SNAKE EFFIGY MORTAR, NORTH OF PEEBLES, OHIO, 19th Century Find

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SNAKE EFFIGY MORTAR, NORTH OF PEEBLES, OHIO, 19th Century Find:
$224.00

Diameter: 2 ¼”

Height: 1 3/8”

Weight: 8.1 oz

One of the more fantastic Ohio artifacts yet collected. Originally found in the 19th century during field clearance, about a 1/2 mile southwest of the Serpent Mound Embankment site above Ohio Brush Creek in Adams County, Ohio, this is a small mortar with a carved stone snake effigy carved along one side. Fashioned in bar-relief, the effigy descends down from the grind area towards the lower end of the globular stone.

This item, was acquired privately, from now-out-of-state residents.

Abrasion scratches with slight dings and pitting are evident throughout the artifact.

The image/pattern/provenance of this artifact suggests it may have some association with the nearby Serpent Mound.

Serpent mound, found atop a cliffside above Ohio Brush Creek is the largest serpent effigy in the world. Much confusion and scholarly differences are associated with the site. It was either constructed by the Ohio Valley Fort Ancient Culture sometime around 1000 AD, OR it was refurbished by the Fort Ancient Culture but ACTUALLY constructed by the very early Adena Culture, around 3000 years ago! Either way, the place has had a long attraction to the serpent.

This can also be surmised via an old Cherokee Indian legend of the Uktena, a large serpent with supernatural appearance and power. The long existence of the legend attests to the importance of the figure.

Perhaps the Serpent Mound was a large totemic shrine? Others have speculated about possible astronomical alignments. The jury is still out.

For this listing, however, it is intriguing to find a serpent carved on a small grinding mortar essentially next door to a major earth-image site.

As with all artifacts, that come from old family collections and I depend upon family input into the history/provenance of the piece.

This is a fabulously intriguing find that deserves special placement in anyone\'s collection.