Artifact guys

Found this in Archer co.




about halfway up this slope



not too far from this



Pretty sure its granite and only stone like it in the area. Also smoother on one side than the other. Guessing a grind stone? I know a couple spots around in the surrounding area that were indian camps, looked all over and didn't find any flint or other evidence.

That's definitely a cool find! Grinder/pestle

What part of Archer County?

South of Windthorst

Metamorphic rock, probably granite, like you said. That rock was way out of place in Archer county. Sandstone (sedimentary rock) dominates that part of Texas. Probably came from further west along the little Wichita or Brazos watersheds. Like stated above, probably a grinder.

Spent a little time on the web looking at these. Best guess is from the Archaic period? Just kind of assumed it was more recent like Comanche, Kiowa, Kickapoo, etc.

It could easily be. I've got quite a collection of rocks that are very similar, although they came from Post to Dickens area. I use them in the landscape around the house. That one is probably 100 or so miles east of where it should be. Even primitive humans knew the value of a good tool when they saw one. Cool find.

Thanks for the info.

Nice find. There is an old story behind it. Let your imagination run on how got there.

#1 Granite is igneous rock, not metamorphic rock. Permian (much younger rock) is the predominant outcrop of Archer County. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Beds_of_Texas_and_Oklahoma
#2 The nearest granite or metamorphic rock outcrop is in Western Oklahoma or further south in the Llano Uplift (Enchanted Rock area)
#3 My guess is that it is a siliceous inclusion, a natural concentration of quartz/silica minerals
#4 Drop some hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid is diluted HCL). If it fizzes, it has carbonate within, if not, it's quartzite
#5 If it were an Indian grindstone it would have grinding cuts, don't see that. A anthropologist would be the person to refer to.

I am a petroleum geologist with 40 years experience, AAPG & Texas certified

Possible Mano stone but obviously used as a hammer stone also, the ranch is littered with them. All my hammer stones I use for flint knapping have come from the ranch. Good proper weighted hammer stones with the right density are a prize. Course stones were used to work the inside layer of hides to soften them up and remove the membrane.

I'll try to pickup some acid, looks like I can get it at Home Depot. Couple more pics.

Bottom edge


Backside, thinking maybe that big groove is for a finger. I've got pretty big hands, let my daughter hold it and her thumb fits in top, fingers in the groove.



Me holding it like a hammer, ring finger in the groove




How my cousin thought they'd hold it based on the smooth side being in the palm of your hand. He has picked up a lot of stuff over the years, not an expert but has a real nice collection.

This is correct. More of a silica based rock. After looking at some of mine they're almost translucent like glass. I found all of mine below the caprock, in the Brazos tributaries. Quite a way from where you found this.

Found this one today within feet of the one above I found 4 years a go. Yellow imstead of pink

Hammer stone was my very first thought as well.

I find some like that at my site. I concur with the hammerstone folks.

Not hammer stones, but........

Wow that is an Indian Love Stone aka just another Fn rock

Actually it is not just another Fn rock, those are very cool Geodes that looks like a potato, if you split them open the have neat coloration on the inside.
Those are not uncommon out west.

Cut one in half and take a picture of it and share it with us please.

Shutup nay-sayer. These hammer grinders were used by Quanah Parkers paternal great grandmother daily and twice on Sundays.

"thats the 'love to shoot white people tribe'

Found this little dude today same place I found the stones.

Nice! A little crude blade or scraper much like some I find in East Texas. Definitely an artifact!