Little Statue found in Middle TN.....

[tjrust]

Can anyone Identify this little guy. It was found on the banks of the Stones River in Middle Tennessee. Can't tell if its a drop from Old Time Pottery or an ancient artifact. I have other views of it if that would be helpful...

[raw-war-digger]

Hey tj, I'm not for sure. I've never seen anything like it before but that doesn't mean that couldn't be an Indian Artifact. Does the clay appear to be pourous/easily broken or smooth/hard as if it was fired in a Kiln like present time ceramic ware or was it made of stone?

Please show the other views. A good clear lighted closeup would be nice as well. Thanks for showing and sharing your find! I'll do my best to assist you after seeing the other scans, HH, Roger

[tjrust]

It appears to be made of some kind of fired clay. Its not real heavy and it strikes me that it would be easily broken if dropped from too high or the wrong way. It looks smooth and not pourous. The front of it with the little checkerboard suit in front looks odd to me.
The last photo with the holes is a view from the bottom, there is also one more hole that I didn't get in the view, its right underneath the hole that appears to be in the back of the head.
I appreciate ya'll as we say in Tennessee looking at this for me.

[raw-war-digger]

Hey tj, Could you disclose the possible reason for the holes? Could this be a pipe, are the holes connected? Try blowing into one of hole and feel if air comes out the other hole(s). I know I'm not being much help at present! It's a nice piece for sure but it may be beyond me as far as it's real age. I'm just about 120 miles to the Southwest of you (just south of Jackson, TN) and all the Pottery pieces found in this area are very porous from time eating away the finely ground shell that was mixed in the clay. The pottery in this area is very fragile and will break easily. Seems as if some was just air dried or at most using a small fire.

Ya'll answer back, Roger

[tjrust]

If you blow on the hole air comes out the other ones. I had somone mention it might be a pipe of some kind, if it is it doesn't seem to have a very large hole to light a fire with. Maybe that is common with old pipes I don't know.
The pourous thing, you can look at the from the bottom photo, it has pits and things like that, I was taking pourous to be random holes in it. I think it qualifies for pourous as far as pits and small little bits kind of coming off of it. The holes are connected though.
The head dress on this thing is puzzling to me. Does it look like it ever had a face or is it worn/washed off?

[PAPPY]

INDIAN WHISTLE?...PAPPY

[rip]

Originally Posted by PAPPY

INDIAN WHISTLE?...PAPPY

I was thinking along the same lines.what are the southamerican musical instuments(okra?)

[rustycoinUT]

I am shure the object is an indian whistle. From the design it is central America in origin. probably from the area of Honduras. Made in the 19'th century There are a couple of similiar whistles that i have seen. The link is down and as soon as it is working again i will post it. There has been many of these whistles found in the US i think they must of been TRADE items.



HH
rustycoinUT

[raw-war-digger]

Just letting you know that this is a new one on me! Never heard of an Indian Whistle and would be interested in what it was used for.....calling in the dogs? .
Think that this piece was brought up from South America and then lost on the Stone River? So many questions to ask about this Very Nice Piece!

Great Find Either Way,
Teach Me More....I'm Still In The Learning Process At 50!
Thanks For The Post, Roger

[creekrat]

seen some thing like that in a collection of african american artifacts could have been brought over from africa?