A stone, two holes and a question

I found this stone from a field which used to be wetland. Plenty of water smoothed stones there (minus the ones stolen for my pond ) but this one is different.

It has two- and a half holes that make it look like a carved idol. I understand that usually holes in a stone are caused by erosion, perhaps slow grinding of a grain of harder stone on it.

Any ideas of firstly, are the holes man made or natural, and secondly, what type of stone is this?







The surface looks almost leathery so certainly it is a formed stone rather than layered or grains pressed together. It is heavy for its size so may be metallic ore.

The patch in the back looks like metal but the stone doesn't noticeably react to a magnet (ok, my domestic lab equipment for this scientific test consisted of a fridge magnet so may not be fully accurate ).

This part of North East is very old mining land so technically this could be mining scraps, smoothed over the years.

My knowledge of British geology is rather limited (I can confidently identify slate and sandstone but that's about it... ) so this might be something very ordinary that everybody digs up from their back gardens day in day out.

But it's interesting!

 

It is lovely, looks like an Owl.

 

It may be a naturally occuring hag stone.
It is said that if you look at a witch through the hole, her disguise will disappear.
So in order to check, firstly you'll need a witch

 

I'd probably hit it with a hammer.
Isn't that what all good geologists do?
Definitely a pebble.

 

Looking at the shape and size, and knowing the area. Could it be someone has attempted to drill a hole in it to use it as a cheap fishing weight? Then give up and thrown it away....

 

Could be due to an inclusion off a softer, more water soluble stone that has dissolved in the water that has tumbled and smoothed the stone over the centuries.

 

A Pebble! Of course! Thanks @pete , I'll add that to my list of England geology competency
And actually, geologists rarely hammer rocks on their days off. Instead, they stop the car at every cliff cutting the motorway goes through and lecture about the strata to the kids in the back seat who are just a mile off from the promised ice cream stop. Yes, my Dad is a geologist.

Yes, apparently there's a trade for drilled "nearly authentic hag stones", probably catering to the crystal folks.

 

We have over many decades been fascinated with stones that have "holes". They are amazing and the way that nature has worked on them to produce the "holes" is incredible.

 

I asked my Dad's (the geologist with low interest in kids' ice cream needs ) opinion. He thinks the stone might either be of volcanic origin, or clay type and that the holes might be caused by veins of different type of rock eroding away. A bit hard to tell by just seeing it via computer camera over Skype call.

I dived into further scientific experimentation and checked how a compass reacts to the stone (no reaction) and then played with the compass (a souvenir from Portugal's Land's end and in my handbag as a leftover from the househunting months) and my phone.

I believe it is justified to say I'm easily entertained

The truth is still out there, any guesses would be very welcome!

 

I still think it looks like an owl ... stick it in a pot with twig in front for a perch.