Strange artifact

[Pandabean]

Interesting that it turned out to be an inkwell, it does look granitic from the picture so its interesting how they managed to carve that.

I'm no geologist, and didn't think to ask the state archeologist, but it looked like our local igneous rock. We are "the Granite state". (We actually have more Schist than Granite, but who wants to be "the Schist state"?)

Who gives a schist? Sorry just had to sneak that one in being a geologist. But do have to mention that Granite Rocks.

Time to get me hammer and coat me thinks before the schist hits the fan for the bad geology puns.

 

[AussieVic]

I tend to agree with you but here in the Southeast the evidence suggests that the Indian nations had pretty lengthy trade routes even in the pre-Columbian period. It seems that coastal stone for tool and decorative use was prized by the inland peoples. I don't know about the nations in the New Hampshire and Northeast area but I would think they did as well.

I reckon you are right, native people often had very extensive trade routes so it is plausible that an artifact may travel hundreds, even a thousand Km; but why would the natives trade ink wells (if that IS what it is) ? An ink well would seem to be more European.

But (as I said) the 5 holes just doesn't seem right for an ink well - usually you have just one hole, so you can stopper it up and prevent it from drying or spilling; a modern pen holder may have 5 holes to that you can store your pens, but that is not the way a quill and ink work. You need to take the quill out of the ink pot and seal it, you don't store the quill in the ink pot like you would with a pen holder.

 

[AussieVic]

I have a friend who insists he's going to his grave wearing a Sutton Hoo helm, a Roman gladius, a Scottish sgian dubh, a Brown Bess Musket by his side and old fashioned British army hobnail boots on his feet
Gonna be a bit of a bugger sorting that one out, let alone the titanium jaw pins for crowns and the artificial heart valve

Isn't archaeology fun

cheers,
M

You had better add an ink well to that list !

 

[Sparrowhawk]

I reckon you are right, native people often had very extensive trade routes so it is plausible that an artifact may travel hundreds, even a thousand Km; but why would the natives trade ink wells (if that IS what it is) ? An ink well would seem to be more European.

But (as I said) the 5 holes just doesn't seem right for an ink well - usually you have just one hole, so you can stopper it up and prevent it from drying or spilling; a modern pen holder may have 5 holes to that you can store your pens, but that is not the way a quill and ink work. You need to take the quill out of the ink pot and seal it, you don't store the quill in the ink pot like you would with a pen holder.

I agree. It just seems like an odd design for an ink well. I'd love to see some pictures of the porcelain ones mentioned. Maybe then it will seem more plausible.

Josh

 

[Oblio13]

 

[Toddy]

I'm intrigued by those multi holes. Most of the multihole ones are simple stands for the pens, they aren't where one dips the pen in the ink.

The ink container itself is usually capped in some way too, but there is no way to do that with the granite one with it's five holes.

Interesting

cheers,
M

 

[santaman2000]

I reckon you are right, native people often had very extensive trade routes so it is plausible that an artifact may travel hundreds, even a thousand Km; but why would the natives trade ink wells (if that IS what it is) ? An ink well would seem to be more European.

But (as I said) the 5 holes just doesn't seem right for an ink well - usually you have just one hole, so you can stopper it up and prevent it from drying or spilling; a modern pen holder may have 5 holes to that you can store your pens, but that is not the way a quill and ink work. You need to take the quill out of the ink pot and seal it, you don't store the quill in the ink pot like you would with a pen holder.

Yeah I agree. If it is indeed an inkwell it's probably not an inigenous work. Still it's hard to imagine a colonist working that complex one in stone. I'm confused.