181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
|
Post by 181lizard on Sept 6, 2007 15:51:16 GMT -5
I will pray for you...
|
|
|
Post by flintfish on Sept 6, 2007 15:56:57 GMT -5
Hi Rockit, Ok - For once I'm gonna keep it short - I haven't handled US lithic artifacts, but I've handled loads of stuff in the UK. What you have there looks to be part of a worked blade. Photo 4 shows the striking platform at the bottom of the image, and the ridge running up the blade. The piece then appears to have been turned 90o and reworked from the back face to produce a sharp scraper edge. It is very difficult to understand directly from the photos, but I can see clearly preparation of the striking platform before the blade has been flaked, and then a series of reworking flakes to produce the edge, so that's a worked tool, no question. However as to age, this is very difficult to precisely define. It could well be a very old piece, I don't know your conditions or how the material reacts, flints in the uk can look fresh as the day they were made, or covered in a deep patina and every stage in between. That said, a scraper - basically used to remove fat and tissues from the inside side of pelts and leathers, is universally found throughout all periods, with only minor changes in style to define the period. I believe the Clovis culture is identified by the presence of the famous clovis points, but also has an archaeological record of other tool types, just not so diagnostic in their appearance. In the UK, I've found scrapers from neolithic and bronze age digs(2,000 to 8,000 ya), and handled tools as old as 50,000 years from mesolithic sites. Older than this and the tools are very simplistic, and much less well defined. Occasionaly tools would be haften in a wooden handle, but the thumbnail scraper is universally accepted as a fundamental of the tool kit. Believe me - that was short - I could be here for days I'd like to hear the thoughts of you US artifact folks. Hope this has helped, or at least been of interest - thanks so much for posting the pics, I just love to see stone of this nature, sweet find man, really really nice. Do drop me a line if you want more detail or just want to bounce some thoughts. And your right about the feel of the piece, the thumb for support and direction, and the finger cradles the blade to maintain control. Cheers, Harry.
|
|
181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
|
Post by 181lizard on Sept 6, 2007 20:33:28 GMT -5
Why Harry! you closet artifact guy! LOL
|
|
|
Post by flintfish on Sept 7, 2007 1:26:26 GMT -5
Ex-Archaeologist - What can I say
|
|
karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,495
|
Post by karenfh on Sept 7, 2007 2:21:05 GMT -5
OMG! Don't tumble that! It sure looks worked to me. I'm waiting for more expert opinions. However, I think you will be pretty happy! Go find that GW officer, and ask him many questions, specifically the location he found those stones! How fun for you. Thanks for the pictures!
|
|
agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
|
Post by agatemaggot on Sept 7, 2007 4:34:39 GMT -5
Your piece of stone appeares to be a scraper . Scrapers are usually hard to date for no other reason than many cultures would use the same camp sites over an extended period of time. Here in Iowa it's not unusual to find traces of 3 to 5 different cultures in an area of 3 to 5 acres. The criteria for a camp site remained the same from one culture to the next. It was usually higher ground, well drained with close proximity to water. The same type of set up that most campers would choose for a weekend getaway from the real world today. If an artifact has flutes or notches, possibly other features then it a little easier to estimate a date. Does the base you have there have flutes on both sides ?
Harley
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
|
Post by stefan on Sept 7, 2007 9:00:12 GMT -5
OK I just got into Knapping- and I've been reading a lot about the Clovis and Pre Clovis artifacts- Fisrt and FOremost what you have is a worked tool- But a couple things trouble me (just being open minded here) THe fact that a Wild Life Officer handed that to you makes me wonder- If you were on State Land- I believe all artifacts must be left in place (unlikly he would risk his job over a scraper)- Now priviate land is another story- Also the lack of any patina (as Harry notes this may not be that unusual) leads me to question the age of this piece- on the other hand why would someone leave such a crude piece laying around as a joke? Now SouthCarolina and Georgia are being studied pretty carefully as their is a strong belief of some pre-Clovis sites and your scrapper is crude enough to be considered ancient (of course scrappers from all periods are pretty crude) so I would say you got a pretty good shot of it being authentic and ancient- I think a trip to the local college and a talk to the archeoloigy department are in oder here!
|
|
|
Post by Tonyterner on Sept 7, 2007 10:37:10 GMT -5
Rockitman, what are you doing that makes your pages so wide? Its real annoying to read when you constantly need to scroll with the mouse.
|
|
181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
|
Post by 181lizard on Sept 7, 2007 11:26:52 GMT -5
Tony...I think he just hit a button somehow or sumthin. It's a pain...fer sure...but crazy things have happend to my posts sometimes cause I don't watch my fingers!
Harry! You ARE my dream occupation!!! Wish I'd have had the brains & maturity whilst in school to follow THAT path...but what the heck! How I envy you!!
|
|
|
Post by flintfish on Sept 7, 2007 12:32:35 GMT -5
Hi again, I reckon it's just a wide picture - no great shakes, I tend to post images 640 wide or less to avoid the scroll, but it's not a major issue, I just like to see the pics !!! Lizard, Thanks for the complements mate, I loved the work, but had to find a "real job" to pay the bills in the end, now I work in a stuffy office, sometimes I just long to be up to my arm pits in a cold wet muddy hole... Uh hang on a minute what am I saying lol I'm not sure about the US, but I just went along to the local History Society dig with my trowel and got started. Here in the UK, the digger is the lowest form on-site, and anyone with half an interest can wander up and get started, so ask around, there may be a local dig you can join up on. It's brilliant I'm sure you'll love it, however the professional world is another story. I shant shatter any illusions unless you really want to know about it, but it's not the science I thought it was. Things may be different over the water - Well I'd have to hope so or I'd despair. Get a trowel and go find a dig if your interested, you won't regret getting involved in a good dig. Cheers All, H
|
|
|
Post by snowdog on Sept 8, 2007 0:09:07 GMT -5
aaaah, first , I think he posted the pics one after the other without hitting the "enter" button after each --- that just allows them to go side by side -- that's why it's so wide ------- --- second , I'm not a real expert but don't thnk they are "real" old ---- I collect alot and the older they get, the better they are shaped & made ( super thin , and worked real nice ) --they have been worked -- the first one was just something to "get the job done now" type of thing --- just a few whacks and it's useable --- ( could almost be someone today , trying their hand at it ;D) -- if you look real close at the yellow one , in the upper left corner , it looks to have fresh breaks around the top ?? --------- but don't stop looking or learning !! THEY are out there !! ;D ;D and you never know when a good one will turn up!!
|
|