Rejected, Found but unappreciated, Refound and appreciated

[scepter1]

In an effort to downsize my rockhound collection of over 40 years, I've been selling off most of it. In the bottom of a box full of agatized petrified wood I have 'refound' a rock that I NOW recognize as an artifact ! I may not be able to remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, but I can clearly recall finding this piece in June of 1973! I had been hunting for petrified wood in the desert sage brush lands of Eastern Washington, and with a heavy load to carry, I was taking a "short cut" back to the car. I came upon a small clearing with a larger 2' boulder in the middle, with agatized petrified wood chips littering the area around the rock. My thinking at that time was that some other rockhound had stopped here to lightened their load, and had high-graded by breaking off pieces to just take the best material. Even though I already had enough to carry, I saw a few nice larger chips and added them to my load. The same thing happen again a year later, in 1974, but at a different location about 1/2 mile from the first spot.

So what I'm now thinking is these spots were indian high-grading and tool making locations. What I found was rejected by it's maker, found by me umpteen years later but not recognized for what it was, and then 'refound' 38 years later as a cool artifact. Unused, it's still sharp... Chopper?

Rich.

[~MetalDigger~]

Looks like a chopper to me, from the other ones I've seen on the net. They all seem unique. Great Finds. I even collect odd rocks, and I've found a few. Anything out of place I pick it up.

[scepter1]

Another bottom of the box find: A opalized petrified wood knife.