Some (What Else ?) Uniface Scrapers

[uniface]

These were some of the nicer ones in a box of 50 from western Tennessee I scored a while back, grouped by type.

The little triangular one at top right is typical of early Paleo (and atypical of anything else). The large(r) triangular one below it is a form and type you'd expect to find with Kirk corner-notched points (sharp corners, but worked "up and over" from the sides).

The second from left at top is posted (& discussed) separately. (The one next to it is basically the same thing but with a knife edge in place of a scraper edge).

Anybody who experiences a "Hey -- I've found ones like that with _____ points" is more than cordially invited to jump in and contribute !

It takes a village

 

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[SouthernGirl]

What do you think about this one?

 

[uniface]

I think it's a nice one, SG

 

[SouthernGirl]

Thanks!!

 

[Th3rty7]

I'd say you did very well with that group purchase. There's a bunch of sweet little scrapers in the lot.

Do you know of any books / websites that specifically associate tools( scrapers ) to individual cultures? Reading site reports helps but one source would be great. Multicomponent sites make it nearly impossible to make connections.

Do you think these combo tools we're researching are related to the duckbill scraper type? All I really know about them is their early archaic timeframe and shape.

 

[uniface]

Do you know of any books / websites that specifically associate tools( scrapers ) to individual cultures? Reading site reports helps but one source would be great.

It sure would ! And boy, do I ever wish there were one !!!!!!!

Years ago, the piled-higher-and-deepers ran with Coe's idea of constructing a time line using point styles. They did that, and that's what we have. But they pretty largely ignored the flake tools in the process. Even in the published site reports. It isn't like the artifacts, cataloged by level & association, aren't available to do a uniface tool timeline. (At least they were supposed to save them, in theory -- reality's sometimes a different matter). But they're sitting in warehouses in paper bags on shelves. Nobody's ever done it (that I know of), and nobody's ever likely to do it, either. They apparently figure they've got bigger fish to fry.

Which leaves you and me wishing there were such a resource, and groping in the semi-darkness.

 

[Airborne80]

Awesome artifacts as usual with you!!

 

[Bluesy]

Very nice collection! I'm starting to have a whole new respect for the uniface tools - I used to think they were unfinished until I started reading this forum. Thanks for sharing!

 

[crow12c]

Sweet! I need to dig all mine out this winter and look'em over. I think I have a bunch.

 

[all_atv]

Heres my first uniface scraper. Neat little piece with the one haft! Found it in a stream where I find alot of points, knives, and drills. What kind of hafting could have been done with only one notch? Anyone got any ideas for this piece? Excuse the velcro, thats how theyre atached to my display.

 

[uniface]

You've got a REALLY interesting artifact there, all_atv.

 

[all_atv]

Thanks for the intrest uniface, I figured you'd be the one to tell me something about it lol. Its not broke anywhere, the backside is not worked, except for around the haft. it has a few nicks on the smooth blade edge from either use or tumbling in the stream. I thought maybe a lanyard could be tied to it at first but that wouldnt work either. The strange curve to the blade could be specialized for scraping marrow out of a split bone? It fits right in the fingers and held with the thumb it would be like a thumbnail scraper but don't know what the haft is for. I am only 6months into this hobby, and Ive spent most of my time hunting them and now need to spend some time learning about materials, ages, types, flaking, and uses!

And just found the Insitu of this piece, and the 2 other finds that day in that stream.

 

[uniface]

The puzzling part of it is, on the velcro side, the concavity looks like it's a tranchet flake (driven off at a 45-degree angle to the axis of the blade). Very odd.

Then again, I can see it as four or five normal removals. Hard to tell from the picture.

But either way (and especially in the second case), I've never seen a spokeshave worked in from both sides like that.

It's a real head-scratcher that I don't know of a precident for.

 

[Th3rty7]

It looks like a salvaged uniface point to me. The " spokeshave " being a corner notch, and the opposite side beveled for scraping. A plan b salvage imo, my 2 cents.

 

[uniface]

But why from the opposite edge as well, with the flaking meeting in the middle like that ?

If the flaking from the uniface side was too badly stepped to re-work further, he could have started a second one easily enough.

(?)

 

[Beuwulf]

Do you know of any books / websites that specifically associate tools( scrapers ) to individual cultures? Reading site reports helps but one source would be great.

It sure would ! And boy, do I ever wish there were one !!!!!!!
Years ago, the piled-higher-and-deepers ran with Coe's idea of constructing a time line using point styles. They did that, and that's what we have. But they pretty largely ignored the flake tools in the process. Even in the published site reports. It isn't like the artifacts, cataloged by level & association, aren't available to do a uniface tool timeline. (At least they were supposed to save them, in theory -- reality's sometimes a different matter). But they're sitting in warehouses in paper bags on shelves. Nobody's ever done it (that I know of), and nobody's ever likely to do it, either. They apparently figure they've got bigger fish to fry.
Which leaves you and me wishing there were such a resource, and groping in the semi-darkness.

I can't say that this is the 'end all to be all' for a reference but if you have not seen this before you may want to take a look;
http://www.gustavslibrary.com/stoneage.htm
I do not own this particular volume but have other Moorehead works and they are very good. At the least it allows you to see items similar to yours that have been recorded, documented and classified, in my opinion he provides a better overview of certain types or classes of items regardless of where it was recovered from which provides more of a Macro as opposed to a micro view.
Hope this helps!

 

[all_atv]

took a few more pics of the flaking...

 

[Tnmountains]

Thats just nice

 

[pickaway]

Sorry for being a jerk the other night uniface.My apologies...

 

[uniface]

We be cool, Bro' ! Everybody needs to air it out once in a while. No hard feelings