Stone Age People Made Millions of These. Why?

[@personalperson1743]

Those half rounded holes were for making Marbles. Native Americans played many types of games and they played Marbles of different sizes. They weren't nutting stones, or for starting fires. The reason it was always made in sand stone was to grind the stone down to make it round. Cherokee people have been making marbles for many years and still make them that way today. There is a site on KZbin called Cherokee Traditions:.. Making Marbles and there you will see exactly what the stones with half spheres are.

[@cleggsadventures]

Yeah, I watched that video as well. Don’t think it’s the same

[@karlbarros2849]

In the southwest there are similar holes called cupuals used in "coming of age" ceremonies. The holes are smaller than your examples but the same random pattern. Could be something ceremonial that our or your speculation could not likely understand the symbolism. Happy hunting, consider bringing less stuff home. Much of archeological evidence comes from it's context in situ.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@karlbarros2849 All this is already eroded from the bank.

[@ryandanley7931]

I was thinking along the same lines. For shaping game balls.

[@KeepingWatch95]

Just looked at a video as you suggested (Cherokee Traditions Making Marbles) Looks like the Indians know what these holes were used for which were passsed down through their traditions.

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

Mortars for grinding grain or acorns. There was also a pestle. The depressions are round because they rotated the pestle. They are all over, because they used them wherever they were. gathering nuts. You have to grind acorns to flour in order to leach out the tannic acid.

[@booniebuster4193]

This is the correct answer!

[@-the1b4u-]

Yes and they used a method for removing the crushed shell while mixing with water

[@RobertGotschall-y2f]

The Piute of Nevada ground mesquite beans with these things. Some are up to a liter in size, mostly in sandstone. In the summer, they collect pine nuts in the mountains.

[@snowmiaow]

Please get one or buy something similar and demonstrate.

[@snowmiaow]

Please explain your method of leaching tannin from acorn flour because every method I read so far calls for soaking the whole acorn in a stream or something.

[@grim7747]

maybe they were used for grinding hematite and mixing paint. The holes acted as little paint cups.

[@cleggsadventures]

This is a popular theory

[@comfortablynumb9342]

I would expect some to have a bit of the paint left over.

[@brandonerickson3935]

@@comfortablynumb9342for 600 years? Lol

[@comfortablynumb9342]

@@brandonerickson3935 there's still paint on stones from the pyramids.

[@brucedawson6991]

@@brandonerickson3935. Yes, even for 6,000 years.

[@jimajello1028]

I am a reconstructive lithic Technologist. When researching pecked & ground tools I found that grinding Garnet, jasper and sand with a lot of quartzes in it to a powder served a important purpose. Holes used with a pestle to grind these salacious stones into dust can be applied to polish the bit ends of a chopping tool making it much harder. The molecular structure is pulled forward forming a welded bond at the bit. The process continues by impregnating dampened leather with the dust and continued rubbing. The bit end is now harder & will cut more effectively. Charcoal could be applied to bit ends performing like a lubricant. Certain research suggests that Egyptians polished their statues using a fine hard dust.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve not heard this theory before

[@lelandshanks3590]

@jimajello1028 do you work with archeologist, or museums?

[@preppintrucker]

@@jimajello1028 me too. They called me a flintknapper. 15 year professional. Bipolar reduction. I enjoyed using that technique. Great for quartz pebbles.

[@phillockwood8414]

@@jimajello1028 very interesting, I think that makes sense. I have wondered about the polishing of stones and this seems plausible.

[@jimajello1028]

@@lelandshanks3590 Leland, I teach and demonstrate stone tool making using organic materials. I have worked with archeologist researching Native American lifeways with the use of lithic & other organic materials. Currently replication and research on a dug out and burned canoe followed with publications on the project. Tks for asking.

[@TheSIeepyhouse]

I have about 50 of these stones myself. The use of them is multipurpose. Around here (Ohio) there were hickory and white oak trees everyplace. So I have no doubt some were used for cracking nuts. If they were used as Flint napping tools or anvils, I would have found micro flint blades or debitage in the area, but its never present. The smaller ones, about the size of your hand or fist were used as a bow drill cap. Making it easier to stabilize the spindle when using a bow drill. The pitted stones here have two different size holes in them like the ones you have. There are black walnut trees here also, and I noticed about 20 yrs ago that some pitted stones have pits large like walnuts and other have small pits like acorns. I.M.O...Most were used in the processing of nuts and grains. (05:49) This stone I'm pretty sure is a stone billet. Most likely it was wrapped in sinew or treated hide to protect it from chipping or breaks, this is the reason for the impact marks on the end that you point out. You only have part of what it used to be. I have a couple, but mine are made of sugar quartz. I have a video on my channel about a stone billet that has writing on it if you're interested. Also I wanted to add that most of the pitted stones that are found here are made of very hard stone like pink granite. I also have a short video of me finding one near a pond that is dried up now but I still find artifacts around it. I.M.O.... Anvil stone just means a rock to pound things on or against. If you use one for working flint, you would use it to stop the billets strike to insure more precision. I have a couple with firing that has turned them red. My explanation for this that some were used to heat fat in a cup for the production of arrows and spears. Using the fat on the arrow bindings to water proof the wood before heat treating the shafts with fire (Grease Cups). Those are my thoughts on this topic. I been hunting artifacts for 50 yrs, and I used to wonder the same thing about the pitted stones. Just dont overthink it. The answer is most often the most obvious.

