Question on Battered Stone

[Arrow1674]

Found on a friends property-small native site at one point. Looks like a pecking or hammer stone.-is it? The hairline cracks are interesting. Is it a hammer or pecking stone? Within 100 feet, were 6 points and a ton of flakes and debitage. It was the only large stone like that around.
Also, not evident in the picture is the fact that the sides are smooth and have what appears to be a slight polish to them.

Also-any idea what type of stone this is based in the picture? Would series blows to the stone cause these types of fractures?

Thanks

[Bmillby]

It probably is a tool of some sort. Hammer stone, nutting stone. Sometimes they end up in the fire pit and crack. I have a ton of rocks that look just like that from native sites.

[chase]

That is a tough question to answer. What part of the country was it found? do not need specifics just side what state?
Hardstone artifact/natural rock of such a nature you are showing is hard to tell by a pic. As far as type of stone it does have a sandstone look but really I cant tell from your pic's.
Sorry can't be of much help.

[Arrow1674]

Follow up question-here are some side images-I wanted to get your thoughts on whether this is what they call polish. It is very smooth-and reflects light a bit. The front and back are dull and rough. It is on both sides-but more on one then the other. If so-what causes that?
I have seen pictures similar to these that are mano's-what do you think?

[chase]

Hammer stones and Manos are pretty much the same in my part of the country. They do break and they were also cleaved for choppers. they used them for abraiders as well. It depends on what part of the country. Some are naturally round or oval from either river cobble or glacial drift and can get polish, They also can be broken thru tumbling in a creek or river. Others will show polish from use or manufacturing. It is really hard to show the difference in a pic. But here are some examples of artifacts.

[SDhunter]

To me, that rock just looks broken.