Bone Artifact

[Mike Price]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I'm in need of your opinion and direction.

I'm a amateur artifact and fossil collector and I live in Freeport Texas. I hunt and dig at the mouths of the Brazos and San Bernard rivers and along the coast.

I've found a fossil and what I think is also a bone artifact with a possible dug out hieroglyph type character with 4 limbs (I think, it kind of looks like a shark). I found this piece on the hightide surf line in Freeport Tx.

I think, it is a ancient bone carving. The bone fragment is only 1-1/4" × 1-1/4" and 1/4" thick. A very clear engraving is approximately 1/8" deep and 1" long. The bone and character both have aged patina.

I've found a lot of other nice stone and bone artifacts and fossils on the Brazos and San Bernard rivers and along the coast over 40 yrs (I'm 56) and I've never found anything like this before and I would like to try and get it authenticated. I'd really like to know about how old this bone and character is.

Can you recommend someone that would be willing to look at this piece?

In the meantime, I'm looking for the rest of the bone story. It might be a pretty good read.....)

I thank you for your time and thoughts.

Mike

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[CMD]

Welcome to our forum, Mike. I'm familiar with the piece, having seen and commented on it elsewhere in the artifact forum universe. As I believe I noted at the time, it does resemble stick figures sometimes encountered in Native American petroglyphs. One avenue is to research Native American rock art from that region of Texas, to see if there are in fact similar stick figure designs known from that region. It would be interesting to deduce if it were carved when the bone was fresh, or if it were carved after fossilization.

Hieroglyphs are usually associated with ancient Egyptian culture, and hence would not apply here. If you dug it up in clear association with artifacts that could be at least relatively dated to an era in Texas prehistory, you could at least speculate that there might be an association.

It might be possible to determine if carved anciently, assuming it is a carving, or it might not be possible. I'm no authority regarding that possible avenue of inquiry. But it does resemble stick figures that are not uncommon in Native American rock art. One of my friends and associates is an authority in Native American rock art here in the Northeast woodlands, but that's a long way from Texas.

It's interesting. If finding on the high tide surf line indicates that it is a surface find, then it will be tough to put an age on it. There are rock art associations in the United States. Google should find you some. I would contact such if possible, to see if those experienced folks have seen anything similar by way of the design itself. And you may be able to do searches yourself among the known rock art sites in Texas to see if you can find similar images.

Welcome, and feel freee to post any artifacts you have found otherwise.

[pkfrey]

Is the piece of bone fossilzied, mineralized, or more recent, as in maybe 500 - 1000 years old. The piece looks to be manually cut out to that shape. I don't think it would be broken in that consistent shape. Can you tell if the edges have been polished by hand? vs. natural water polished? It looks like a " portable " petroglyph, like similar examples I've seen in Pa. and else where in the northeast. Just from the photo, I would venture an educated guess it's a stylized human figure. But would have to see it in person to analyze the cut marks for age and how the marks were made.

[Scorpion68]

That's an intriguing find Mike. I'll be watching this post to see how it turns out.

[Mike Price]

Thanks y'all.

I live on the upper Texas coast in what was once considered Karankawa Indian territory. There has also been other artifacts found in this area that belonged to the Poverty Point Culture in Louisiana.

After looking at the character in 4 different orientations, the (head left) seems to be the best orientation because the limbs/fins are longer and seem to better represent a fish or shark. There aren't any other real visible marks on the bone that can be seen with a magnifying glass.

Regarding the length and condition. The bone is very smooth and polished with patina. The straightest end of the bone with the characters tail seems to be original end of the bone. The opposite jagged end of the bone, the head end of the character, is where the rest of the bone appears to have broke off. This small bone weighs 0.3 ozs or 8g...

I've searched thru a lot of petroglyphs, cave paintings and other bone art in the past several days and I've not found much of anything fish/shark or water/sea related. I think, that is what makes this small bone fragment a little more unique being found in Karankawa coastal territory. But, that is only a amateurs best guesses or perspective.

I will post a few more orientations of the character.

