Incised Stones at 33GU218 in Ohio (Day's Knob)

Incised Stones at 33GU218

Incision marks, cut with a hard sharp-edged stone and V-profile in cross-section, are an increasingly recognized hallmark of human agency in artifacts worldwide, found on artifacts dating from the Lower Paleolithic to as recently as the Late Archaic Period in North America. Prior to their recognition here at 33GU218 they were observed (not for the first time) and described at the Gault Site in Texas.

Incised Limestone Bird-human Figure - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

This limestone bird figure from 33GU218 with a quasi-anthropomorphic face displays the distinctive V-profile incision marks characteristic of many artifacts at the site. Dr. Roy Mapes, professor of geology at Ohio University, and Dr. Eric Law, professor of geology at Muskingum University, have identified the deep and curved cuts in this stone as artificial. This is also one of several pieces microscopically examined by rock art expert Dr. Arsen Faradzhev during a site visit in April 2005 and determined to be the product of human workmanship.

Below, a close-up of the incisions:

Incision Marks on Limestone Bird Figure - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

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Incisied Limestone Artifact - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

Another incised limestone.

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Incisied Limestone Bird Figure - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

An incised limestone bird figure.

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Incision marks (left photo) on a limestone "Venus" figure.

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Carved Sandstone - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

This bird-human figure in sandstone includes a finely carved/ground flying bird image, shown in close-up below:

Flying Bird Image - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

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Incised Limestone - Day's Knob Archaeological Site

A limestone with almost perpendicularly incised lines, shown refitted into the larger rock from which it was cut. Compare this to the similarly shaped and incised Clovis-age limestone from the Gault site, below: