Found in western Pennsylvania (Mercer County) in 2007. Dr. Mike Gramley states the material is a purple slate from Vermont (long way from home). Not much has been recovered from the site other than 2 tear dropped knives and 2 broken Ashtabulas. Would like to read everyone's thoughts, opinions and suggestions.
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It might something historical. Until you get metal tools, you don't really need fine grained wet stones. Stone celts, stone axes, bone fishhooks, flint knives, etc. wouldn't be sharpened on a wet stone, a sandstone or other slab would work just fine.
It very well could be Native American, just from that window time around the fur trade and French & Indian wars.
Hong Kong, but from Indiana/Florida
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Yeah that is a real interesting find for sure and one that just fuels the quest. It falls under the whatizit category. There are many finds that the exact use is unknown because there has not been anything found with it to verify its use. Its obviously worked by human hands but for what purpose. Really cool find there. I like the responses.The chase is better than the catch...
I'm Frank and I'm from the flatlands of N'Eastern Illinois...
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I don't know what else that could be except for a slate/shale tablet used for sharpening bone implements, aside from fish hooks. What I do find odd is Mike's opinion that the stone originated in Vermont. The Mauch Chunk geologic formation is exposed from central Pa. to Pittsburgh, and into West Virginia. It's noted for having thick strata of reddish gray, and purple, slate and shale. There's quite a bit of that colored slate throughout western Pa. and Ohio. And in some Glacial Kame areas .
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You the lithic material MAN, Paul !
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Thanks, Big L ! I believe Clovisoid was really close. I think it is a whetstone, so named because the old timers spit on it first to make it wet before honing a metal hunting knife. Sharpening stones used for bone awls and tools wouldn't leave behind those kind of parallel cut marks incised into the stone. They're to deep. I think it was a whetstone carried in a pouch as an accessory to simply hone down the blade of a metal hunting knife. After a deer was shot, every two or three swipes with a knife would dull the blade, and it was easy to just take a small whetstone to keep it sharp. The stone was just held in place while the knife edge was honed back and forth within the grooves. From either the time of the first fur trade era, or later, during the muzzleloading days of hunting, late 18th, early 19th century. Possibly not Native related at all.
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I definitely not sure but wanted to show some fish hook sharpening stones. I used to use one just like that it had two groves. This was ment to sharpen treble hooks two hooks at a time. Most of the older hook sharpening stones had groves just like this.N.C. from the mountains to the sea
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