[@velvetbees]

I think the little ones with the oblong stones were small because they were portable. You could take them on a trip.

[@Seawolfaka]

As well as anchor stones for a tripod boiling pot.

[@snowmiaow]

I like the fat melting idea

[@johnnybeaujean]

Thank you!

[@Para_Ninja]

For me the key to this is the stone with multiple holes on the same surface. The one in this guys video they all seem about the same size. This makes me lean more towards body paint grinding as you might want multiple colors not mixed up at the same time. Seems strange to start a new perfectly good nut cracking hole unless perhaps it got too deep? This doesn't explain the rocks with a hole on each opposing side though. I also have to say id probably just crack nuts on any flat surface as it gets rid of much of the shell easier than having it all enclosed in a half ball. Its a great mystery, thanks for your comment.

[@kennethhanshansenjr.7019]

Ancient people painted their faces, bodies, rock surfaces, cave walls, etc with different pigments. The multitude of holes held different colors. Today we get tatoo's and deface flat surfaces with different colors of grafiti.

[@scottmoldenhauer8908]

speculation....always good

[@johnnybeaujean]

There would be some paint left in some of them I would think.

[@Para_Ninja]

This could be a good explanation for why that one rock had multiple functional holes.. ie different colors. The nut theory or marbles dont explain that one.

[@legacyXplore]

The shear number of them makes a person think it’s likely part of something they needed all the time. Meaning it wasn’t a once a year or month type activity but likely daily or weekly. It’s like one of those was an essential thing to have for a camp or group. Fascinating really!

[@cleggsadventures]

Yes, I feel the same. Had to be a pretty common task to be so many

[@networkedperson]

@@cleggsadventures please how can I get in touch with you to share info?

[@lelandshanks3590]

My papa said they found 8 of them around the base of one black walnut tree, but hey Scott I agree they had multiple uses.

[@cleggsadventures]

I think so too, too many different styles to be one thing

[@mannurse7421]

They probably grind out the hole to keep the walnut still

[@Pixieshade]

@@mannurse7421 would save smashing little fingers. I imagine the young ones helped crack nuts. Everyone helped in someway, even children.

[@diggingnashvegas]

I've found a few, could never figure it out, except that they were at village sites

[@cowtownokla]

I read a scientific report regarding six nutting stones from East Texas that were examined for trace plant materials. In a "nut-shell" the report found that there were various microscopic plant remnants in the stone, however none were found of known edible varieties.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve not read this before.

[@redrockplumber5124]

I tend to agree they're used to process the acorns. cracking open, then crushing them into a powder before cooking the tannins out.

[@OnTheRiver66]

I would love to know what kind of non edible plant fibers were found in the holes.

[@grantplowdrey9134]

Tobacco grinding? Herbal medicine grinding? Game board of some sort? I always thought they were used with a pestle to grind up something for eating.

[@cleggsadventures]

Possible

[@droidv1]

​@@cleggsadventuressounds much more possible than those other theorys lol

[@cleggsadventures]

@@droidv1 there’s been some wild ones

[@jimmylowe1233]

Yes,corn grinder and acorn grinding.

[@johngaltman]

I live in Southern Arizona and have found dozens of these several of these in granite boulders that are within walking distance of my house. An archaeologist that I know looked at some pictures that I had taken, and he agreed that they were made by the primitive people, but he couldn't tell me what he thinks they were used for. The ones we have here are much bigger around and deeper, so being in the desert I thought they may be for collecting rain water, because during the monsoons here they fill up to the top. But that idea wouldn't work with your little stones and how small the holes are.

[@janetdevon]

Ancient people used different substances as decoration during rituals. I guess you would call it warpaint. Ochres and chalks would need need to be ground and mix with a fat or fluid to make paints, for decorating themselves, and for paintings.

[@brucedawson6991]

For those with multiple holes, it was likely the removed material itself that was needed for another purpose. It might have been a practical way to get uniform, pure material for pottery temper, paint pigment, or grinding sand. Once a hole reached a certain size removal became too difficult so they would start a new hole. For small stones they would just turn the stone over, thus a hole on both sides. They would peck the stone and then grind the fragments in the hole, thus the evidence of pecking marks. The hole would keep the removed material together. Stones with a single hole might not fall into this use classification.

[@cleggsadventures]

Popular theory as well

[@kingharry3260]

I think they are marker stones used to communicate something, like a stone age street sign. It was the only method of making a permanent and hard to alter mark.

[@ralphwatten2426]

They were new to making beer glasses so the bottoms were rounded. They needed some way to hold their beers. These were smaller so they were used for Pilsners.

[@Diogenes425]

Yet killin me!😂🤣😂🤣

[@ralphwatten2426]

@@Diogenes425 You'll be fine-

[@mikavirpiranta7552]

Grinding a useless half-sphere into a stone was a standardized religious or legal penance task, after a sin or a crime was atoned. Smaller cup for smaller transgression, bigger for bigger, and multiple for multiple.

