What came first

[SurfaceHunter]

So I found a nice chunk of slate over the summer. And today I noticed a start of a drill hole on it. It’s just got the right shape but doesn’t show and polish other than water maybe it’s a preform idk but the hole isn’t natural. I was wondering in your opinion did the hole come first or was it added after it was shaped and polished? I’ve yet to find a complete. Thanks for your knowledge

[Hal Gorges]

Don’t know much about drilling but I noticed a similar area, top right, not as defined..Don’t know if that means anything or not..cool find...I don’t got no slate, well maybe a 1900’s roof tile from fort Desoto at the mouth of Tampa bay

[tomf]

Good question. I wonder if anybody knows? Seems to me, if flaking or chipping was needed to rough out the basic shape before grinding, then holes would come last.
I think percussive action could accidently break the rock ending the project. Once you are at the grinding stage, it's less risky. Drilling with sand and straw probably doesn't risk breaking the rock. Though there is less to drill through if grinding and polish is already done.

[antmike915]

Interesting for sure, cool material. I don't know much about drilling either but could've be the start of something or a platform that a drill or a Reed was used, maybe to start a fire. First impression guessing 🙂

[Ron Kelley]

I think it's natural.

[SurfaceHunter]

The rock or the hole?

[Stansbery]

I don't see anything other than a natural shaped stone. Np apparent chipping on edges to shape it and the hole isn't defined enough to indicate reed or drill point. But then things can always look different when held in hand.

[SurfaceHunter]

It was a creek find I’ve found plenty of the type but none that display a round hole before. Looks like it was started but just in case it is natural I’d like to know the answer to the question anyway. Which came first

[Hoss]

Slate has a very fine grain to it. this looks more like shale to me Glenn. the grain of the stone is not fine enough to be classified as slate in my honest opinion. as far as the divot goes if it was drilled you would see striations in the inner perimeter of the hole.

[SurfaceHunter]

Could be shale I always figured it was slate never even considered it to be shale never even knew the difference

[paohrocks]

For what it's worth...my buddy and I hunt a site we call the slate field, we have pulled dozens of pieces of slate off the site and all are in some form of manufacture, most of which show some type of edge percussion flaking but not yet drilled. Personally I think drilling was the last stage of the process, I also agree with Hoss regarding the material.

[SurfaceHunter]

Well I had no idea it was Shale that explains a lot if isn’t a solid rock and splinters cause they wouldn’t of used it

[Lone Star]

I would think drilling is the very last thing to do. They always drilled a pipe last, so why not a larger piece as well?

[SurfaceHunter]

Never knew that about a pipe. Hoss said it’s shale and probably natural. I didn’t even know we had shale

[Uncle Trav]

Good topic. In my line of work we always drill first on pieces that with be worked down to smaller pieces. Easier to control the drilling and the item being drilled when in a larger state. But then again I’m not working with the same materials and tools as ancient people