Incised/Calendar Stone

[pleeo]

I call these Incised stones, some people refer to them as Calendar stones. This example has three different sets if lines cut into a typical limestone rock. As I've mentioned before, the incising almost always occurs along the "corners" of the stone. Found in Bandera County Texas. Paul

[Steve Valentine]

More than likely they are stones used for sharpening Bone Needles.

[Shannon Graham]

Never seen one with more than one set of marks. And, not cracked. Bonus!

Shannon

[Clayton]

Awesome find Paul! I really like the "non-arrowhead stuff" too, thanks for posting....

[Jay R]

Thats a good one Coach!

[DesertWalker]

Great find! Love it!

[seco]

Paul:

Those are well known across south, south central and western Texas. They are
shaft straighteners. The limestone was heated, the shaft bent and worked over
the grooves, etc. Sometimes, a groove is also found, perpendicular to the lines.
Whenever the limestone has been used too many times (heated too much!), they
break in half -- which is what most of them look like across the region.

These are well known in the American Southwest ... and particularly among the
California Indians. Early anthropologists recorded the shaft-straightening process
in great detail. They often used soapstone, and like most things with some of the
California Indians, sometimes they got fairly elaborate.

Tom

[Mojave]

Originally Posted by seco

Those are well known across south, south central and western Texas. They are shaft straighteners. The limestone was heated, the shaft bent and worked over the grooves, etc. Sometimes, a groove is also found, perpendicular to the lines. Whenever the limestone has been used too many times (heated too much!), they break in half -- which is what most of them look like across the region.

These are well known in the American Southwest ... and particularly among the California Indians. Early anthropologists recorded the shaft-straightening process in great detail. They often used soapstone, and like most things with some of the California Indians, sometimes they got fairly elaborate.

I am very pleased to see you frequent this forum sir.
You mentioned perpendicular grooves and California soapstone. I am curious about the process. I would not have guessed the smaller grooves would serve well as straighteners. I always assumed the lines were decoration or grooves for sharpening wooden points or other smaller tools. Almost all straighteners I've seen from the west have much larger grooves like the one in the middle of this tool.

[texas cache]

Nice stone, Paul and yours is cool too, Mojave. I can't tell if mine were on the corners...both of them are broken!

[texas cache]

Very interesting information, Seco...thanks for posting it!