[@WALLYnWV-ur7bd]

This is what I was told as a kid. They were used to make marbles or beads. They would find a small stream or run and dam it up with rocks and mud. Then they would get a shaft of wood or cane that they could hollow out and make a pipe of sorts. Then they would situate the pipe into and through the dam so water would run through it. They would then place the nutting stone a foot or two under the trickle of water so that the water went right into the hole in the stone. They would get a small stone that was already roundish and place it into the hole where the water was trickling and the water would tumble the small rock and over time make it round like a marble or bead.

[@cleggsadventures]

Seems complicated.

[@PorchHonkey]

You can set them in your sink and then place a marble or roundish rock slightly smaller than the dimple in your "Nutting stone" then turn your spigot on and center the Nutting stone under the stream of water. It would eventually make a pretty close to perfectly round stone/marble. But how long would it take? That's a good question. ​@@cleggsadventures

[@higgs923]

@@cleggsadventures My modest understanding of archaeology suggests that hunter-gatherer societies had far more free time than their successors. Folks who had the skill to make useful tools from flint or Obsidian - not to mention the skill to drill holes in stone and shell beads - would be able to do this.

[@flipflopski2951]

They would be polished inside if that were the case and they're not.

[@mattmatt6572]

Yeah deffinatly the inside the hole would show evidence great thought though it made me think. Maybe they even did this some times

[@joecarte7538]

Found several nutting stones in a walnut grove on top of a mountain in West Virginia. Also found Hammer stones nearby. The fact that they were in a walnut grove points to using them as a nutcracker.

[@breechaudoin8465]

I’m sure they served many purposes, but I always wondered if they were used as animal fat lamps. The smaller ones could’ve been portable; the larger ones with more holes might’ve been a pathway marker or used somewhere they needed more light. It drives me mad wondering. I’m sure all the elders are looking down on us and just laughing at our ignorance. 🤣

[@cleggsadventures]

Yeah, I bet it’s something so simple

[@aaronbentley1879]

You should do an experi.ent with that animal fat lamp idea....light would be something invaluable at the time and a lamp makes things so much easier

[@jackd.ripper7613]

They would have found animal fat residue in at least some of these. They have not.

[@jamesruttan1958]

I wondered if they could be lamps as well

[@derekgreenacre9530]

I live in Northumberland UK and we have many such neolithic cupped stones here. These cup marks show pecked construction marks but often here the cup marks have a channel leading from them. These cup marks are often just left as an isolated design but more often they have pecked concentric circles around them. Crucially sometimes the designs are on vertical surfaces suggesting they are rock art or tribal boundary markers.

[@jimmyz2098]

Great channel! Man I love the content on this channel. Scott - I have zero idea. LOL But if I was throwing random guesses out there.... What about tent pole bases. For lean-toos / teepee type structures or what not? Even the multiple holes... could move your pole around until you got it right. ?? Or how about the sides of a cooking pit... using them for spits to fit into to? I guess if that were the case... then perhaps there would be grooves heading down to the poles - at least on left or right hand side of a spit. ?? Or even the base of a fire-starting mechanism. LOL Probably dumb ideas. I agree - could be multiple uses.

[@cleggsadventures]

No dumb ideas, every guess is possible

[@cheryllunsford8856]

Art! Many Stone Age Animal Effigies seem to have well placed eyes. Look at your stones from a distance and look for the entire rock to be a “bird” etc. several of your “nut stones” have animal characteristics, multi holes for shell, etc. can be a turtle, or? They used all sides of a stone, outer edges, sometimes even a face. Virginia

[@stevenseguro]

In coastal California we rarely ever find arrowheads, perhaps because ancient man had so much easy access to seal and other animal bones, but I have seen these artifacts many times often clustered into VERTICAL stone and rock surfaces, almost as if they are the result or aid of some type of target practice .

[@huenelius4936]

Interesting.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve seen them in fixed stones as well

[@brucejacobs4026]

I could see these being used to grind/crush medicine from herbs and seeds. You would want multiple pockets to avoid cross contamination.

[@86z50r]

They were used to make mini corn muffins for Thanksgiving celebrations!🦃

[@RustyRaceHorse]

Makes you wonder why they made several holes at the same depth… like the depth was the issues so they started another hole… then it becomes too deep… hmm.

[@AA-gj3kt]

That's what I was thinking. They only served their purpose until they reached a certain depth?

[@conrailfan6277]

It's where Fred and Barney stored their golf balls!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@anastaciochapa5198]

With the right kind of covering, with a lot of surface area, they could have been used as water caches to collect dew.

[@JimHerbertOutdoors]

Because of your videos, i found myself out in a no till bean field an hour south of Chicago last week. I found a scraper, a half of an arrowhead, a possible firestone, and possibly a rock like this with a hole. Can i email you some pics for id ? Either way Thanks ✌️

[@cleggsadventures]

Very Nice, find me on Facebook 👍

[@slehar]

Used for ceremonial prep of some hallucinogen? Peyote? Toad skin? Multiple holes for group ceremonies? Flip side hole for after “passing thhrough to the other side?

