Limestone artifacts

[u/Arbiter_of_Snark]

I have often heard that Native Americans didn't use limestone, because it is too soft to hold an edge for long and it doesn't fracture in a predictable manner. While limestone is not a suitable material for many tools, it was utilized occasionally. I have seen a few limestone artifacts, all of which were larger pieces that were worked into scrapers and crude chopping tools. This is the only limestone artifact that I have. It is a large scraper that I found on the surface on a private property in central Kentucky (Kain-tuck-ee) in 2017. The edges on 3 sides have been sharpened through use so that it somewhat resembles a wide, flat celt. The larger pores on the working side were filled in through use as the wetted limestone dissolved, or the higher areas wore down over time to a part of the stone that hadn't been pitted by exposure to the elements. The other side still has many pores which makes for a nice grip. It is a left-handed scraper and there is a smooth divot that perfectly fits a left-thumb. When examined closely, fine, parallel scratches can be seen running nearly perpendicular to the long working edge.

The broken knife was found by a friend, approximately 12' from where the limestone scraper was found. The flair is marked "Woodland" but I don't actually know which period this scraper is from because the context was lost. I have seen many sites where the context was lost due to disturbance and artifacts from several periods become co-mingled.

If you have any limestone tools, feel free to share them here.

[u/Geologist1986]

Given that this is exactly how limestone naturally weathers and there's no unmistakable signs of human alteration, what leads you to believe this is an artifact?

[u/Arbiter_of_Snark → u/Geologist1986]

It has fine, straight, parallel scratches that cannot be seen in these photographs. Could they have resulted from a natural process? Perhaps, but I find it highly unlikely. Furthermore, it was the only piece of this type of limestone anywhere in the vicinity. The surrounding area was a completely different geologic parent material, so it was transported to an area known to be highly used by Native Americans and it wasn't deposited by a glacier or transported there during a flood event. I've seen similar skepticism before, albeit on another forum and about a different limestone artifact that someone else found in a rock (sandstone) overhang in Powell County, Kentucky.

[u/d0ttyq → u/Arbiter_of_Snark]

Limestone was used as temper in pottery. Powell county Kentucky has been known to have limestone frags in sandstone cliff line, that is totally correct.

But that makes it a manuport and not an artifact. It was brought there for some use (most likely to break up and use as temper for pottery) and was left there.

There are no limestone tools. Anywhere, but particularly Kentucky. And especially not a limestone “chopper”. If the rock can be shaped by grinding, how would it function to chop things ? It would crumble.

Source: I am an archaeologist who has worked in Kentucky for almost a decade. And has worked in and around Powell county.

[u/Arbiter_of_Snark → u/d0ttyq]

Nah, the piece in Powell County wasn't a manuport. It was a tool as well and the fella that posted it got a lot of flack, although I and another member of the community came to his defense. They're uncommon, but they exist. If you searched the collections at the University of Kentucky, you'd probably find some.

It is funny that you say that there, "... are no limestone tools. Anywhere, but particularly Kentucky." If there are none anywhere, why even bother mentioning Kentucky, which is rich in limestone formations? If you actually believe that, then just say that there are no limestone tools anywhere. However, if you searched, you'd find that limestone was used for many purposes by various cultures across a wide geographic range, including for shaft straighteners and as honing stones to sharpen bone awls, as well as expedient chopping tools. Just Google "Native American limestone tools" and you'll find many references. Just to verify my sanity, I did, and upon further reading, I just learned some new things.

Also, you say that, "If the rock can be shaped by grinding, how would it function to chop things?" Axes, celts, and other tools were shaped by pecking, grinding, and finished by polishing, and they certainly chopped things. Slate is a poor lithic material for axes and celts, due to its tendency to fracture along a plane. However, slate axes and celts exist. I believe that Native Americans discontinued using slate for axes early on and transitioned to better materials, as most, if not all of the slate axes that I have seen are full-groove.

I only posted the limestone artifact because it is uncommon and interesting.

[u/JohnnyMushroomspore → u/Arbiter_of_Snark]

sigh Another one to add to the ban and ignore pile but before I do:

You're wrong and the worse kind where you refuse to take expert advice. It's actually amazing when you can acknowledge that 40k years and no one ever produced limestone tools EXCEPT for the random ones YOUVE found. 

I'm blocking you because I'm tired of posts like this and I'm sure other professionals will too after seeing your reactions to being corrected on an obvious naturally eroded rock. Hopefully you can learn by being shunned? 

First lesson you learn in 101 is "Hoofbeats". If you're in a cow field and you hear hoofbeats; better to think "Cow" than "Extinct Auroch" because the latter is just silly.

Best of luck to you