Featured Dug this stone tool(?) up in our backyard

Hi there,

I dug this up about a decade ago in our backyard in Connecticut while working on a new fire pit. Seems to clearly be some kind of granite tool.

Through my intermittent research over the years I have never been able to find something online that looks remotely like this. It fits perfectly in the palm of a hand. I thought it might also be an old axe head, but the hand fits too well.

Appreciate any ideas or leads or thoughts on age!

Cheers,
Jack

 

Or perhaps more of a pestle? Will be interested to see other comments.

 

Natural erosion

 

Interesting object, but it does not look like any stone tool that I have handled. You might try showing it to a geologist if there is one at a nearby college or university. They might be able to identify the composition of the stone, which could be a helpful clue.

 

maybe part of a garden statue ...or fountain....

 

Are you sure it's stone and not corroded metal?
Could it be part of a plow?

 

I am betting against stone tool. We find stone tools and points all over the farms here in Missouri. I have probably 100 pieces found on my farm over the years. There are two kinds that we find -smooth basalt or Knapped (chipped) Burlington Chert. Test your piece with a magnet.

 

It does vaguely resemble a NA grooved axe, but I cannot see how a ground axe could degrade into that particular shape. Stone axes were typically made of very hard, fine grained stone. They might chip or break, but not be eroded like your object.


https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/grooved-axes.htm

https://stonetoolsmuseum.com/artefact/north-america/stone-axe-10/1795/

I agree with the recommendations to test it with a magnet to see if it is, in fact, iron.

If it is indeed stone, it looks more like a natural, irregular concretion or conglomerate.

 

Appreciate all the responses, thanks everyone.

I’m open to the possibility that it’s natural… but just fits and shapes so well to the hand. I’ve seen the axe head photos and also considered that as a possibility, but agree it doesn’t look too similar and is much rougher. I am certain that it is granite, and I did do the honor of testing it with a magnet just in case… it’s not metal.

It was dug up close to a huge swamp maple tree in the yard, found about 1-2 feet under the surface.

posting some additional, higher res photos…

 

There's no question about ferrous metal...that thing is stone of some variety. I, too, look eagerly toward some solid ID of purpose or use. That's a real interesting find...Thanks!

 

it many fit your palm, but the 45 degree slant....speaks to me of architecture ..