[@panativeandnaturegirl5862]

This makes sense. They're all over large stones w petrogliphs in the middle of a river in PA. Most of the carvings are ceremonial in nature. They wouldn't have hauled nuts or grains out to the middle of a river to grind in the holes. They're pretty large holes too. Not the tiny nutters I find along camp locations.

[@RyanRohl]

My grandma called them egg stones, said they were used for cooking eggs by the fire.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve not heard this one before

[@athelwulfgalland]

@@cleggsadventures It's an interesting thought though - but there's none of the usual discoloration on the stone you usually see on firestones. Plus sandstone has a bad tendency of cracking/exploding when exposed to too much heat. Still it doesn't mean that warming it up by keeping it near the fire would do either? BTW, I returned from where my sister resides. I wasn't able to do any real searching for artifacts as their entire region is dealing with some abnormal flooding. I was able to see, in some of the seasonal waterways, the type of soil I could expect to find. Lots of sand over top of mud. The local stone seems to be almost wholly sandstone save for glacial deposited cobbles. My sister did show me some flakes of flint or chert which they'd found in times passed so that's a good sign. Next time, maybe. She wants my family to relocate to the region & after visiting I can put up few arguments against it!

[@ianking-jv4hg]

@@RyanRohl i've seen some of your grandmothas "egg rocks" so big it would take a crane to lift them, or a pipe driller to go under them to "place" the fire underneath them.

[@Jbird3d]

I was thinking the same thing

[@RooDAwAkInG]

@RyanRohl had a similar idea great thinking or Gma' knows best

[@lucuindawozniak2434]

It might be used to grind shells into beads, or to grind shell into fish hooks. Depending on the size of the bead or hook, they could go from big to little, or possibly be used to bore holes into beads or fishnet weights.

[@fernie5128]

This is really interesting. My ancestors lived near Barrackville, Marion Cty, WV in the late 18th century. I found a YT video showing that property (which excited me no end) which also contained similar stones. Thanks for all of your videos. Cheers from MINN.

[@cleggsadventures]

Very Much Appreciated

[@bradfalconer8976]

I've found stones like this at our local river here in Northern Australia, The stones are basalt and are very hard. After much discussion we figured it may have been used by the local Aborigines to sharpen spears by heating the tips in a fire, then as a layer of charcoal forms it is spun and ground in the hole thus forming and hardening the point of the spear.

[@Im_nobody_special]

I grind holes in rocks like that just to relieve stress. 😅 ancient therapy 😂

[@kevinroberts781]

The small hand held stone may have been for fire starting. To hold the stick being spun. The holes in the large stones most likely had many uses. Grinding bone meal, making flour. Or just to help hold a stick up.

[@TimFaulkner-qb5kl]

Another great and informative video. Best channel on KZbin

[@cleggsadventures]

Much Appreciated Tim

[@raywhitehead730]

Very common. I have a couple near my property, near a creek that still has acorn trees around it.

[@RustyRaceHorse]

Antler dressing sounds like a good idea.

[@knightowl3577]

There are ancient stones found in Ireland and Scotland which have small holes like this. These stones are highly decorated with carved spirals and swirls, but it is not clear if all the carving was done at the same time.

[@oklahomanativeexploration7546]

The holes are for making Cherokee marbles. The shell idea was a good one, but I’ve tried it out making primitive pottery with wild Clay. I found out that if you roast the shells on the coals, they just crumble in your hands and you don’t have to crush them up. also, I found out that after you fire the pottery if the shells have just been crushed and not roasted, the pottery, just kind of falls apart the next day, because the shells go ahead and get fibrous and come apart inside the clay.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve seen this practice as well. Why so many holes all the same.

[@oklahomanativeexploration7546]

@@cleggsadventures I don’t know. That’s a good question. I might try to make a Cherokee marble and see if it works. Maybe that would answer why they use so many holes.if that’s what they were for?

[@cleggsadventures]

@@oklahomanativeexploration7546 For sure. Experiments may reveal some answers

[@oklahomanativeexploration7546]

@@cleggsadventures As far as I know, we don’t have those kind of rocks with those kind of holes in Oklahoma. We have nutting stones. but they’re usually associated with a rock outcrop by a stream. Or a grinding stone that has just slight indentions in it just enough to keep the nut from rolling off and the ones I’ve seen are red rock, which is sandstone because that’s what we have here.

[@Creekstain]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGrPY41qpJ6sisksi=SFB_6DjQ34HlSELG cherokee marble making

[@RandyKuppless]

Here is my wild-assed theory. They were used as a way to mark periods of time. If a number of these nutting stones are placed in a group, a small marker (stone, wood or bone) can be moved, or not, from one pecked hole to another each day, a rudimentary calendar or "day timer" can be formed. Communication to others about when an event happened or will happen is visible and totally clear. Lunar phases, first arrival of frost/geese, day mother-in-law moved in, Lol.

[@mikeyned690]

Spot stretching leather or hides. Only practical thing I can think of.

[@cleggsadventures]

A couple others have said the same

[@redcanoe9810]

Yes, if they were used daily and often, it makes me think that hides were an integrable part of the puzzle!

