Bob,
My research project on griddle stones began after Dr. Karen Harry of
TPWD,
made a comment, during a list discussion of my stone boiling demo,
that
prehistoric inhabitants of Texas might have used baking stones similar
to
the "piki stones" that are still being used by the Hopi. Other
archeologists agreed, but said they had not been aware of such an artifact.
They agreed that such stones might have been mislabeled as metates
and
perhaps fragments were thrown out with other fire cracked rock. ( This
is
a general recollection of their statements).
I had been looking for a good research project, so I decided Griddle
stones
would be that project. So far I have found only one griddle/baking
stone
that was reported as such. It was found over a hearth, inside
a teepee ring, at
the Justiceburg Reservoir (between Post and Snyder), by Doug Boyd of
Prewitt and Associates.
Several archeologists remembered sites that contained stones that
could have been griddle stones, but my research efforts have
found that
for all except one, there is no mention of them in reports or
the notes.
Ground stone fragments were mentioned in some reports, but they
were
not collected. The collection from one site that was suggested is in
Panhandle Plains Museum.
Although the fragments that were found were not reported as griddle
stones,
some information about them was included in the report. I hope to travel
there soon to check and photograph those stones and "tablets". I also
hope to
travel to Lubbock to check and photograph the stone from Justiceburg.
Luckily, after a griddle stone baking demo at field school last summer
one
of the crew chiefs came to me and said that after seeing the demo she
felt
sure they had found a griddle stone that morning, but had labeled it
a
metate. It does seem to meet the criteria for a griddle
stone...Bob
Mallouf agreed. Also, shortly after field school, Andy Cloud
found and
identified a griddle stone fragment in Presidio County. Actually,
I need
to locate more griddle stones to establish a pattern of identifying
characteristics before this project will be completely accepted.
Since
I have found so few that I can match stone to information from past
excavations, they will have to come from future excavations.
That's why I keep bringing this up at every opportunity. I think I
have
already mentioned the characteristics that I believe identify griddle
stones.
These characteristics are partially based on the descriptions of "piki
stones".
If you find something you think might be a griddle stone, remember,
a detailed description of the undisturbed context is VERY important.
I would also be interested in information on any bedrock mortars in
the vicinity and in possible food sources in the area such as
oak trees (acorns), mesquite trees (pods & beans), pecan trees,
snail
shells, etc.
Bob, this is my very long winded way of telling you that there are no
publications or even occasional essays on this artifact, except for
a two
page paper that was handed out at my griddle stone display at
Annual
Meeting. The artifact has only recently been recognized in Texas.
I will
write a report on griddle stones as soon as I have more information.
I am
currently in the process of trying to determine if there is any written
information on "griddle stones" in bordering states. So far,
information
from the Internet has mentioned griddle stones and ceramic griddles
from
Egypt, England, Scotland ,Ireland, various Caribbean sites, Mexico
and
sites in Asia. I have found "piki stones" mentioned in a couple
of sites
from New Mexico and Arizona.
Reeda |
