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.