Broken Blade

LandSeig

Sr. Member
May 16, 2020
377
998
Southeast Tx
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, NEL Storm coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I found this broken blade base in northern Arkansas. Any idea on the material or a rough ID?
68A52BC0-F815-433A-89B7-3FABCB9E02CA.jpeg
8DCA2D93-B90F-45F4-BDA4-A4936CD8DD15.jpeg
 

Upvote 3
OP
OP
LandSeig

LandSeig

Sr. Member
May 16, 2020
377
998
Southeast Tx
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, NEL Storm coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Would they have used it as a tool? The edge is worked on the one side that isn’t broken.
 

OP
OP
LandSeig

LandSeig

Sr. Member
May 16, 2020
377
998
Southeast Tx
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, NEL Storm coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The material color makes it hard to see the flaking. Here is a couple more showing the cross section, edge sharpness, and flaking. I believe the rough white stone to be a layer of limestone inclusion, not a removed cortex as it goes throughout the piece and is present on the other side.
AA726160-1FCD-4596-9AB8-119D2FE3A840.jpeg
56B8348D-6791-4B1B-818D-1D6AD4B57156.jpeg
CB6330A2-95A8-4484-A245-8832398DBD3C.jpeg
 

Tdog

Silver Member
May 30, 2019
2,854
5,211
East Central Alabama
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Limestone is too brittle and prone to breaking to be used for this type of application. It would not hold a cutting edge very long or maybe not at all when put to use as a knife.

I'll try to explain why I don't think what you're seeing is knapping. In pic1, side-A to the left, that edge is where a chip came off (note the visible cracks and steps on side-B). That edge is just where a flake detached along those small jagged cracks and steps, followed the weakest path and took some of the cortex with it. It was not made by percussion nor pressure flaking (re-touching) to make a tool from the flake IMO.

That's about as good as I can do. Let's hear from someone else that believes they understand what they're looking at.
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top