gar scale points

[Lone Star]

Flint Dudes, Found these in my glove box. A few years ago I got these gar scale points from 41GV53 along with the thumb graver on the bottem and the oyster shell ,with a obvious tool use. The gar scales and sun patinad graver were together in the shell about two feet deep in a Rangia clam midden. The other graver is from the first TAAA Cibolo Creek dig. I got it and an andice on the same screen. Note the calcium carbonate buildup on the older thumb graver. That puppy is old. Enjoy, G

 

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[Tnmountains]

Those gar scales are pretty neat. I did not know of them till I saw some on here last year.
Pretty nice finds

 

[Jonnyreb]

Cool gar scale points there, but I like that clam shell tool. Thats cool!!

 

[Lone Star]

Thanks, I've found a bunch of them thru the years, I always thought they were just left over from grocery shopping. Lee Patterson who officiated the most recent HAS dig on 41GV53 (Report No. 18, 2001) changed my mind. Thanks everyone, G

 

[Treefrog]

cool, never saw any of those. are they worked? or just used the way the come off the gar?

 

[Lone Star]

Treefrog, A little of both. The scales vary depending on where on the fish whence the came. Most can be used as is, and I've seen several that looked like the oblong end was honed down some to be more symetrical. We don't have hard rocks in the soil along the coast so they left what they had to use. Lots of worked bone, even some shell was used as arrow tips to penetrate and kill. Thanks G.

 

[steve71]

ya i've seen hundreds on the coast but only a few i knew were points.

 

[naturegirl]

Hi Lone Star! I found a strange gar scale, and haven't found anyone who has ever seen one like it. woud you mind taking a look? That was a nice "glove box" find

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,270229.0.html

 

[steve71]

Hi Lone Star! I found a strange gar scale, and haven't found anyone who has ever seen one like it. woud you mind taking a look? That was a nice "glove box" find

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,270229.0.html

i'd say if it is a gar scale then its a point.not many shaped like that.

 

[Lone Star]

Nature Girl, Not every gar scale I've found would qualify as a point, only the ones in a midden context do I consider. One 30 lb dead gar rotting on the shoreline will leave about 2000 scales that could be used without any other modification. When I see a bunch just laying around willy nilly like with no signs of a midden to me their just gar scales.
I can't tell exactly by the pic. however I see similarities to a belly scale from a gar that may have been modified for the hafting. One would wonder why, when there are so many to use instead. Gars have the only scales tough enough to use as a point. They're more bone than scale and get real hard, harder than oyster shell. That definatly looks like one of a kind though. I'd be showing it off if I found it., Thanks for sharing, G.

 

[naturegirl]

Ok, thanks LoneStar and steve. Ive read about the scales, and they weren't used a whole lot, and 99.999% percent are JUST scales. I would be shocked if this is ever Id'd as a point., but if it's natural, I wish I could find someone who knows gars well enough to say. Thanks for looking at it.

 

[steve71]

Nature Girl, Not every gar scale I've found would qualify as a point, only the ones in a midden context do I consider. One 30 lb dead gar rotting on the shoreline will leave about 2000 scales that could be used without any other modification. When I see a bunch just laying around willy nilly like with no signs of a midden to me their just gar scales.
I can't tell exactly by the pic. however I see similarities to a belly scale from a gar that may have been modified for the hafting. One would wonder why, when there are so many to use instead. Gars have the only scales tough enough to use as a point. They're more bone than scale and get real hard, harder than oyster shell. That definatly looks like one of a kind though. I'd be showing it off if I found it., Thanks for sharing, G.

i check out most i see but rarely ever keep them.i've seen 2 forsure no dought big ones not average size scales.i'm sure indians ate a few gars and left many in the fire.