I’m leaning toward natural but am posting just to make sure since there is an indentation on several sides.
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Capstone or anvil
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Well, I can tell you that our Massachusetts Archaeological Society’s handbook on New England artifacts includes, in its section on “pounding equipment”, a class of artifact known as a “pitted pounding stone”. As first described by William Fowler: “This type of pounding stone usually occurs in large sizes….It has wide circular pits pecked out on its two opposite faces, and sometimes on both of its sides as well.” Fowler felt they were an implement used in crushing and kneading clay. I have found a couple with 4 pits, two on the faces, two on the sides. I would have to hold yours in hand, and I have only ever seen a few, but would not surprise me if you have something similar.Rhode Island
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Definitely man made. Pitted stones are common in my region. Can I post a Picture like the one you have? KimKnowledge is about how and where to find more Knowledge. Snyder County Pa.
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Yes, I think there is no question the pits on the stone were the result of either use as a hammer, or use as an anvil. I think it would be very much like the far right cuboid example seen in this illustration:
Now, there is a different type of multiple-pitted stone, which does not show battering in the pits, but does show some battering on the ends. This is apparently the type William Fowler described as a “pitted pounding stone” This is my best example. Each of the 4 pits were pecked into the sandstone cobble, but the pits do not show use as a hammer or as an anvil stone. But slight battering on one end. This is the type Fowler thought was used to pound or knead clay, with the pits used as finger grips.
Showing all 4 pits:
So, there are different types of pitted stones. Many of us are familiar with what we often call “pitted hammerstones”. The battering is usually at the ends, and the pits are on the faces of the rock. My example may be a variant of a pitted hammerstone, with 4 pits, and perhaps used as Fowler suggested.
The rock that is the subject of this thread could have been either a pitted hammerstone, or an anvil stone, as seen in the first photo of this comment. Clearly, those pits have been battered into the rock.
It’s a nice find by any name.
Rhode Island
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