Pancho
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This piece has been in the family for 3 generations and I don't know anything about it. Can anything be known by the size and shape of it?http://thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=74930&stc=1&d=1206020619
Do we have any stone tool experts on the forum?
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Not really. The location/surroundings that artifacts like that come from is the most valuable when it comes to age, type, etc. (It's called provenance by archaeologist types)
A flaked stone double-bit axe is pretty cool though, ever take it to a local university and ask one of the eggheads about it?
A flaked stone double-bit axe is pretty cool though, ever take it to a local university and ask one of the eggheads about it?
Jamie C.
Member
I'm wondering if it's an ax or if it's a hide scraper of some kind. ( Awfully small for an ax )
Are both sides sharp or is one more dull/rounded than the other?
J.C.
Are both sides sharp or is one more dull/rounded than the other?
J.C.
Pancho
Member
The tool is equally sharpened on both sides so as a hide scraper it would be uncomfortable to use. The problem with provenance is that my grandfather was quite the vagabond before and after WW1. He was raised in Alabama and hoboed after the war ending up in Oklahoma. He was a man of few words and so it's anybodies guess.
BA in anthropology, but that was 20 years ago... and I only did one summer of fieldwork in digging. I know I had a class in paleo/meso/neolithic, but I can only remember generalizations and such.
1) axe head? It is a bit small, but that's pretty subjective. Does it have a chip or two on the cutting edge, like from hitting something that was a little too hard? Also, it looks like a pretty hard material, but is there any wear around the waist? Like from the banding material that would have been used.
2) source piece? A chunk used to break off other chunks to make points out of.
1) axe head? It is a bit small, but that's pretty subjective. Does it have a chip or two on the cutting edge, like from hitting something that was a little too hard? Also, it looks like a pretty hard material, but is there any wear around the waist? Like from the banding material that would have been used.
2) source piece? A chunk used to break off other chunks to make points out of.
IndianaBoy
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I do a bit of work knapping points and blades.
That was almost definitely hafted, the notches are to give good support to a sinew wrap. A tool that size would have been very useful when butchering game. From squirrel up to deer size. Chop through small bones on game like rabbits, and tendons, etc on deer.
Just a WAG.
That was almost definitely hafted, the notches are to give good support to a sinew wrap. A tool that size would have been very useful when butchering game. From squirrel up to deer size. Chop through small bones on game like rabbits, and tendons, etc on deer.
Just a WAG.
IndianaBoy
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Lithic cores usually look like this:
That is too small to strike any smaller flakes from without risking a step fracture. It was likely formed by pressure flaking, and is almost certainly a finished product in it's desired shape.
That is too small to strike any smaller flakes from without risking a step fracture. It was likely formed by pressure flaking, and is almost certainly a finished product in it's desired shape.
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