lightning strikes 2

[bravowhiskey]

Howdy fellow hunters.

Just got back from a fantastic 2 day trip to the farm.

I have never been so lucky to strike 2 (for me) once in a lifetime finds in 2 days time. The one item is over on relics with a short story. "lightning strikes 1)

And here is the story on my artifact find.

Normally I hunt the creek beds for most of the artifacts I find, but there have been exceptions (a mano and a nice point) so I decided to check out a spot on dry land where lots of flakes are apparent for a change.



I was looking, flipping flakes around, and then ...what is this?



no way, really



yes way, but wait...flipped it over with my finger.



man, that critter has teeth.

check out these pics for a little detail (the clue is little)



Now what is the deal with the bent tip? It sure didn't melt. This couldn't have been an arrowhead, it would never have shot straight. Keep looking.



these two at camp later on. That is a .22 LR which measures abt 1" long. This point is tiny!
But there is still a surprise. Check out the back side...



It is a uniface. This sure as heck took me by surprise.

Now consider this.

This is the MOST delicate artifact I have ever seen. It is sooo thin, made on a very thin flake, not a break all the way to the end of the bent point.

It was found here...



Right on the side of a ranch road. How many years of traffic, cows, etc., etc. It survived intact!

What is it anyway? It can't be an arrowhead it wouldn't fly straight. It is also way too fragile. Is it a toy? No way it would never stay whole. WTH?

Thanks for any opinions.

 

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[rock]

Looks to be made from a flake. Even though it has the design of a point I guess I would have to say a flake knife slash Flake tool. It is very different looking for sure and a real keeper, JMO

 

[NC field hunter]

Could it be a doodle? Or possibly an eccentric on a flake? I have never heard of one being found but any thing is possible. Nice

 

[bravowhiskey]

definitly made from a very small flake. Extremely thin.

Guess I didn't get pics showing this well enough.

Yes, Sir NC something in that realm. Hope someone gets on with a little info on the possibilities. I've looked at lots of tiny points today before posting and couldn't find anything like this.

 

[GatorBoy]

What a beauty! What state are you in again? That looks like loose sand where are all those flakes were... I'd still be out there sifting with my headlamp on. It looks like a Hafted blade to me. You could probably cut through some pretty tough ligaments and tendons with those serrations.

 

[old digger]

This is something that I have pondered about for many years. I have found a couple of ''points' that are crudely fashioned and yet are somewhat sharp pointed.
In the west we have quite a few buffalo jumps, and my theory is that these crude projectile points were used as stunning points to stampede the buffalo over the cliff. Why waste a ''killing point'' just to prod a group of animals over a cliff which would kill or permanently injure in the long run. After running the buffalo over the cliff, the injured buffalo were either bludgeoned or shot with the killing projectile points.

 

[GatorBoy]

Seems you could throw a rock to do that...or a bolo anyway.

 

[old digger]

Seems you could throw a rock to do that...or a bolo anyway.

You should try that on a wild buffalo or even a wild cow. They would give you a good stare, which should give you, maybe a little time to find a tree or rock for protection. The sharp point would be more of a enticer.

 

[GatorBoy]

You're probably right..haha.

 

[NC field hunter]

This is something that I have pondered about for many years. I have found a couple of ''points' that are crudely fashioned and yet are somewhat sharp pointed.
In the west we have quite a few buffalo jumps, and my theory is that these crude projectile points were used as stunning points to stampede the buffalo over the cliff. Why waste a ''killing point'' just to prod a group of animals over a cliff which would kill or permanently injure in the long run. After running the buffalo over the cliff, the injured buffalo were either bludgeoned or shot with the killing projectile points.

Digger you have nice theories and lots of facts on darn near any artifact that one puts in front of you. I can't buy this one though. For sending buffalo off of a bluff, that is something I have never thought of. How did they make them plunge to their death. The strategy you have came up with, sounds plausible. I still think they would have used a far less detailed piece to shoot at the herd. Why not use a less detailed straight edge? Also, why have a point, but have it crooked over? It is also so thin and light, I doubt it would feel like much more than an insect to a buffalo. Just my initial thoughts on this piece being used in your theory. You have a really probable theory in my opinion, just the wrong "dart".