And yes, a few others that has seen it in on a couple of other forums has said it appears to be a real artifact. Others have suggested and even implied, it's a fake or I made it. I really don't like my honor or integrity questioned in that way. And for them reasons, I would very much like to try to at the least get this piece authenticated.

I contacted a very reputable Texas artifacts authenticator that has authenticated some of my arrowheads, and he's not able to authenticate this bone.

I tried contact TAS and they hadn't bothered to reply.

So where do I find someone that could look at this bone and authenticate a possible artifact like this? There's got to be someone that can.

Thanks again everyone......

Mike

[pkfrey]

If you would like, I could look at this piece for you. I authenticate artifacts, but not for income. I do it for the satisfaction of the owner being comfortable with their artifacts, and to insure authenticity. I charge return postage, that's all. But it wouldn't take long under magnification to tell if this piece of bone is naturally broken in this shape, been cut around the edges and manually or naturally polished, and how the figure was incised into the bone. Flint cut marks and scratches are very different than modern made incisings. Even the depth of each scratch line should be different from the one next to it. And the surface inside the incising should show the same patination that the outside surface shows. With the exception of, if the incising is deep enough, sometimes they will be filled with dirt and will retard the degree of patination. The piece, being bone, should be very light ( in weight ). This is due to the substances inside each of the cavities ( capillaries )being eroded out, leaving behind hollow chambers ( looking at it on end around the edges ) which at one time were capillaries for blood to flow through. I don't think it's a fish, or was supposed to be. I think it's a full, stylized human figure. As far as age, it would of had to be found in context with other artifacts of known age. Without that, it would only be an educated guess as to the age. The only problem I wold honestly foresee here is, you said you didn't make it, and because you found it, it should be authentic. But, there are exceptions to every rule. Did someone else make it. and plant it for you to find? Under any circumstance, would you believe it if you received an honest evaluation that it's not old, and someone made that using sharp tools other than ancient incising made with a flint knife or flake?

[Mike Price]

Thank you, Paul....

I have no doubt that this is a genuine artifact. And, for posterity and for possible sale or trade reasons later, I think it should to be authenticated.

I've have also carved and grinded some Texas Jasper rock into effigy beads using only some of the same chert knives, sandstone, bone and leather tools that paleo would have used so long ago. I don't see it being very difficult to evenly gouge out a character in a weathered soft bone, if it was a soft bone at that time. I do know, it would be an incredible challenge to smoothly gouge out any character in a fossilized bone. With that said, I think this character was gouged out vs being carved or scratched into the bone.

And, I would also gladly pay you something for your time, effort and experience, Paul.

Thank you,
Mike

Ps, it's the Riverfest here this weekend and they're keeping me busy. So I will reply as I am able. Thanks again everyone.

[pkfrey]

Something to consider is, is the bone actually fossilized? And the carving doesn't necessarily have to be the same age of the bone, even if it isn't fossilized. This could have been an old piece of bone over 5000 years old, that someone picked up 400 years ago, and incised, or gouged, a figure in it. But what your doing is what creates problems. You found it, and you know it's authentic, so why pass it around for opinions. You will find the guy who say's it's fake, you made it, someone else made it, and that all puts suspicion in your mind. You don't need adverse opinions, keep it and enjoy it!

[CMD]

I agree with Paul. By "stick figure", I do mean a stylized human. I did not realize some have accused you of making it. You're right, there's no reason to put up with that. Good luck in your efforts, and I know I sure would enjoy finding and owning it. I have a real soft spot for portable petroglyphs.

[Mike Price]

Thanks again y'all. I'm going to try and add just a little context, maybe or maybe not....

When I was 16yr old, I found a porcelain (stag horn base) fossil on the Brazos river. I was told by the old timer and close friend of the family that owned the land, the fossil might possibly have been used to make arrowheads, because he had found arrowheads and old bones in the same area. He told me I could keep it. That was the coolest thing. That find, started a boy on a life long quest, some say an obsession, to find fossils & artifacts everywhere I've ever went in America and in every oil patch around the world. (my wife and daughters hate me....).....

The stag base has faint cut/score marks where both of the tines was removed. It has wear marks or scuff stains on both sides of the small tine stub. The stag horn tool didnt fit my hand back then. But it fits a man's hand just fine.

