Scratches

[tomf]

These stone tools (mostly hammerstones) all display distinct incisions (scratches) that seem to be more than wear damage, in other words, deliberate marking. The marks range from light scratching to deep gouges and are random, but, when looked at in a group, there seems to be a commonality in the way they are made. I haven't read about this tradition in texts and wondered what folks thought about it....

[SurfaceHunter]

No idea but will be reading responses

[Uncle Trav]

If found in my area I would pass them off as plow strikes.

[fldwlkr]

The kiss of the disc. If they were from ancient times you would expect a similar patina as the rest of the stone.

[clovisoid]

Yup, in the midwest I would assume they are plow marks.

[JoshinMO]

Exactly

[Hal Gorges]

Maybe each person’s signature on favorite rock..Don’t take my rock.🙁..Are they marked on one side only.

[Mattern]

NO NO NO. But I do like your imagination Hal.

[Cecilia]

Kim, Hal messes with us. He wants us to learn.

[Hal Gorges]

🤔😊

[LongStride]

abrading stones but something else too I think

[beatup1354]

some look like plow marks but some do look different somehow real hard to tell just looking at photos

[Mattern]

Surface collecting all my life on plowed fields. Just look at a collection of hardstone Artifacts that are water, stream or beach finds. NO Plow Scars.! I rest my case. Kim

[Missouri Breaks]

A few deep metal made lines probably on a few but when I see cris crossing marks that aren’t that deep like on the discoidal, I’m not sure, unless it sustained multiple passes of blades etc. Most of that rock would need a schist or other very hard rock to make the marks, so were they working harder stone with those or making marks on them for some reason? The hammers(just using that term without definite ID) at 7:00, 9:30, 10:50 and 2:00 do have the smaller and more obscure marks though, hmm. Couple pestles there might’ve even been broken by metal tools.

[CMD]

Schist would not be used to incise rocks, because schist is a very friable, crumbly rock…..

[Cecilia]

Very

[Josie]

I have a lot like the ones you are showing. I know some are plow marks but there are other marks just like yours show. Lots of mine have a perfect “X” mark. Lots of them. It’s so hard to decide because my pieces are definitely from a camp but the plow goes in the camp, too. So I’ve never really decided if it’s all plow marks. 🤔

[Ron Kelley]

They look like farm impliment marks and the most telling is the difference in patina.

[Pointblank]

Like other stated above....looks like marks from discs. Were these found in the Vineyards......if so that is the culprit.

[tomf]

If found in my area I would pass them off as plow strikes.

Sorry to drop a thread and disappear. I had a few distractions. But grateful to all that took the time to reply. Seems like the overwhelming consensus is that the scars are result of machine damage. Given the experience and knowledge behind those opinions, I ought to accept them as such and move along.
Truth be known, I was half on board with that diagnosis, even before I made the post.

Still, I can't quite let go of the notion the scars might be intentional and contemporary to use. The reasons are:
These pieces weren't all found in vineyards . Some come from uncultivated midden areas and a couple are field finds from the hills. So, for those examples, there has to be another explanation.
Also many are scarred on both sides, some scars are wiggly, others crossed (Xs).
Also the amount of scars on each item suggests multiple strikes.
Also other non-artifactual stones of similar size and material in the same environment (in cases of vineyard finds), don't exhibit damage at such a high rate, though this observation is based on a very unscientific survey of several representative sites, so I won't oversell it.
Lastly, I don't think patina is necessarily inconsistent with age. Ancient petroglyphs can sometimes look surprisingly fresh.



This is the same arrangement flipped. Quite a few deep scars visible.

I think if you stare at stuff long enough you can start to see patterns that aren't necessarily there so I'll stow my theories in the fantasy file, take the advice, and move on.

Thanks, gang.

[CMD]

In the Southwest, at least, most petroglyphs exhibit high contrast because they were pecked into rocks coated with a dark desert varnish.

[SGT.Digger]

It’s possible for some to be abrading marks. If in a previously plowed area then most will be machine made. To what others have said I’ve found no big scratched stone in the shelter areas only in the fields where I walk

[Cecilia]

I dug up funky stone with oval pattern. Have shared pm some of you. But do have stuff like this, and idk. Think possible some may be special!