[@michaelwhorley7731]

These rocks were the starting process for making a mortar, they made the small holes first before heavy pecking began to eliminate rock fracture. Love your videos brother.

[@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj]

Ancient Indians are reading this and laughing their arses off woo woo woo!

[@michaelwhorley7731]

@@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj I was just giving my opinion, I didn't know you had a PhD in douchebagary

[@joeessig6955]

Modern ppl forget about the decimation of the American chestnut in the 1930’s. Chestnuts fed ancient ppl and mega fauna for thousands of years. This nutting stones were used mostly for chestnut but other nuts as well

[@cleggsadventures]

@@joeessig6955 Possibly, but chestnuts are pretty soft shelled. We may never know

[@ETAisNOW]

It’s so crazy that our woods used to look so much cooler, giant beautiful trees, they even made homes in the stumps, I heard they used that wood for your cradle and your coffin and everything in between. And then poof they’re gone, now it’s all small trees, completely different landscape and culture, just one person ago our forests used to be a paradise. Now I have to go to the redwoods to experience that

[@joeessig6955]

@@ETAisNOWyep. Greatest ecological disaster in modern history that never gets talked about.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@ETAisNOW I could imagine all the old growth trees there were. I doubt many were cut, having to use a stone axe

[@ETAisNOW]

@@cleggsadventures Sometimes I like to think when I pick up an artifact, especially one made from some type of material not native to my area, that someone I never saw, made something important from some material I’ve never found that came from somewhere I’ve never seen, and easily might’ve carried it up a giant tree I’ll never see, and this entirely different world used to exist that I’ll never see, but there’s an artifact laying before me.

[@mcchuggernaut9378]

I have a few ideas but I think someone has beat me to the first one: Pigment grinding. It would explain the multiple holes - they didn't want to get the different colors mixed up from the stones they crushed and then ground fine. It also would explain the rough sandstone, since that is a great material for grinding things into a powder with versus a smoother textured rock. Also small holes are better than large for this action because a little pigment went a long way so they only needed something to hold a bit of it like a painter's pallet. I cannot explain why there are often holes on other sides of the rocks adequately, though. Only other ideas I had were they might have been used in combination with a branch or antler for spinning bow strings or cloth, or for using a bow drill. Even though sandstone is really rough, it is also much easier to "peck" a hole into with a harder rock than most other stones (Which might explain the fact they seem to have been pecked out initially rather than ground in), and they could have used bark or leaves or mud or fat or who knows what in the holes as a lubricant so the sandstone didn't wear out the tools they may have used in these holes for sockets as quickly or harshly. The funniest thing is, if we could go back in time and see first hand why they did this, it would probably be glaringly obvious and just doesn't occur to us now because we live so differently! We'd probably be shaking our heads wondering why we didn't think of it. This is a fascinating topic, Clegg! Thanks for sharing what you know! P.S. Then I found this! It's awfully darn convincing that this is the true origin of these stones!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGrPY41qpJ6sisk I've even seen an episode where you found quite a few native game balls yourself!

[@flipflopski2951]

Mineral color stays on rock surfaces for a long time. See Lascaux Cave. That certainly was not the use.

[@GadreelAdvocat]

The OG multitool. They were probably used for multiple applications.

[@cleggsadventures]

Possible for sure

[@garyhotchkiss4207]

The Apache Indians used these sandstone rocks to harden sticks and poles. The ends of the sticks are sanded smooth and at the same time the wood is heated which helps to harden the wood. It is easier to pound the rounded hardened ends of "poles" / "sticks" into the ground. These sanding rocks are found in the Chiracahua Mountains. Also in the Desert SW of Lake Roosevelt in Arizona.

[@Axis_Of_Evil]

If they were for breaking nuts, I would imagine they would miss from time to time and rough up the edges , leaving obvious marks. Even being hit with a piece wood would leave an impression of use. Very puzzling indeed. Maybe a women's make-up kit..lol

[@cleggsadventures]

For sure, I don’t buy the nut theory. The pigment holder has been said by a few, so maybe something to that. I do find a lot of rubbed and ground hematite

[@nihadkhoums7767]

the holes on stones indecate that there is an ancient grave or ceremony around .its a symbol of ancient civilization graves

[@cleggsadventures]

I don’t think

[@justyntheoutdoorsman6995]

Maybe the stones with multiple where for paints they made so they could separate them and not mix the colors up

[@cleggsadventures]

@@justyntheoutdoorsman6995 Possibly, I heard this theory as well.

[@andydaniels3029]

Were that the case, wouldn’t there be pigment residue to find in them, or would water and other forms of environmental erosion have worn that away by now?

[@nelsonx5326]

I like that.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@andydaniels3029 I think these are mostly Archaic period, not sure if it would still be in there. I guess it depends on what conditions it was laying in for all those years

[@curly__3]

This was my initial thought 👍🏻.

[@Jbird3d]

I’d use one to hold the top of my drill while using a bow drill to make fire? Maybe cook some eggs? Play a game like throwing pebbles basketball style? Measuring cups for trading stuff? Making traps?