As the years passed, I eventually found other fossilized bones and fragments, bone and stone tools, cores, flakes, arrowheads, burnt rock, burnt bone, clay pottery fragments, game pieces, gems and a bucket full of rough gold and pink Texas Jasper rock around what I believe to be a old 10-20 acre hearth site on high ground on the Brazos river. The family has owned that land since the middle 1800s.

Top soil erosion is what exposed a lot of small finds over the larger area that lead to bigger finds. The big butchered bones, teeth and stone choppers was found the furthest away from the hearth area where the bone, rock fragments and stone and bone tools were found.

This example of bone and wood tools are possibly a knapping tool, pendant, sabre tooth bone awl. The razor thin bone awl was sharpened on both sides and looks like it might have had a handle at one time, a large broken carved wooden handle with pine pitch or asphaltum stains, a bone shaft tool and a broken antler/wooden spoon. Again, all of the wood and bone tools fit a man's hand just fine.

I also found little geofacts. A small gray well worn geode rattle (it is a very light 1.09ozs or 54g) possible baby's rattle or shaman prop? A perfectly split in half (like a jeweler cut it) brown chert geode with lots of crystals and an assortment of small nuggets of light purple Texas topaz and other quartz and gem stones. I also found what looks like a small hand ground pink jasper snake head effigy. I found what might be more carved gold and pink jasper effigies or tools or ceremonial pieces around the hearth area. And other odd bone and stone pieces, I'm not sure about.

This bleached white end of the bison bone was exposed. It has heavy butcher marks. And if you look closely, you can see what looks to be small scavengers little scratches and little teeth marks on the bone. The small pink stain is from a wild mulberry tree close by.

The old timers have all passed on that allowed me to treasure hunt (light digging) for a lot of years. Today, the family dont want me digging out there anymore. I hadn't been back to that site in about 8yrs other than to visit and fish. I continue to work the Brazos river high clay banks and sand bars for treasure.

Because I'm a bone and stone hoarder.

These artifacts and geofacts don't have any provable relationship with the small bone with a stick figure I found in the surf line. But, I know they are akin to each other. It's a Texas thing.....

Does anyone know what type these two arrowheads are? They represent the majority of what I found on that site. Some have called them "undesirables" and old paleos.

I call them some of my favorites points.

Thanks again.....

[Mike Price]

[Mike Price]

It is a fossilized bone. It's has the very familiar and distinctive glass sound and sticky touch.

And for the record. I'm a digger and avid collector. I've never bought, sold or traded a fossil. I've only bought 2 artifacts and they had COAs. I've only sold 2 arrowheads and they had COAs. And 10yrs ago or so, I allowed myself to be taken advantage of by a Texas artifacts dealer when I sold him two arrowheads (a Scottsbluff and Calf Creek). I'm not so naive now.

I want to leave my extensive collection of artifacts and fossils to my g-son. That is why it is important to me to leave him a detailed journal and COAs on what would be considered the most questionable and valuable artifacts. And as you know, having a reputable COA for any artifact helps to keep the unnecessary quack down for generations to come.

If your still willing to try and authenticate this small bone, Paul, I will send it. Otherwise.... I sincerely thank you for your time and knowledge, Sir.

Mike

[pkfrey]

Mike, I would be more than happy to examine your piece. I'll send you a PM with my address and contact info.

[CMD]

Looking at the top right area of this petroglyph panel from New Jersey, found on a beach on the Delaware River, a couple miles south of Dingman's Ferry, Pa., one sees what is a 4 legged animal. Just to the left of that image is a stylized human figure very similar to the image on this bone. The panel also displays many other minimalist styalized human figures....

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/c...troglyphs.html

[CMD]

The cover of Ed Lenik's first of many books dealing with rock art in the Northeast Woodlands, showing painted pictographs of styalized figures on a ledge in Maine. My own work and photos at the Mark Rock petroglyph site in Rhode Island were included in this work.

[SDhunter]

Nice artifact. It will be interesting to see what Paul thinks when he sees it.