPSTATE
30-Mar-20
does it taste salty?
From: pogo
30-Mar-20
From: SaddleReaper
03-Apr-20
I second the "remains of a trophy rock".... lick it and see! :^)
From: Shawn
17-Apr-20
Yup, trophy rock would be my guess too! Shawn
