A Deeper Look in to the Maine Totem Stone Tool

 

    The following series of  pictures below are all of the same tool picked out from the group of tools above. I am not here to reinvent the tool. I have found embellishments by humans for humans that merge with the tool.  For me, this embellishment, is what confirms the stone's history as a tool. This revelation may not be for the faint of heart. So, we are not here for reinventing a serrated edge, curved knife, drill, concave scrapers of sizes almost standardize. Yes, these tools are actually standardized by the human hand. Like the inch to the thumb, it is made ergonomically tovfit the human hand. All the tools you may need on one handy dandy stone. With that said, this is an open discussion. The questions are infinite. I may be totally wrong about everything, but prove me wrong, and make my day. 😇 

      the stones are highlighted, using a pen with my computer, with some of the forms that appear within the totem. Please look at the original stone to locate totem images, or spot them on a stone of your own. My outline is only a guide. You will find that the more you highlight, the more that you will see . The design of the totem will take advantage of the negative space. My highlighting is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope to get others up to par, so we can then explore deeper, together. We are taking things a little deeper now😁. 

  One thing that jumps out is a beautiful feminine profile looking towards the left, and once it is spotted, it will not be long before other characters start winking for your eye's attention. Hopefully, this is where the fun begins.  This sweet profile is almost on every stone totem. It represents the maiden/childhood. There is also often a nude female 3/4 view with backside towards the viewer. I describe this a receptive female. These stones do cover husbandry for all the totem animals. I have not directly explored these images due to the delicate subject matter, but I assure you it is there.

    In the the photo below I have added the suggestions for where to look to nudge the conversation forward. The profiles will include a headdress with the characteristics of the totem animal associated with the profile. There are always multiple expressions of the totem animal. In the image above, the head dress above the profile, is a composition that includes multiple expressions of the bird life cycle. Starting with a bird brooding with a nest and egg with her beak pointing to the left (drawn in red). Another bird with head pointing down as if diving in flight (drawn in blue). Finally, there is a vulture with its wings up and head down over the forehead of profile ending the life cycle (drawn in black). You'll notice the similarity in subject matter with this tool and the iconography stone totem pole from Gobekli Tepe, which I discussed in my previous post on this blog.                                                                                           

                                                             

    By now, I hope that you noticed the layers in the stone have been pecked away to reveal a red tone in the stone to define the features on a face. This knapping/pecking was carried out on both sides of the stone. This is one of the many techniques where the artist employs the natural occurrences in the stone to enhance the work.  Please, I will remind the viewer,to realize, that my lines are helpful, but the real experience comes when seen on the original stone. I encourage anyone to find an interesting stone from their garden or foot path. Pick a stone that draws your attention. It does not have to look like a jackknife. There are axes, adze, hammer stones, chisel, scrapers, and every other tool to fill your tool box.  They all have their story to tell. You can try to apply what we are finding here and see what you have in your neck of the woods. 

   This is the same stone simply turned up side down without flipping it over.  There is frontal face created by pecking or napping in and out of the pink layer in the stone. Teeth often included in images. I am now nudging you towards the vulture totem. There are many totems on this stone and I am skimming the surface to get the viewer looking. My main intent in this study is to share with you as I map out the totems to see if there is a way to create a time line from the imagery. Of course, there is always the possibility I am totally wrong about this. At the same time, if I am right, we have thousands of years of history directly form the source. Now that would be super cool. 😎

   There is a lot going on, but there is a pattern that begins to reveal it self. The first is the opposing bird and bear. The life cycle of the totem animal is another. we also have viewed the profile or head of the human with the defining head dress. The next pattern is the standing figure. The standing figure is usually in full regalia. Look for the nose of the the larger head profile. The elbow of the standing figure will be that nose. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

   The Vulture man peaks from underneath the large birds beak. This technique is repeated around the totem stone with each totem character. The bear profile will have a bear man peering out. There is also a reference to nose type. In the later woodland artifacts the beaver and porcupine play prominent positions as totems. This particular stone feels large in my hand and my hand is not small. It is more likely for a man's hand or just an overall larger people. 

   

   The highlighting allows the viewer to keep their place. By tracing out the different icons the napping/pecking lines can be followed and at times bringing to view other images as well. I can not emphasize enough the complexity of this material. This capacity to pack so much onto one surface is what sets this Art apart. 

   Now back to the stone as we continue to the next totem animal.  One can start picking up how the stone provides information of costume. It shows the capacity of these people to create costumes with our feathered friends. They also had great mastery of working with bones and animal hides. The size of the tool is for a big hand and large beast gives hint of megafauna. In the view below the woolly mammoth is presented by a human. The human is pointing out the tusk. There are trunks, tusk, and large buttocks in many directions. As the stone is turned side ways the mammoth hide turns into a shelter with human welcoming viewer with family sheltering in side.                                                                                                  

                                                                                 

   The type of shelter is an important element in the totem stone. There will be reference to type of shelter used by different folks in most totem stones. You will find that the there will be a welcoming character at the opening of the shelter. Inside will be family members. I find this heart warming, to be welcome in to their home.  Thank you again for looking.