Cones? Pestles? Help!

[Ashleynpriest]

Can anyone help with identification? These four stones were found in the same field which has produced several points and scrapers (see pictured). Two of the four are completely balanced and are able to stand on any side. They have what appears to be a metal substance protruding from a couple of them (it's not magnetic but does appear to go all the way through at least one?) and/or drill marks (very small and faint) on two or three of them. The sides of at least two are perfectly smooth and have noticeable streaks.

[Ashleynpriest]

[tomclark]

They do look like abraders or some other tool.....and you found them on a site. I've found many similar on middens.

[DoobieWah]

I know next to nothing, but those look like they would be great pottery smoothing tools.

[Hoss]

It looks like limestone to me, the shape might be natural. If it was used to burnish pottery as dooboewah suggests it would have very smooth sides . Clay vessels had temper in them either shell or sand . One I found in CT actually was made with crushed quartz as a temper. Some of the earliest pottery found in North America actually had steatite in it as temper. I had found a few pieces on a site in CT. In my opinion the grit in the clay would poilsh the rock being used to burnish the clay as it hardened. If they look polished smooth they may actually have been used in pottery manufacture. However before we go there I suggest you tell us what types of points you are finding and may I ask what pottery have you found in the fields.

I do have a paint stone shaped like that but I do not thnk limestone like yours was used as a paint stone.

Limestone is sedmintary and has inclusions in it. That is what you are seeing protruding from the rocks.

[Ashleynpriest]

See the second photo I posted for everything else that has came out of that field. It is the second reply in the thread.

[Hoss]

Thanks for the reminder I did see it but was not sure if they were all from the same spot.

[Hoss]

Today I found this piece of limestone in a field I visited. Notice how similar this looks to what you have.

[Ashleynpriest]

So what do you think they are Hoss ?

[Hoss]

looks like natural limestone to me.