Probably Artifact I was given

[fernwood]

What goes around comes around. Co-worker that I have been giving rocks to and sharing knowledge with ran across a lot of artifacts. He purchased a 40 lb box filled with mostly unfinished and broken points, spears, axes, and a few toys. Cost was $15.00. I was able to identify the only intact point as Aqua Plano from 7000 to 4500 BC, as I have some identical ones that were professionally identified. He plans on going back soon to get more, now that he knows what they are. They belonged to a long time collector who recently passed away. His 70 year old son is cleaning out Dad’s house and selling stuff for little to nothing. It is located in SE WI. There are a lot of Native artifacts and other items dating from the 1800’s and prior.



He told me to select the one I liked the most and chose this one. To me, it appears unfinished, but not sure. Could have been made like than on purpose. One side is mostly smooth. The other has a projection in the middle. There are iron deposits on the surface that a magnet sticks to. Rock appears to be halfway between quartz and chert, similar to many I am finding at my place.



Opinions requested.



Projection side.









Flatter side.





Close ups.











Height of Projection.







How I am displaying it.

[Sabre52]

Very cool! Round the ranch here we find lots of those big crude leaf shaped bifaces. Locally, they are known as trade blanks. The Amerinds would break down big flint nodules with percussion flaking and make those blanks as it was easier to transport a big biface than a weighty entire flint nodule. The bifaces could then be knapped later to form other artifacts. I suppose they could also be used as is, as choppers to butcher large game. I have a flint quarry on one of my properties and those bifaces are found quite often, especially where there is a permanent spring on the edge of the hill. About half a mile further down the creek, there is also a campsite with finished points made from those same blanks....Mel

[fernwood]

Thanks for the info. From my experience, these are a little uncommon in WI, at least the SE 1/3. Had never had the opportunity to acquire anything like this before, so jumped on it. Will be sending photos to local museum Director for his opinion.

[mjflinty]

The material is Hixton Silicified Sandstone and it is not a finished piece. Often when a knapper ran into difficulties with a piece they would discard it, especially when they were near the quarry. The "projection" you photographed is called a stack by knappers and that one is a big one! The piece could be thousands of years old; native peoples made bifaces (preforms) like this from 12,000 BC - contact.

All the best,
Michael

[fernwood]

Appreciate the info.

[orrum]

A biface is also used today to prove a flint pieces worth. You can see no fractures or crystal cavites. Both of these stop a flake a create a step that is very undesirable. Flint ridge is famous for this. You could buy a LFRB and literally not get anything to work out from the rough except bird points! The stack of steps on that piece is bad indeed. Also certain knapp able rocks are "beast rock" because they don't knapp with a hertian cone fracture. So u just beat out a point the best wsy you can. Here in the southern snd eastern part of the country we only have native Quartzsite. It's a beast rock and the ancients made a lot of ugly points from it but it's all they had and ultimately a ugly point kills as well or maybe better than a showpiece. A sharp well formed flake with no knapping on a arrow or spear was very effective!!! Why spend hours on a beauty?

[Fossilman]

Beautiful piece of material!!!

[fernwood]

I just love the piece. All the knowledge I am being given here is great. I have several smaller points and some tools my G-Grandfather found, but this is the largest and most unique one I have so far.