Found Object in need of Identification

lalasalama

Hello,
Since I'm new to this site, I'm not allowed to post a photo, so I'll do my best to describe the item. It is a clam-shaped, generally round, black, heavy stone. One convex side is more domed than the other. The edge is sharpened (though dulled, probably from the riverine environment) and slightly chipped all around, except for a 1.5 cm gap, approximating the hinge of a clam shell. The overall size is approximately 5.5 cm in length and a little over 2 cm high. 
It was found on a riverbank of the Aille river in Doolin, Co. Clare. 
Any guidance would be appreciated!

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slowburner

lalasalama wrote: »

Hello,
Since I'm new to this site, I'm not allowed to post a photo, so I'll do my best to describe the item. It is a clam-shaped, generally round, black, heavy stone. One convex side is more domed than the other. The edge is sharpened (though dulled, probably from the riverine environment) and slightly chipped all around, except for a 1.5 cm gap, approximating the hinge of a clam shell. The overall size is approximately 5.5 cm in length and a little over 2 cm high. 
It was found on a riverbank of the Aille river in Doolin, Co. Clare. 
Any guidance would be appreciated!

Obviously any guess is going to be no more than a best guess - based on the description. So here are a few questions:
1. The edge chipping: would you describe it as regular, or irregular (in terms of both spacing and length/width)?
2. The rock type: would you describe it as dull or glossy in appearance?
3. The generally round description: is there one area that is notably flat?
3. The sharpened edges: do they feel sharp?

lalasalama

The chipping is irregular. It appears to be from use as a hammer.
The stone is flat rather than glossy.
No noticeable flat areas.
The edges are not sharp, but come to a point.

slowburner

lalasalama wrote: »

The chipping is irregular. It appears to be from use as a hammer.
The stone is flat rather than glossy.
No noticeable flat areas.
The edges are not sharp, but come to a point.

It sounds as though it is natural.

lalasalama

I'm quite certain that it's not naturally occurring. Maybe if I keep responding to your posts I'll earn enough "credit" to post a photo. I tried to PM you with photos, but wasn't allowed to do that either!

Esel

Put the photos on a hosting site and post a 'broken' link here (put a space after the www bit) and someone will fix the link and post it here.

lalasalama

Good idea! Please let me know if this works.
Except that it won't let me post the link, no matter how much I break it up. Annoying!

lalasalama

dropbox.com/home/Stone%20of%20Doolin
add the other bits. Maybe it will work this time!

Esel

https://www.dropbox.com/home/Stone%20of%20Doolin

When I click on the link, it says "Please sign in or register to access this page."

Is it set to private or something?

J Mysterio

This is exciting

lalasalama

It probably is. I'll see if I can allow outside access. Thanks for letting me know!

lalasalama

dropbox.com/sh/ff42wft84l0s2m9/AAAwHDDwY9jtCMLcjWAxhcwha?dl=0
Please try again and let me know.

Esel

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ff42wft84l0s2m9/AAAwHDDwY9jtCMLcjWAxhcwha?dl=0

Bingo!

J Mysterio

Stone of Doolin. Hahaha, this is brilliant.

venlo

aren't all of the cliffs around doolin black stone?

macchoille

lalasalama wrote: »

Hello,
Since I'm new to this site, I'm not allowed to post a photo, so I'll do my best to describe the item. It is a clam-shaped, generally round, black, heavy stone. One convex side is more domed than the other. The edge is sharpened (though dulled, probably from the riverine environment) and slightly chipped all around, except for a 1.5 cm gap, approximating the hinge of a clam shell. The overall size is approximately 5.5 cm in length and a little over 2 cm high. 
It was found on a riverbank of the Aille river in Doolin, Co. Clare. 
Any guidance would be appreciated!

