How do I identify flakes?

[BrettCo124]

Hi all,

Another question that I've been struggling with: how do I identify what is a flake, and what is simply a rock that chipped off naturally?

Here is an example of what I found today. I brought it home just in case. I want to be able to know for sure that it is indeed a flake.



I also found a few more items that I brought home just in case it could have been something. I'd love your opinions on them. I'm sure they are just rocks, as I'm getting a better idea on how to identify artifacts. I'll post them on the next post following this one.

Thanks all. Just trying to keep on learning!

 

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[rock]

False alarm on the triangle didnt know it was so thick. They usually left their preforms thick but most everything else was thinned out. By looking at it I believe it is just a natural fractured piece of quartz. I find flat natural quartz pieces to that look worked but arent quartz is very hard to tell sometimes.

 

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[rock]

The last piece is a tough one imo it could be something or could be a geofact. In hand for me would be the only way for me to tell. I have found some very crude scrapers made from quartz you will have to wait and see what others say Im on the fence with that one but it does have the rite shape.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks rock! any clue on the potential paint pot? It is one weird looking rock, which I know there are many out there, but it is kind of interesting once I started googling them. It kind of highly resembles one..

 

[rock]

Id have to say natural almost looks like a root that had been in mud and as the mud turned to stone the root then rotted away and left the hard mud which turned to stone. All paint pots I have seen in this area were round and polished from use. I have seen concentrations that were round and then broken in half then used but there was always use wear on the inside and out which I dont see that on your piece.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks rock. I think it may be nothing as well. It actually has some weight to it which makes me question if it is a metal.. wish there was a way to positively identify the quartz one.

I've only found two artifacts ever, all within the past year I've looked (see photo of my two finds). I don't check in places that are hotspots at all, which is my problem. I will be checking out a site in Maryland this week (where I found these two). Hoping to find more!

 

[Old Pueblo]

Great question. You can always try chipping away at some nice tight grain, non pourous rock to see what it looks like after youve broken it. Flakes are sharp, natural stone usually is not. Rocks that were broken by man 5,000 years ago or even before or since then are still just as sharp today. You can also tell by the way it is broken. Rocks will not break up naturally they same way they are reduced by flaking for making stone tools. You can see a bunch of flakes here and other lithic debris, with a few actual tools mixed in, to get a good idea of what it looks like. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/555280-these-tools-flakes.html