MORTAR & BALL PESTLE Ceremonial, SOUTH OF New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Birdstones

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MORTAR & BALL PESTLE Ceremonial, SOUTH OF New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Birdstones:
$345.00

MORTAR & BALL PESTLE: Sacred/Ceremonial; SOUTH OF New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Mortar
Length: 5 1/4\"
Width: 4 3/4\"
Height: 2 1/2\"
Weight: 1 lb 12.5 ozBall Pestle
Diameter: 2 1/4\"
Weight: 9.8 oz
In the late 1800s, around 8 miles south of New Smyrna Beach off northEastern Florida, this unusual coral mortar and ball pestle was found during a walk by. The artifacts were stored in a descendant’s outbuilding in Volusia County until this site acquired a collection of such.
This is one of the more intriguing assemblages yet collected:
the bowl-mortar was carved from a type of coral while the pestle is a hard stone, probably acquired via trade.
The mortar has a deep depression and a curious notch opening--for obvious pour of contents. As this is a coral mortar, the mix-material was no doubt thick and viscous--a thin-fluid mixture would seep into the stone matrix.
Overall brown discoloration, minor nicks, abrasion scars are evident as is the slight polish form generations of hand sweat.
The size/form of these artifacts screams sacred/ceremonial as this bowl is too small for utilitarian crush/grind of vegetables/meat for a tribe. It\'s peculiar shape, source of materials and mysterious opening suggests something more spiritual.
A few miles south of this find is an ancient shell mound--the result of hundreds of years of feasting on shell fish by the Timucuan people sometime around 800 to 1400 A.D.
Just north of the largest shell mound in America, this mortar of ball pestle were found--The choice of using a sea coral for a mortar is indicative of this ancient people looking to the ocean, nodding to the abundance of food in the vicinity!A fascinating, RARE and UNIQUE set of artifacts.