 

[GatorBoy]

I will keep this very short.... heards WERE run off cliffs. And they were dispatched of rather brutally at the bottom.

 

[larson1951]

wow bravo that is a way way cool piece
it almost makes me think of a charm or pendant piece
the material reminds me of porcellenite
it sure is pretty

Digger you have nice theories and lots of facts on darn near any artifact that one puts in front of you. I can't buy this one though. For sending buffalo off of a bluff, that is something I have never thought of. How did they make them plunge to their death. The strategy you have came up with, sounds plausible. I still think they would have used a far less detailed piece to shoot at the herd. Why not use a less detailed straight edge? Also, why have a point, but have it crooked over? It is also so thin and light, I doubt it would feel like much more than an insect to a buffalo. Just my initial thoughts on this piece being used in your theory. You have a really probable theory in my opinion, just the wrong "dart".

hey hey rusty

"I can't buy this one though." ?

digger and gator are right
google "buffalo jump"

 

[Get-the-point]

NC.. Herding has been taking place since the dawn of time of the hunter gatherer. This was considered the most effective and safe way to catch there prey. Back then they had the proverbial monsters to deal with so hearding them and driving them towards a cliff was not only the easiest way to kill them but was also safer. This method was phased out after the development of the atl-latl. At which time since prey that once was hunted has now been hunted to extinction. The development of the atl-latl gave more power then the standard thrust or spear toss. Plus gave precision and speed to the spear. Before that invention they would have to be at point blank range to thrust the spear to have any effect. This is why they herded the animals and drove them off cliffs. I can only imagine how many natives died during the hunt before the atl-latl.

Bravo that is one hell of a flake and good save my friend. It makes you wonder how they survive through constant driving over those paths..........

 

[bravowhiskey]

a couple side views. How this survived is a question for the ages...



larson,

Charm or pendant may be what I'm thinking. Note the serrations go all the way around the piece. Including the base. This is certainly odd. Have you ever seen this?

Also is it unusual for something like this to be a uniface?

 

[GatorBoy]

My opinion for what its worth is that it was not a pendant.. but a point/blade.. made from a flake. that's the natural curve of the flake when it was removed. Something being that thin.. when talking about a flake point is not that unusual. The fact that it is completely uni faced is the odd part. I'm guessing it just wasn't finished..... Maybe because it was too curved.... Here's one of my flake points.. there's no way this was a pendant. Except for a tiny bit of touching on the edge the back of this one is Uni faced also.
It's my opinion that on a flake point a punch would have been used to shape the point so not to break it...that would explain the appearance of serrations all the wayy around. I think the next step would have been to knock down the high points around the base and give a little work to the back edge. I can't see making a unifaced pendant to wear ..and not show the other side.... when they were making thousands of perfectly finished points. Logically speaking all my notched points that are thin could be pendants for that matter.












It's really nice whatever it is.

 

[larson1951]

yup your right
it is a pendant in my opinion
as far as unusual i say this was displayed with the un-worked side not showing....and sure is pretty

 

[*Molly*]

Hi Guys, for what's it's worth I don't think it's a pendant, surely pendants were wore with pride? so surely pendants would be much better pieces, I know mine are. It's obviously a slither, maybe a childs piece? Still it's a nice piece, I have come across a few like those.

 

[old digger]

a couple side views. How this survived is a question for the ages...

View attachment 759604 View attachment 759605 View attachment 759606

larson,

Charm or pendant may be what I'm thinking. Note the serrations go all the way around the piece. Including the base. This is certainly odd. Have you ever seen this?

Also is it unusual for something like this to be a uniface?

Maybe it was some type of inventive tool. Since it has a partial curved point, maybe it was used to get into something and scrape/dig out.

 

[NC field hunter]

I know that herds were ran off of cliffs. I have read about bones being found at the bottom of jumps. What I wanted to get across above is, personally I do not think the piece in question would be enough to make a huge animal jump off of a cliff. The piece is so thin and light, it probably wouldn't hurt as bad as a horse fly bite. I doubt buffalo would leap to their death due to this small blunted point. Who knows? Not me.

 

[Tnmountains]

Score Bravo ! You can tell she was not broke in half. So thin and delicate with strong work on it. You would have thought the traffic would have gotten it by now. What time frames are you seeing on the Bravo Whiskey Ranch? It that a .22 for size?