Paleo Endscrapers

[uniface]

Triangular end scrapers with corner spurs (sometimes only acute angles where the working edge meets the sides) are Paleo fingerprint identifiers -- so often found on those made by fluted point people as to be typical of them (when this feature hasn't been effaced by the heavy use these were subjected to), and rare to absent on later ones.


They are situational artifacts -- Carl Yahnig found only a handful of them on all five Little River sites combined, and there were very few at Gault, but the seasonal caribou hunting sites in Ohio have yielded (literally) buckets full of them -- thousands. This would indicate they were made for processing hides, yet at least one use wear study concluded that most of those studied had been used as woodworking tools from the edge wear they showed. So go figure. As with other aspects of these peoples/ lives, at the end of the day, there are more questions than answers.


Those shown are from Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

 

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[uniface]

 

[uniface]

 

[uniface]

A worn out and discarded example of cobble Onondaga found by Dick Savage on a Paleo site in Pennsylvania.

Once the edge angle reaches 90 degrees through repeated resharpening, it's done.

 

[uniface]

This is a nice one I overlooked. Found by James Buss in Monroe County, NY. Onondaga chert.

You guys can have the points. Just turn me loose with stuff like this ��

 

[TxAg]

Nice examples and explanation for these tools! This is very timely for me, Uniface, as I actually found one yesterday in the Sandhills. Thought it was a thick unifaced dart point, but my mentor JJ said it was a Paleo end scraper. I am not making this up! He said mine still has the spurs intact on the working edge. Nice to see your examples in addition to mine, Uni. I’ve added a picture of mine as well.

 

[uniface]

Glad to have some company here !

 

[TxAg]

Thanks Uniface. Not sure why my picture turned sideways, lol.

 

[uniface]

HOLD EVERYTHING ! ! !

I just found Eric Scharb's website (Kentucky Lithic Analysis Services) by happy accident while googling around. On it, he illustrates a couple of identical artifacts, which he says come from the Early Archaic era. Waiting for his e-mail reply to my questions like a kid on Christmas eve

Stay tuned !

 

[tomclark]

PES Early Archaic or Late Paleo not much difference. Have found them with all phases of Paleo into Early Archaic and there are examples of very similar tools they just had to have and make into later times.

 

[uniface]

Valuable, experience-based information. Thank you !

I notice, though, that those you show are one size larger than the ones in this particular thread -- more the silver dollar-size of the (separate thread) AquaPlano endscrapers.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/650748-aquaplano-endscrapers.html

Is this a consistent pattern, or just random variation ?

Thanks for getting us closer to whatever the truth of the matter was.

Keep it coming !

 

[Tnmountains]

Oh no. You have posted information that will make me have to go back and look at my finds again.

Ok question...... What about larger than thumb srapers with distal points? Distal is that the right word?

 

[uniface]

Distal = tip end. Proximal = butt end.

P.S. If you happen to run into this guy while searching, say "hi" for me, OK ?



Or or post him yourself !

 

[Tnmountains]

Distal = tip end. Proximal = butt end.

P.S. If you happen to run into this guy while searching, say "hi" for me, OK ? ��

View attachment 1908561

Or or post him yourself !

No. You are going to pm me your address so it can come home to you and then you can post it. Deal?

 

[uniface]

Oh no. You have posted information that will make me have to go back and look at my finds again.

Ok question...... What about larger than thumb srapers with distal points? Distal is that the right word?

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/650748-aquaplano-endscrapers.html

 

[uniface]

BREAKING NEWS !


I just heard back from Eric Schlarb (referenced above), and boy, was I ever wrong about these !!! Just tickled and delighted about it, too, because now I know what I didn't before, from inability to find relevant information on them.

Above is the title/link to an article I coauthored on the Canton Site. This is the site where the scrapers were recovered. Most of the points were Kirk Cluster and Kirk variants. I also excavated a site in Casey County several years ago where we found the same kind of scrapers in Early Archaic deposits. The transition from Paleo to Early Archaic was not sudden and certain technologies were passed on from one period to another throughout prehistory. If you have the time, please read the article. It can also be accessed on my website. I hope this is helpful.

The article is long, detailed and excellent. Recommended reading for sure:

https://www.kylithics.com

click on About Us

then on Something Unexpected: Investigating the 8,500-year-old Canton Site in Trigg County, Kentucky.

(The Kirk endscrapers I referenced are pictured on his site).

 

[kentucky Quinn]

Man, so much to learn....

 

[joshuaream]

That's an interesting observation on finding these at some sites, but very few at other sites.

Maybe an oversimplification, but it seems like at big, artifact rich sites near quarries they didn't make or curate tools like these. When they were out on the tundra, or in the desert, they didn't waste an inch of material and you can stretch your scrapers by careful resharpening.

 

[uniface]

Definitely situational artifacts. Both Gault and all five Little river Complex sites combined produced very few of them. But Nobles Pond in Ohio produced literally thousands. Lots at Shoop, too. Paul Frey has an exhibit of them at the other place.