BOAT STONE, near BALLONA CREEK, SOUTHERN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (Repaired)

Description

BOAT STONE, near BALLONA CREEK, SOUTHERN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (Repaired)
Length:  5”
Width:  1 ¼”
Height:    1 ¼”
Weight:  9.8 oz
This delightful
“boat stone”
came out of the cliffside erosion just north of Los Angeles International Airport near a Bluff Creek Drive housing development some years ago.  It was part of an assemblage of other stone artifacts uncovered, including tiny marine effigies and the delightfully termed “donut stone.”
Boat stones are called such because they sort of look like upturned boats.  In truth, no one has a clue as to exactly their purpose, though examples of them have been found throughout America.
The listed artifact is an elongated “oval-shaped” stone with a clear an prominent length-wise, shaped groove.  The long-end sides are curved/smoothed.
Sometime before this site acquired this remarkable piece, one end of the artifact apparently was glued into place.
The entire perimeter of the artifact has been pecked and nicely ground down whose surface appears to have been rubbed.
Minor peck-marks, tiny nicks, digs and many abrasion scars
are evident along the side-edges/bottom.
As stated this strange artifact was uncovered near the bluffs above Ballona Creek—an ancient wetland lagoon—prior to its expansion and redevelopment.
That region above the Creek was developed into luxury homes some years ago during which many stone artifacts were found.
This site has been fortunate to privately access many of these assemblages.
During prehistoric times the Ballona Creek area was home to a large CHUMASH-related village.
Hundreds
of people lived near the ocean and creek, no doubt due to the large amount of available food—fish, waterfowl, tiny animals.
A mysterious  stone from the ancient Los Angeles area that still maintains its secrets after so many thousands of years!
(19
th& 21st
century photos of Ballona Creek)