Day 1 in Maryland

[BrettCo124]

Hey all,

So this is day one of two in Maryland. I'm at a friends place where I've found two arrowheads before and flakes. So, I'm back to try again. I'll post day two tomorrow, but for day one, could you please help me with a couple of IDs?

first pics: looks like a piece of pottery. Is it Native American? It looks like the design etchings are done by hand.

second pics: this thing is razor sharp. It has a bulbed backside to it, and it really feels like it could be possibly a mini scraper, but I'm too much of a newbie to know for sure. All I know is, it's literally razor sharp around that entire side.

Third pics: is this finally my first flake that I could legitimately identify? Lol. If so, I'm happy with it. Oddly, it has little etches along its edge, almost like it could have been for scraping. I feel like it would just crumble though if us ed as one. Any ideas?

Thanks all!

 

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[BrettCo124]

Thanks arrow, I wrote you back.

Question on how I should go about looking tomorrow: I spent all day looking along the beach and in the water, in a tiny 250+ foot section of my friend's private beach. Tomorrow, I am planning to return for a bit. I brought a shovel and a large sifter. Should I sift the stones from the river? Have you ever done this? I feel like since I already searched today, I should try sifting tomorrow.

Also, I'm still curious as to whether my photos are indeed Native American artifacts. I'd love more of your responses so I can continue to learn this hobby.

Thanks all!

 

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[arrow86]

There are a lot of people who have success sifting I would say it can't hurt especially given you are limited to that stretch of beach. I only had luck sifting one time on a beach that was littered with flakes , cores and debitage and still just found 1 whole point and a broke.

 

[BrettCo124]

If I left with one point from the past two days of searching, I'll be one happy person!

Arrow- What are your thoughts on my finds? I'm ready to put them in my collection, but I'm not sure if it's all what it appears to be. I can say this, the pottery piece, whether Native American or not, is 100 percent handmade piece. That design on it was done by hand.

The sharp piece that I thought could be a small scraper, really appears to be one. I can actually see small indentations that appear to be worked edges, even though it's barely visible now. It's also sharper than a knife.

The small flake I found has micro flaking, or so it appears to have. I'm assuming this is indeed an artifact, and not just a normal stone. My final question would be, why would there be micro flaking? What would be the point of that?

So, what do you think? Do I keep them?

 

[arrow86]

Scraper looks good the other piece could be reduction flake I'm not sure what to make of the other piece it does look like it has designs on it like some pottery but the other side looks too smooth to be Native American pottery, atleast what I find has more grain to it even when found in the river. Here's a pic of piece I found the other day
Not that there isn't smooth Native American pottery but I don't think it's typical for eastern shore.

 

[filmiracl]

I don't think that pottery sherd is indian related. I also still say no on the suspected scraper. I think I'm getting old because I'm having trouble seeing it in the photos. The edge is too straight and looks naturally broken... but of course, I don't have it in my hand so I can be wrong!

 

[BrettCo124]

I'd send my artifacts to you if it meant I'd get confirmation on my finds. It sucks when I don't know for sure (I'm too new to it all). I don't want to add it to my rock garden if its an actual artifact lol. I'll try and take a couple more shots of it to see if it makes a difference. I'll put the flash on too.

 

[BrettCo124]

Also could someone please let me know what microflaking is? And why would they do it on such a small piece of flake I found? See photo below.

 

[filmiracl]

Sorry... I still can't tell for sure on that suspected scraper. Someone here may be able to tell... It kind of looks used on the one side, but when flipped over to the other side, it doesn't. I'm almost still leaning towards no... but hang on to it because I'd hate for it to be a little tool and you toss because I said something. I can be wrong, I just can't tell. As for the flake, it is indeed a flake. Microflaking seems to have two definitions... microflaking as in small pressure flaking done to sharpen a tool... or tiny little flakes that break off from use (as in they are not intentionally taken off.) I tend to call microflaking those small flakes taken off from use because sharpening and edge is usually just pressure flaking. Sometimes though, you'll see a tiny little scalloped edge, which is clearly intentional.

 

[Old Pueblo]

I dont know why I didnt think of this yesterday, but it could be a carved seashell. Carved by human hands, I mean. The Natives here in AZ, used to carve all sorts of neat designs into sea shells from the Gulf of California. They also made jewelry with the stuff. Yours could very well be a carved sea shell, because like we both said, those have to be man made designs.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Scrapers do not have to have any microchipping or whatever they call it to be a scraper. Here in Arizona the natives would often break off a piece of rounded river rock and that was good enough. No further work was required, just one flake from the end. Ive found many, and they dont look like much, especially to someone unfamiliar with them. I dont know about this piece here, but a nice sharp and flat edge like that would be good for getting a nice even scrape.

 

[Old Pueblo]

There are a lot of people who have success sifting I would say it can't hurt especially given you are limited to that stretch of beach. I only had luck sifting one time on a beach that was littered with flakes , cores and debitage and still just found 1 whole point and a broke.

Finding one whole point is always a great day and worth the effort, though. Congrats!

 

[BrettCo124]

If the pottery isn't Native American, I wonder if it's at least old.

The scraper has a feel to it that just feels right. Thanks filmiracl for the definition of microflaking!

 

[BrettCo124]

Oh, I meant to also ask about the flake I found: why do microflaking to a flake? It seems like it's too small/thin/easily able to become broken to have any good use.

 

[filmiracl]

Oh, I meant to also ask about the flake I found: why do microflaking to a flake? It seems like it's too small/thin/easily able to become broken to have any good use.

Again, one definition of microflaking is the unintentional flakes taken off from use. They wouldn't take them off on purpose but the edge chips away from cutting or scraping. That's how you can spot a utilized flake tool. It was a quickly made disposable tool. They would just knock a flake off something, use it, and then throw it away. But sometimes people refer to fine pressure flaking along an edge as microflaking too... you would see that on a more obvious tool of some kind... including flakes.... which would be done to sharpen an edge. You call tell that because it generally displays a scalloped edge like /\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

[Paleo_joe]

Yes it's edge wear, not intentional microflaking. Flakes were used as scrapers. You are on a good spot, yes, and 250' feet is a lot. I have whole frames from way less than that. Sifting is lots of work. Go out after a rain and you can see worked flint shine, or a flashlight will also work at night.

 

[Paleo_joe]

Bulbous flake with smoothed bottom and evidence of edge use is a "thumbnail" scraper

 

[BrettCo124]

Got it. Thanks, I just wasn't sure if it was also possible that they would purposely take off some edges of a flake.

Paleo_joe - looks like I indeed have a thumb scraper then. Exactly what you have described is what picture #2,3 and 4 look and feel like.