Well according to this article it seems wood could be used..although they are calling it a mortar not a metate.If you wade through the technical terms it's pretty intresting.





http://www.pcas.org/Vol32N4/324Schr.pdf

Those Manos are killer. I like camp stuff. You know they were used every day. We all like points but the camp stuff is good find. Keep the pics coming. For those of us diggers working in Chicago your postings are the best!

Those Manos are killer. I like camp stuff. You know they were used every day. We all like points but the camp stuff is good find. Keep the pics coming. For those of us diggers working in Chicago your postings are the best!

That is a good read, another reason for using wood for grinding in this specific area might be the lack of larger good quality rocks,here there is alot of Iron ore rocks that is somewhat soft. I have found one large matate which was made from schitkz (spelling?) very hard, which I believe the source was at least 3 miles away. Further to the east there maybe more sandstone available.

The most tasty flour/meal was seasoned while grinding on a good piece of mesqite or hickory!!

Thanks,

The 3rd pic down might be a Wilson point, which is considered yo be late paleo.