A FINE "CUP" STONE DISPLAY AT NOVEMBER ASO SHOW AND THE ENIGMA OF A COMMON OHIO ARTIFACT by Michael Rusnak 4642 Friar Road, Stow, OH 44224 [email protected] Two impressive examples of "cup Cup stones were noted in many early suggests "a possible link to hunting, or with stones" were part of an exhibit assembled writings on American and Ohio archaeolo the combined activities of a seasonal hunt by ASO members Steve Hill and Earnest gy. Often lists of material found in mounds ing/gathering camp." He also relates similar Cook at the November ASO show in Co include one or more cup stones amin ong possible uses, including that they "served lumbus. Figures 1-5 show several views the tally of objects unearthed. For exam as the base-socket for the fire-drill, with tin of the two sizable examples made of ple, Gerald Folke's 1902 book Archaeo der piled around the rotating shaft." sandstone. Both of the stones are larger logical History of Ohio: the Mound Build than typical field finds and both contained ers and Later Indians describes the great Curiously, as Folke noted —cup stones multiple "cups" or depressions. One stone numbers of cup stones that were found in are found in many areas of Europe as well, has multiple depressions on both sides. Ohio: along with much speculation on their use. One study of pitted river boulders in North A common Ohio artifact, such stones They occur in all parts of the world ern Europe by Andreas Tvauri dates many are referred to by several names, some and are surpassed in numbers examples to the Bronze Age, and specu times called "cup stones," "pitted stones," among the larger stone objects only lates that some may have been hollows for "nutting stones," or "anvil stones" by field pitted stones and hammers. Over the offerings, while others, especially those on hunters and collectors. eastern half of the United States they the sloping sides of boulders could not be are found by thousands, in all sorts explained in this way. He reviews a number of attempts to explain the origins of cup Hill found these two examples in Gal of situation, not only on village sites, marked boulders in Europe, including cup lia County, Ohio. The larger cup stone in but in mounds and cairns where they marks as directional markers, as markers figures 1-3 measures about 11 inches are apparently thrown in as part of for cultivated areas, as way to mark years, in length, 8 inches in width and about 4 the component material, like any and as a component of petroglyphs. inches thick. As can be seen in the photo other stones... Near Chillicothe, on graphs, it has multiple depressions on the point over looking Paint Creek val obverse and reverse sides. The smaller ley, several large irregular blocks of It may also be the case that some cup stone measures 8 inches in length, 7 inch sandstone are firmly imbedded in the stones had multiple purposes, and that es in width, and also has multiple depres earth; each has one or more cups on those boulders—sized objects had a differ sions. its exposed surface, (p. 540) ent use from the typical field find. As Folke noted long ago: "No theory yet advanced, Hill, who lives in Gallipolis, notes that Folke also cited sources that noted however, will account for the boulder of such stones are common in areas not far large examples similar to the boulder pho sandstone weighing at least half a ton, from the Ohio River on both the Ohio and tographed by Hill: found near Ironton, which contains more West Virginia sides. In total, he estimates than 100 cups scattered all over it." (p.545) that he has found over 300 cup stones. Two miles below Pittsburg are the He also noted that when hunting for such remains of two Indian villages about Sources artifacts, he always turns large sandstone one mile apart. The great number of Andreas Tvauri, "Cup Marked Stones rocks over in the field, as most of the cup cupped or pitted stones found there in Estonia," Electronic Journal stones he has found had the side with the has been remarkable. They are prin of Folklore, Issue 11, 1999, cups down. cipally water worn boulders taken pp. 113-139 www.ceeol.com from the river, measuring from six to Some examples are much too large to 18 inches in diameter; besides several Gerald Folke, Archaeological History move. Included in his exhibit were pho large, fixed boulders containing ten to of Ohio: the Mound Builders and tographs of some extraordinary large ex fifteen cups on them, averaging half Later Indians, Ohio State amples, such as the two pictured in figure the size of a hen's egg. (p. 540) Archaeological and Historical Society: 6 and 7. The stone in figure 6 contains 124 1902 cups—marked by marbles to help them The use of cup stones remains an stand out in the photographs—and the enigma. Speculation on their use can be Robert Converse, Ohio Stone Tools, boulder in figure 7 has 80. found in many early sources—as well as on Archaeological Society of Ohio, 2000 more recent studies. Folke includes many Hill relates that among the many exam ideas on the use of cup stones—smashing Adam Brooke Davis, "Cupstones of Adair ples he has found—or located in the case nuts, fire starting, for spinning yarn, grind County, MO" http://missourifolklore of boulder-sized examples—the sizes of the ing sticks into a convex shape—but con socieiy.truman.edu/cUstones.htm depressions vary. Some have quite large, cedes no real explanation. Converse re egg carton sized depressions, while other lates that it has been suggested they were depressions are no wider than a pencil. used to hold nuts for cracking, but also notes "it is possible that they were used as In Ohio Stone Tools, Robert Converse sockets for a bow drill or fire maker." Hill notes that cup stones have been found on speculated that the size difference in the Early Archaic sites, dating to 5000 B.C., depressions makes him believe they might establishing them "as one of the earliest be used repeatedly, starting out small and forms of ground stone tools;" however, he then getting larger with use. He believes also notes that they were in still in use in that the stones were used to start fires. A the Early Woodland Period. Converse also study of Native American cup stones, by states that some examples, (like those pic Adam Brooke Davis offers similar sugges tured in the photographs) may be "com tions on their use. Davis argues that be pletely covered with conical perforations cause many such stones are found "fre which vary in size." quently near streams and rock-shelters," Steve Hill and Earnest Cook with their display. 26 Ohio Archaeologist Vol. 60, No. 2, Spring 2010 Figure 1, 2, 3 (Rusnak) Cupstones from southern Ohio.
Figures 4,5 (Rusnak) Large cupstones.
Figures 6,7 (Rusnak) Photos of Ohio River cupstones with their cups marked by marbles.
Ohio Archaeologist 27 Vol. 60, No. 2, Spring 2010