[@cleggsadventures]

Total mystery for sure

[@TerrySlaven-zd3um]

Or....could be various versions of prehistoric toe straighteners.

[@Txsidewinder1]

I say they are toenail trimmers. Stick your toe in and grind the toe in half circle motions...

[@richardperkins6132]

I believe that they were used for several different things during their lives. For nuts, herbs, shells possibily, an just about anything they needed to grind up for their uses. Great video my friend. 😁👍👍

[@cleggsadventures]

Very Much Appreciated Richard

[@tairua2]

Could be for grinding different coloured rock and clay for painting. A different depression for each colour.

[@novabigstar1509]

I think the smaller hardstone ones are sockets for bow and drill fire starting or just drill use. I have a hand sized one that is very worn and polished in the hole and also on the side of it where I assume the wooden spindle and bow string were rubbing against it. They also apparently used slightly larger ones too by leaning over and applying pressure with the chest to keep the spindle drill shaft firmly in place while using them.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve heard this theory as well

[@lorenmars5244]

Ice cube trays or Painter pallets for holding different colors of paint.

[@DoogiesEarthworks]

I just got done reading a book called Ohio's Archaeology by Bradley Leper that said they were potentially used for some sort of step in the woodworking process for making canoes, and possibly early shelters as well. I think they used these nutting stones to store their embers for safe transport in their controlled burns of creating canoes. That's why ya find them along the waterways so much. I also read in the same book that there’s evidence of Archaic people using controlled burns to eliminate the threat of wildfires, and to propagate fire-resistant trees that bore edible foods. So they were probably transporting tons of embers for tons of different processes all the time. Also.... GREAT VIDEO CLEGG!! Thank you for releasing it, it's always a good day when you upload :)

[@cleggsadventures]

Very Much Appreciated

[@axeman33333]

With all due respect , I don’t think they would lug around those very heavy stones just to carry embers. Also way too shallow for that as well.

[@DoogiesEarthworks]

@@axeman33333 I totally agree with ya, I think they would use the larger stones in the canoe making process by propping up a log, and filling those holes with slow burning embers underneath it, doing so they were able to basically smoke out the log and make it easier to hollow out. But who knows , thats the beautiful thing about ancient history, it has a way of tickling everyones imagination! I have enjoyed reading the theories in the comments here.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@axeman33333 I Agree

[@cleggsadventures]

@@DoogiesEarthworks I don’t know, wouldn’t be much heat

[@ericericson4]

I think you should try grinding a plant in one. Plants can be used as dye, medicine, and/or flavoring agents.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’m not sure, I’m kind interested in how the holes were made. That would answer a lot

[@panativeandnaturegirl5862]

​@@cleggsadventures I believe some were for fire or color grinding for ceremonial purposes. I've kayaked to the middle of Susquehanna River to see the petrogliphs that are still visible. There are quite a few holes dug in rock with no obvious purpose. The rocks have spaces which seem like ceremonial spaces and there are spiritual carvings around the rocks. No one knew what the holes were for. I doubt they would have carried nuts or food items to grind in the middle of the river. It seems more likely they used them for ceremonial dye grinding or other spiritual purposes.

[@shaneapplegate1975]

More good stuff. I don't know about that new hat. That tour de France hat sure was snazzy 👍🔨

[@cleggsadventures]

Much Appreciated! It’ll be back, The Tour is getting good. Mountains are starting to

[@TiggerTitu-wo1bj]

Monos and matates for grinding corn and other foods. Grind food to make the famous and much used staple "Pemmican" Vettepilot

[@backyardsounds]

I'm convinced it's for paints. You know, like reds and what not.

[@cleggsadventures]

Several have said the same

[@Pixieshade]

They have proven the white marble Greek statues were once colorfully painted because they have special light that can detect painted pigments left behind on the marble. Sandstone would def hold pigments, that would be easily proven if it were for paints by scientific analysis.

[@KRscience]

But why are most pitted stones pitted on both sides? You only need one side if it's for paint.

[@jamesluebben5925]

different colors?

[@jermeylykins4442]

Maybe a healers rock for grinding different herbs. I've got a really nice one here in Pike county Ohio. Has 10 pits on one side and 4 on the other. Probably a 20 pound rock. I'll get a pic of it and share it. Always enjoy your videos also😊👍

[@jermeylykins4442]

Took pictures of the nutting stone. Tried to post it to your page. Don't know where its at😄. On KZbin somewhere. I'm no good at this lol.

