Found a worked obsidian flake on the Rivanna River VA

[Abraham Crane]

I found this near Charlottesville VA yesterday. I believe it’s an obsidian flake off of a larger worked piece. Any thoughts?

 

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[Tdog]

I'd say it's some type of chert debitage. Welcome.

 

[welsbury]

From what I can see it doesn't look like obsidian

 

[Abraham Crane]

Ah well one can hope. Thanks for the input! It is worked is it not?

 

[welsbury]

Like Tdog said it is probably a piece of debitage

 

[Abraham Crane]

Found this with it. Piece of Indian pottery for sure.

 

[Tdog]

Google "lithic debitage".

https://www.google.com/search?q=lit...VomeAKHUzDDVEQ_AUoAXoECBUQAw&biw=1920&bih=937

 

[Abraham Crane]

Thanks Tdog, I’m somewhat new to the game and I was unaware of what Lithic debitage meant. I’ll certainly keep it in mind for next time!

 

[Quartzite Keith]

As Tdog says, chert. There are a number of black cherts in the mountains to your west. Over time small pieces have gotten dumped into the major rivers and tumbled down into the piedmont and coastal plain. While looking in the cobble beds and gravel bars for good pieces of quartz or quartzite, the old timers would luck upon them and split them up to use as small cutting tools or, on rarer occasions, make small points out of them. That "crazing" and flecks or rust color are common, but some is pure black and super fine grained. One example, but use the link to look at others:

https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/lithics/roanoke-region-chert/

 

[Abraham Crane]

Great info sir! I did find many quartz flakes along with it probably suggesting that I was in a spot where they commonly made their blades and points. Glad to know it’s at least somewhat uncommon!