Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 110A
image_0 image_1
Woodland Period Stone Grinding Slab - Kentucky Cave Find
Woodland Period Stone Grinding Slab - Kentucky Cave Find
image_0 image_1

Native American, Eastern Woodland cultures, ca. 1000 BCE – 1000 CE. A substantial oval grinding stone shaped from dense gray sandstone, its broad face worn smooth by generations of repetitive labor. The tool's elongated, loaf-like form fits the hand and the work alike: one surface bears the gentle dishing and polish of long use, where seeds, nuts, and wild grains were reduced to meal against a lower nether stone. The cobble's natural contours were lightly dressed but largely left to the river that first rounded it, a reminder that the most enduring implements were often the least altered. Such manos and grinding slabs were the quiet engines of Woodland subsistence, anchoring domestic life as foraged and early cultivated plant foods grew central to the diet. Inscribed in old ink "Dickerson Cave, KY," it carries the patina of both ancient use and antiquarian collecting. Size: 11.1" L x 5" W x 1.5" D (28.2 cm L x 12.7 cm W x 3.8 cm D).

The Woodland period (roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE) across the Eastern United States saw the gradual intensification of plant food processing, including the cultivation of native seed crops of the Eastern Agricultural Complex such as goosefoot, sumpweed, and little barley, alongside gathered hickory and walnut. Ground stone tools like this one were essential to that economy, transforming hard seeds and nutmeats into storable, digestible meal. Kentucky's limestone country, riddled with dry rockshelters and caves, has long preserved such artifacts; this example is documented as found by B. Taylor in 1965 in Dickerson Cave, Todd County, an old-collection provenance that adds to its interest.

Provenance: private Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA collection; found by B. Taylor in 1965 in Dickerson Cave, Todd County, Kentucky, USA

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 199607

  • Condition: Very Good. Some nicks, chips, scratches, and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentation. Old inscriptions from previous owner on each side.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000