[@FredFindersOhioTreasures]

You guys forget that they smoked a lot of wacky tobacco back then. Stoned a lot of days they would use these stones to make and crush down fine tobacco for the peace or war pipe. Pioneers long ago after seeing and finding many of these stones coined the term "being stoned". This is were that term came from. Also they look very similar to modern day plastic paint holders that i have today. So, in theory they had multiple uses for them.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@FredFindersOhioTreasures I don’t know

[@stevenbrenner2862]

They could be used to grind down sharp edges on flint being napped into a tool such as a point, knife or whatever kind of tool is being knapped. In knapping, a billet is used to knock off a flake or fragment, leaving a sharp or razor edge. This then has to be ground down to form a proper anvil for the next strike with a billet or pressure flaking to remove the next flake. If the razor edge isn’t ground down to remove the razor edge, then removing the next flake is uncontrolled or random, leading to splitting, fragmenting, or a short flake breaking off and leaving a hump, essentially ruining the process, the whole thing being wasted and thrown away. I have recovered a grooved piece of sandstone that was used to grind down sharp edges left from flaking, although it is quite small, being hand held and is about three inches long and two inches wide, and has such deep grooves it was likely worn out and thrown away or abandoned. The various sized holes could be used to grind down the sharp edges on various sized flint tools during manufacture. The sharp, razor edges are ground down by most contemporary flint knappers during the knapping process, using the billet to knock off a flake, grinding down the sharp edge to form a striking platform, then striking with the billet to knock off the next flake. The flint could be either ground down with a piece of sandstones used like sand paper, or the flint could be rubbed on a piece of sandstone to grind down the sharp edge to form a striking platform for the next billet strike. That’s just an idea. The holes in the sandstone might have been used for a number of things, but if there’s pecking, then likely stone would of been involved in making them.

[@cleggsadventures]

That is a popular theory. One of the best

[@lelonbond6682]

a friend now passrd would chemacly extract what was in stones and pottery and could tell what they were used for..

[@cleggsadventures]

@@lelonbond6682 What was the conclusion?

[@JoseyWales-ed]

…………?!!?

[@airjocky]

I stared at the ones I have for years. The best theory I have is they were used for sharpening knife blades and points. They laid the point on the edge of the hole and pressed with a stone on dear antler. I think this is how they could control the shape so well. Just wacking a point in your hand with a dear antler, they couldn't make them the same every time. I also think this saved their hands from getting cut. I think that is why we find so many. There are millions of arrowheads out there. So, what they made them with should be in the hundreds of thousands. Enter the "nutting stone"

[@cleggsadventures]

That could be, would explain the pecking for sure.

[@Spearhead-lz1oq]

For crushing, but smaller for women hands and strength. My 2 cents.

[@cleggsadventures]

Possibly 👍

[@KRscience]

It's fascinating reading all the hypotheses, but almost none of them explain why most pitted stones are pitted on both sides. There's got to be a logical and practical reason for this. It's probably a simple reason that our "advanced" way of thinking has prevented us from realizing.

[@cleggsadventures]

That’s what I think, probably so simple, we’re looking right past it

[@indianasmith8152]

We find these all over East Texas, too. No one knows their exact use, but I always enjoy finding them.

[@cleggsadventures]

Same here

[@davidnew5185]

I found one in Camp County, East TX. That's my home.

[@matthewrinehart2367]

I have one made of hard stone I found on a beach in Alaska. I assumed it was drilled to put a wedge in and split the stone. I still have it. The hollowed out peice is the circumference of a dime.

[@curly__3]

War paints, etc...like a watercolor mixing tray. The nut theory is good though, if made to the proper depth for the type of nut, it would prevent the inner nut from being smashed which would go bad faster and be harder to store and eat. The multiple holes were probaby different sizes for different size nuts? Who knows?

[@cleggsadventures]

Possible, we may never know

[@jcknives4162]

I do think that the pecking surfaces were for small seeds. When you have larger seeds like wheat you can afford to use a grinding plate. But small seeds would be difficult to keep local and process. As for hematite, they also ground manganese. They may not have necessarily made paint in these. So, for me, minerals, small seeds… but everything would be difficult to manage in a larger mortar.

[@fredbunce9232]

A farmer in Doddridge County (where the Giants roamed.) Told me they were for making cupcakes.😂

[@cleggsadventures]

👍

[@AJ-zk1oh]

Got a pretty sweet weed tray myself. I'll call it my stoned-age tray now..

[@coloradomountainman8659]

These were actually used as bowling balls, hence the finger and thumb indentations. It wasn't until eons later that one bright enterprising fellow thought to make them into a round ball shape.

[@cleggsadventures]

I have No idea

[@unclescipio3136]

Two documented uses of these stone 'grids' in Southern Africa are 1. beadcrafting. Beads of different colours/shapes are placed in these containers while the piece is being worked on, so it acts as a kind of sorting device. Modern beadcrafters use trays with very similar depressions. They're generally found near 'home caves' or settlements. 2. Used for grinding and mixing pigments for rock painting.

[@lelonbond6682]

i have most of mine where the people had no pottery.

[@cleggsadventures]

Very good clue there! Maybe not for crushing shell then.

[@stanlindert6332]

I can see the hole as a way to make pressure flaking easier. First a bit of leather was laying over the hole than folded over the point. Than a bit of flat wood over that held fast by one hand. Antler is able to push flakes under the flint as it is held secure between the leather. Also any other applications that a person could think of. Little ones are just more portable. Leave the big ones in camp. And you know they cracked nuts in there too. A true stone age multi tool, or work bench if you want.

[@jamesburnett7085]

ThEn spells the word you want, not than. Pathetic.

