What is it? Artifact ? Garbage?

[RichFrye]

Found this in a river bed today while fishing. Tons of Indian tribes lived along that river .
It's about 2" roundish and about 1.5" thick. Man made and stone. But more than that I'm not sure.

[BcsTx]

Looks like a candle holder Rich. :wink:

[RichFrye]

Froggy Mike (who caught the only pike today) mentioned peace pipe...without the peace.

[zachk]

That was my guess, Rich.

[Philsuma]

Drilled bead.....could be kinda modern though, as evidence by the 'mass produced marble like swirls' . Could be modern 'cowboy / hillbilly' bead from a tassel or hat ect.

[RichFrye]

It's stone which has been carved on the inside. The hole is not round as with a bit drilling. It looks as if there may have been a stem or something inserted inside because of the way it is somewhat round on one side of the hole and very concertedly curved on the other. If it were simply a bead the hole through it would be fairly even and round.
I'm betting it's pretty old.

[d.crockett]

Could be a rather crude bannerstone. They are very enigmatic artifacts. I will hit up my references and see if anything stands out. I am less familiar with materials from your neck of the woods.

[RichFrye]

Could be a rather crude bannerstone. They are very enigmatic artifacts. I will hit up my references and see if anything stands out. I am less familiar with materials from your neck of the woods.

Thanks. I looked up bannerstones and it could very well be one, especially considering the unknown revolving around them. More mystery.
I'd love to know what you find. I may contact the Chicago Native Indian Center here or one of the museums if we can't figure it out on our own.

[Roadrunner]

Insulator for an electric line?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200833959596

[RichFrye]

Insulator for an electric line?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200833959596

Holy crap Aaron!
I know what that thing looks like , and it's NOT an insulator hock: hock: :wink:

[Roadrunner]

Thats the only one I could find w/ the swirls in it. I've found things similar to that while fishing while young. They get rolled in the stream and get broke and pitted and end up looking like that. At least that's my call.

[RichFrye]

There's a few shops over in Boy's Town that have swirls too. If you were looking, that is.
Running out of winkies.*

This thing just looks purpose carved . And it's absolutely stone. I have an email in to The Native Center.

[d.crockett]

I don't think that it is glass. Offhand I would say it looks like agate. Geology isn't my strength though, I usually have to reach out for help when I can't identify piece. If it does turn out to be a bannerstone that would likely put it sometime up until the Woodland Period, so probably no later than around 1000 CE (A.D.) or possibly much earlier. Without context you won't do much better. Still, very neat find.

[d.crockett]

Also, something to keep in mind, if it is agate then it would have a tendency to naturally form with holes in it. Geodes are often agate (chalcedony) with a crystalline interior. Hard to tell from pictures if it is of anthropogenic origins or not. Being found in a stream means that it was subject to heavy erosion, which does crazy things.

[RichFrye]

I don't think that it is glass. Offhand I would say it looks like agate. Geology isn't my strength though, I usually have to reach out for help when I can't identify piece. If it does turn out to be a bannerstone that would likely put it sometime up until the Woodland Period, so probably no later than around 1000 CE (A.D.) or possibly much earlier. Without context you won't do much better. Still, very neat find.

You sound very knowledgeable. Is this a hobby or work for you?
Also, would more or better pics help you any? There's copper in the stone too in the last pic , upper right corner you can just see a bit.

[RichFrye]

Here are a few other pics.
The interesting thing is the piece sits on a flat area which the inside lower half circle of the one hole exactly mimics. The angle is perfect. The roundness of the top portion is unnatural or at least very rare to see that round in nature.

[RichFrye]

Many native Americans lived exactly where I fish. People find stone axe heads and such all the time. Just another reason which lean toward old artifact.

[Rusty_Shackleford]

I think it's part of Jimmy Hoffa.

[RichFrye]

I think you and Aaron need to go do some swirl shopping together.

[Rusty_Shackleford]

I generally stay away from Halsted St.