Found a small "round" obsidian thing....any ideas on its use?

curious kat · Mar 4, 2014

Found a small "round" obsidian thing....any idea's on it's use?

....sure looks like it was worked on but what for I wonder...? The other two are pieces of arrowheads.

tomclark · Mar 5, 2014

A thumbnail scraper

quito · Mar 5, 2014

yep, thumb scraper or end scraper, whatever you prefer to call it. It's a nice one too.

Harry Pristis · Mar 5, 2014

If it is obsidian -- volcanic GLASS -- it may be too sharp for scraping. It may be sharp enough to slice fingers as well as whatever might be scraped. Maybe it is simply a knife. Just a thought.

Here's what NA used here in early Florida history:

I found this worked tool made from bottle glass in a backyard garden in Micanopy, Florida. It was among clay pipe stems and bits of crockery scattered in the soil. I have not seen another, though I have read about such tools.
Micanopy was the first American settlement, founded in 1821, after Florida was ceded to the USA by the Spanish. The American settlement and fort was preceded on the site by the Seminole village of Cuscowilla, built at the crossing of two ancient Indian trails. William Bartram visited Cuscowilla in 1774.
My guess is that this bottle-glass tool dates to early in the contact period, since the Seminoles would have had access to metal tools later.
The glass is "black glass" which is actually a dark olive-green or olive-amber. Black bottles such as the one in the image would have been typical utility bottles from the late 1700s through the 1830s. In fact, they are known as "fort bottles" in Florida because they are found around Seminole Wars forts and encampments.

quito · Mar 5, 2014

I am of the opinion that many end scrapers also served as knives due the the edge work in addition to the obvious scraper portion on many of them. It appears to me that there is a typical scraper on that piece as well as some sharp edges.

GatorBoy · Mar 5, 2014

On a side note... Harry.. I've seen and found many examples.
In many cases I believe they were artifacts of the Creeks who had aligned themselves with the British during that time.
So it's really no coincidence that they are made from "Fort bottles".
I hope you ran a metal detector over that garden

rock · Mar 5, 2014

Very pretty scraper Kat

painterx7 · Mar 5, 2014

Very nice I like that obsidian !!!!!!

old digger · Mar 5, 2014

I like the idea of your item being a small knife, being that obsidian would be ideal in cutting and trimming leather and sinew.

monsterrack · Mar 5, 2014

Obsidian is the sharpest material know to man, the medical field is using it now instead of steel for surgery. I can see where it could be used for a knife, but I have to ask why make that shape for a knife when a chip would do the job, unless it is the way it was held or hafted :icon_scratch:

curious kat · Mar 5, 2014

Hi guys

....thanks for all the info. so interesting....first "round" obsidian I've found...yes me, not he...lol I've found several "odd" shaped obsidian things...hum...they might be something to, might have to post and see? Yes Harry it is "obsidian" and does look like your picture of the glass, it's not "dangerously" sharp but sharp...thanks for that great piece on it :icon_thumright:

.....and thanks again everyone!

rock · Mar 6, 2014

I call them round scrapers turtle back scrapers due to the roundness of them like a turtle shell.

curious kat · Mar 6, 2014

.....that's good rock..."turtle back"....great name for them!

rock · Mar 7, 2014

curious kat said:
.....that's good rock..."turtle back"....great name for them!

I really like the round ones but havent found that many this yr. More oval types lately.

curious kat · Mar 7, 2014

...hey rock did you post all of your "turtle backs"? Either do it here or on a new post for those of us who haven't seen that many of them...please...

rock · Mar 7, 2014

curious kat said:
...hey rock did you post all of your "turtle backs"? Either do it here or on a new post for those of us who haven't seen that many of them...please...

I will check if I have all my pics. These are the best ones I have found.

curious kat · Mar 7, 2014

....wow...well I'll be...there are more of them! Thanks for posting those rock, very nice! :thumbsup:

I've learned something else new from you all!

rock · Mar 8, 2014

curious kat said:
....wow...well I'll be...there are more of them! Thanks for posting those rock, very nice! I've learned something else new from you all!

Yeah it is a shame but they plowed that area last yr and I was working 7 days a week at the time. Hopefully when they plant it this yr all of the weeds will die off and the ground will be bare. Seeing the owner is sick and his son is having to do everything now I have been told they probably will just no till the fields this yr. If I remember correct though they will spray the weeds before they plant the crops. But if they just plant the weeds will stay. If so the hunting will be slim this yr for me.

curious kat · Mar 8, 2014

....gee hope it turns out to be a better year than you expect rock...although I know what you mean by "weed" problems. I hug my horses for taking care of that, but of course need to watch for them stepping on "treasures" to...always something!