[@cleanreed]

They were used for grinding Mary Jane seeds so they could be smoked and wouldn't fall out and burn their shirt. Most Cave Men could only afford one shirt and they didn't want a bunch of burn holes in it from the seeds. I heard stories about this in college, but have no personal experience with it. There was another similar story I heard back in the 1970's, something about Mary Jane brownies, but I can't remember the details. Great story Gregg!

[@1luckysob36]

Since river cobbles were typical small they could split the cobble into halves to Knapp two arrowheads instead of one arrowhead.

[@cleggsadventures]

I’ve seen this method of reduction, but never in a pit

[@ReturnoftheCollector]

I love the way this spurred others to comment about what they thought. Good stuff. Still waiting for your dig with us. lol.

[@cleggsadventures]

Yeah, these things get people talking. Everyone has a theory

[@michaelhillman4189]

Hey clegg! Been a fan for awhile I’m from Ky so not far from you. Was curious how you get places to sift on the river. Do you ask permission for private land or is it land you own. Thanks in advance!

[@cleggsadventures]

Yeah, I know the owners of this land.

[@stevenmccrickard1401]

It seems like if used to grind anything harder than sandstone the hole would become smooth and the multi hole artifacts would probably have a variety of smoothnesses. Additionally if they were used to grind soft grains it seems like the tool used would over time also cause a smoothining of the hole. If the artifact was used to make something, for example a marble, wouldnt there be many more marbles found than the tool used to make them? And were so many marbles needed that they had so many Of these artifacts? This is a very interesting and complex question, thanks for your content, I am a new subscriber and I look forward to checking out more from your channel.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@stevenmccrickard1401 You think like me. I don’t see anyone going through the trouble, using stone tools, to make those holes for a purpose that some think. I think with the pecking, something was striking it over and over. Once a hole got so deep, they’ve started a new one. I think they were actually a biproduct of doing something. They are very common. Said to be from early Archaic times.

[@Demon-Hunter_1]

Grinding dried corn into flour?

[@GonzoPhysics]

Great and fascinating vid! Is it rare to find stones with multiple half-sphere cut outs? The one with multiple cut outs makes the question even more intriguing... Best vid I've seen in a while from anyone🤙Love these mystery find videos

[@cleggsadventures]

Very Much Appreciated

[@got2kittys]

The grindstone also can sometimes be found in the cup. They would wear together, so the grinder would be left in its perfectly fitted hole. Many desert fruits and seeds could be eaten. Prickly pear seeds for instance can be made into meal for cooking.

[@killerarchery]

I think they were used for Flint knapping tool maintenance. To reshape the bone/antlers which is a neverending process while knapping. Ive found many "nut stones" and none have had any signs of being struck with anything.

[@tnmantn8938]

Yep…I think they were used for grinding sharp edges of flaked tools during the production process to facilitate flaking control…

[@CFurnace-72]

That was before the internet and you might check an old Milwaukee tool catalog. They’re might still be a few around since they were written in stone.

[@cleggsadventures]

👍

[@ratatoskr1069]

"Nutting Stones" That does not mean the hole were "made" for cracking nuts. Actually nuts, especially acorns, were placed on rocks and then ground with another rock in a mortar and pestle style method. This grinding *produces* a perfectly round hole over time. The nutmeal or acornmeal then has to be processed further for making edible food from it!

[@augustuswilliams1158]

I have similar marks in the sandstone all over our property where we live in eastern Tn. An archeologist told me pre American Indian people, maybe Clovis, ground these divots, lined the divots with grease to collect rain water. We live about 2000 feet up, on top of a knob. The divots are about 8 inches in diameter and have a cascading pattern sloping down large sandstone slabs. There are no rivers or streams near this altitude. Because the property is surrounded by 50 to 60 foot cliffs it is very defensible with caves and other natural shelters. Several Clovis spear points have been found in this area, and are completely different from American Indian spear points.

[@fatherd.6016]

They used these for grinding corn, acorns and other food. The pits were the equivalent of the mortar in "mortar and pestle".

[@NateWilliams190]

Perhaps they favored depressions of a certain depth, and whenever one wore too deep, they just started a new one.

[@cleggsadventures]

@@NateWilliams190 Yes.

[@rebeccaloves6882]

The coyotes thought one of your explanations was hilarious! Thanks for the interesting video

[@felgate11]

Maybe they are for grinding up plant "Plant Dye" materials? They would paint their faces for camouflage when hunting & for dancing type rituals. Maybe the girls used the Multi cup ones, like the first makeup/eyeshadow compacts? 💄The "Dye" is long washed out now - but maybe still some, "Electron Microscopic" Traces ??

[@jimc6687]

We absolutely need some more of Clegg's Adventures great fun videos on Native American Indian artifact hunting ideas and direction!!

[@cleggsadventures]

@@jimc6687 Gonna try and get out there soon

[@rogergriffin9893]

The large deep holes were mostly used for grinding grains, mesquite beans, etc. The shallow ones I'm not as sure of, but the pestels were found near the grain grinding mortars. The little shallow depressions might have been used for grinding something. I've seen enough of the deeper holes with the grinding stones here in the Southwest Desert at the cliff dwelling sites.

[@markbrzezinski8889]

They are for grinding grain or pigments. They use a wood stick and grind the end into what they want to grind.