You'd really need to get a picture up at some point ; as you know yourself some of the features may be erosion from the river environment. - apologies see already shared on Dropbox

duvetdayss

Looks like a large pebble

Esel

macchoille wrote: »

You'd really need to get a picture up at some point ; as you know yourself some of the features may be erosion from the river environment.

Eh...

lalasalama

Thanks to Esel, we have access to photos. The stone is clearly hand-formed. I hope the photos are clear enough for possible identification. If you have recommendations for photos from different angles, let me know and I'll take more.

mocmo

It looks a little like a simple linen smoother but given that it came from a river bank I wouldn't rule out it being natural / water rolled. Perhaps someone with a better knowledge of geology will comment.

http://www.southsomersetheritage.org.uk/collections/the-stevens-cox-archaeology-highlights/linen-smoother.aspx

lalasalama

mocmo wrote: »

It looks a little like a simple linen smoother but given that it came from a river bank I wouldn't rule out it being natural / water rolled. Perhaps someone with a better knowledge of geology will comment.

http://www.southsomersetheritage.org.uk/collections/the-stevens-cox-archaeology-highlights/linen-smoother.aspx

I wondered about that, but the edges of this object are not perpendicular to the convex surfaces, as described in the link, it seems too small and the convex portions don't seem suited for such a purpose.

MysticMonk

It's a pebble that has lain in a hollow in a river bed and been shaped like that by water action.

lalasalama

MysticMonk wrote: »

It's a pebble that has lain in a hollow in a river bed and been shaped like that by water action.

That seems like a plausible explanation. I'll check with some geologist friends and get their opinions.

J Mysterio

lalasalama wrote: »

That seems like a plausible explanation. I'll check with some geologist friends and get their opinions.

Let us know how you get on!

New Home

You could also email the pictures to the National Museum and ask for their advice, if it's anything interesting they'd be able to tell you straight away.

lalasalama

Let us know how you get on!

Will do!

lalasalama

New Home wrote: »

You could also email the pictures to the National Museum and ask for their advice, if it's anything interesting they'd be able to tell you straight away.

Done! I'll check back in with any response.

Aelfric

Rubbing stone/Linen smoother is quite feasible for this object. I've seen many a natural stone over the years that desperately wanted to be an artefact, but I feel that this one is genuine. The erosion is a bit too regular for it to be wholly natural. Check with the NMI or your local museum, and see what they say.

carlpasha

Rather late to the party...


I have a very similar stone, given to me from a flowerpot by the owner of a cafe in Doolin when I was but a youngster. It is larger, much smoother and far more evenly shaped (I know, I know, it's not a competition!).


I too have wondered for years if it's a "natural" trying to be an artifact. The extremely smooth finish puts me in mind of the high status finely polished neolithic axe heads and hammers we admire in museum displays. I'm an inveterate beach pebble picker-upper and have never seen a natural stone this smooth.
It has a network of small cracks which remind me of a mineralised nodule containing pyrites, or a fossil, and is incredibly satisfying to handle as well as being a beautiful thing. Japanese culture recognises the aesthetics of such stones, just Google 'Suiseki'.


Incidentally, regarding possible river erosion, I remember only a rather small sedate stream running through Doolin. It doesn't seem like a candidate for smoothing stones the way some of the more turbulent larger rivers do, throwing up large shingle banks. Google Earth shows just this stream, and a river running into Ennistimon some miles to the south.


I'm not entirely convinced that regularity of shape indicates human craft though, as asserted by Aelfric. I have a nearly spherical stone from Killiney beach which I'm 99% sure is naturally formed as I remember many stones there being nearly (but not quite) spherical. Also, in Donegal and on a Natural Trust beach on the South coast of England, there are many spherical, often very large (half a meter or even larger), spherical boulders formed by wave action.


Now I need to post some pics of this stone... just need to figure out where as I'm not signed up any sharing/social media services and this is my first post to Boards.ie. Suggestions very welcome!


Oh, by the way Mocmo and Aelfric... Would that be Palaeolithic or Neolithic linen?  : )