Big Quartzite Chunk

Tdog

Silver Member
May 30, 2019
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East Central Alabama
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What do you guys think it is? E.C. Alabama find.
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Quartzite Keith

Full Member
Dec 17, 2018
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Well, I don't know but I've got a bunch that look like that in my chip pile that I've made over the years. It looks like a biface that failed fairly early in production. When they snap at that thickness it is almost always due to a crack, seam, bedding plane, or whatever you want to call it that creates a weakness in the rock. Lots of that kind of nonsense in quartzite. If so, though, almost certainly would be found near the rock source and should be associated with other debitage. If not, maybe a flake core?
 

unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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yeah, quartzite is a problematic stone to work.
 

joshuaream

Silver Member
Jun 25, 2009
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Florida & Hong Kong
I think Keith is correct (as usual when it comes to reduction/knapping things.)

It looks worked, it looks like it didn’t work well, and it looks like the knapper didn’t want to spent much time fiddling with something that probably wouldn’t produce what he wanted to produce.
 

gilmerman

Hero Member
Dec 31, 2006
682
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Central South East
That looks like what we call sugar quartz here in N. Ga.. I have a few points and knives of this same color and looking stone. Some large and some small.I wonder why this material was used as its not sharp and none are unbroken. However, I'm old but not ancient. Enjoyed this post, pictures, discussions.
 

TundraPlugger

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Jan 27, 2019
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I would call that a very early stage preform or knife. Real good size to it. I find stuff called Swan River chert around my area sometimes that is kind of similar but a little more fine grained. Still some tough stuff to work.
 

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