herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 2, 2012 9:16:05 GMT -5
UPDATE END OF TRIP Well, I learned a thing or two. First, someone gave me a bunch of "Wyoming jade" from an old collection several months ago, so that is what I thought the green rock was. Turns out this is basalt of some sort, not sure what turns it green. SO I've been passing off basalt as jade unknowingly, and was looking for the wrong thing, of finding the wrong thing and incorrectly identifying it. I need to send keystonecops something to replace the basalt I sent him, not knowing it was basalt. (I was sending him a thank you for some one-on-one calls he made to help me out) SO - I showed the "tools" to a local geology expert and he said this was wind-shaped basalt. The "faceting" and smoothness were the product of the wind. The good news is that I can keep them because had they been artifacts I would not have been allowed to keep them because we were on BLM land. END UPDATE I left late last night and drove up to south-central wyoming to do some rockhounding. I woke up this morning to a beautiful day and spent 30 minutes walking a 100 foot radius around my truck. I am finding what appear to me to be knapped shards all over, although there are nine grouped into piles. This happens from time to time, I find lots of there chert/jasper/agate flakes. I then saw this laying on the ground, very different-looking than the other jade I also see laying around. I know nothing about artifacts, but this was right on the top edge of a hillside where there are tons of these large chert/flint/etc rocks. Is this a knapping tool?!!
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Post by jakesrocks on Jun 2, 2012 9:31:06 GMT -5
First pic looks like some may be flakes left over from making tools or points. Second pic looks like it was deliberately shaped into a tool of some sort. Hope some of our more experienced folks jump in here. These were flakes and partially finished tools I collected back in the 50's.
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Post by Pat on Jun 2, 2012 9:59:33 GMT -5
Can't help, but that is so neat!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 2, 2012 10:29:24 GMT -5
Yuppers,your finding tools my friend......Congrads on the finds...
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 2, 2012 10:53:00 GMT -5
I have to be imagining things. I am finding dozens or hundreds of chips and another shaped piece of jade:
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jun 2, 2012 10:56:23 GMT -5
Wow a virtual stone age factory. How COOOL is that Stu
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rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
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Post by rockingthenorth on Jun 2, 2012 11:23:34 GMT -5
very cool
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2012 12:26:58 GMT -5
According to my son when the men got to old to hunt they would sit and nap tools. It was usually up on a hill so they could always be on the lookout. Jim
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Jun 2, 2012 12:36:22 GMT -5
I don't know if this is a well picked area but a lot of knappers will rough out the stones on site because there is so much wastage it saves carrying a lot of dead weight out. I'm sure everyone that has used the site has done the same thing through history so you never know who last touched th peice you picked up
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 4, 2012 9:39:15 GMT -5
I think itsandbits offers good insight. Many of the chips and shards are very crisp with no weathering to show.
I learned some important facts about my "tools" and updated the OP.
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