Hafted Quartz End Scraper?

discoidal roller · Oct 23, 2013

Found this on my buddy's property north of Frederick MD, near Thurmont.

In researching this shape, I also found a reference to a "transverse projectile point", but looks like most are arrowheads, not spear points. NEOLITHIC OF CAPSIAN TRADITION BARBED TRANSVERSE PROJECTILE ARROWHEAD.

anyone else have this shape scraper or point? thoughts?

GatorBoy · Oct 23, 2013

It's almost impossible to see if there is actually flaking on it because of the material.
If indeed an artifact my first impression would be a broken bifacial preform or debitage.
In the areas that look like they would be flaked I see what look like undisturbed ridges and veins from whatever inclusion material that is.. that makes me think it wasn't actually flaked in those areas.
Was it found on a site in association with other artifacts of the same material?.. ( I think I remember you posting a stemmed point a while back)
I'm leaning towards just a rock.

GatorBoy · Oct 23, 2013

I have a hafted quartz end scraper here.
This is the type made from a salvaged broken projectile point.
Whatever your piece is I don't think it was ever attached to a handle.

rock · Oct 23, 2013

Looks like a broken quartz tool to me. They had to use the material they could find. Most quartz types like yours will be very crude due to the type of quartz it is. Keep looking maybe there will be a whole one waiting for you to find, rock

quito · Oct 23, 2013

Looks like a broken rock to me.

What tool are you thinking it looks like rock? My imagination isn't that good.

painterx7 · Oct 23, 2013

Definitely hard to tell being broke and material that was used to tell much but given that it is quartz I bet there are some nice artifacts nearby I'd keep on a looking in that spot !!!

NC field hunter · Oct 24, 2013

Dude that is a scraper. It isn't the most remarkable artifact, true. However, it takes no imagination to see the work on it. Obviously being a smarts ass doesn't help see any more than imagination. In your first pic. Enlarge the left hand side of pic. You can see the little swirl like pattern from working. Good eye! Does the top of this piece sort of come to a point? Kinda like a pyramid shape?

quito · Oct 24, 2013

NC field hunter said:
Dude that is a scraper. It isn't the most remarkable artifact, true. However, it takes no imagination to see the work on it. Obviously being a smarts ass doesn't help see any more than imagination. In your first pic. Enlarge the left hand side of pic. You can see the little swirl like pattern from working. Good eye! Does the top of this piece sort of come to a point? Kinda like a pyramid shape?

A scraper huh? Oooh KAY!!!

Swirl like pattern indicates chipping? Maybe, but how the heck do you know what chipped it if it is just a couple chips?

I can't wait to see my first actual pyramid shaped artifact.

quito · Oct 24, 2013

rock said:
Looks like a broken quartz tool to me. They had to use the material they could find. Most quartz types like yours will be very crude due to the type of quartz it is. Keep looking maybe there will be a whole one waiting for you to find, rock

Bump!!

Don't be bashful rock, what kind of tool do you think that was? I'd really like to see what you think.

rock · Oct 24, 2013

quito said:
A scraper huh? Oooh KAY!!!

Swirl like pattern indicates chipping? Maybe, but how the heck do you know what chipped it if it is just a couple chips?

I can't wait to see my first actual pyramid shaped artifact.

Thanks NC this type of quartz id is called "spider vein" for the non belivers. I find it up towards the Blueridge area.

rock · Oct 24, 2013

quito said:
Bump!!

Don't be bashful rock, what kind of tool do you think that was? I'd really like to see what you think.

I would answer you but you are just way to rude of a type of person for me to deal with.

Charl · Oct 24, 2013

That looks like a rock, not a worked scraper, to me. Doesn't look like a tool at all, but rather a chunk they handled maybe, but did not fashion in any way. JMO. Here are some quartz end scrapers from a single site...

quito · Oct 24, 2013

rock said:
I would answer you but you are just way to rude of a type of person for me to deal with.

Where was I rude?

I'd say you (like some others) just don't like to answer my questions.

quito · Oct 24, 2013

Charl said:
That looks like a rock, not a worked scraper, to me. Doesn't look like a tool at all, but rather a chunk they handled maybe, but did not fashion in any way. JMO. Here are some quartz end scrapers from a single site...

Right on Charl!

Charl · Oct 24, 2013

If there is no cortex showing, and it looks that way, and found on a site, it probably was shattered at the hands of man. Perhaps stock for other quartz tools. But, in and of itself, it does not appear to be an artifact, just a chunk of quartz from what I can see. Like someone else said, it would be a place to look closer.

NC field hunter · Oct 24, 2013

Quito, I always assume, since this is the Native American section of T-net, that pieces posted are found along side of known artifacts. Not wanting to ruffle feathers.

kansa54 · Oct 24, 2013

Roller, I'm not sure it is a tool but I don't get the chance to hold it and closely examine it like you do. One question though, what makes you think it was hafted? Doesn't look like any hafted scraper that I've ever seen. Keep looking on that site and I'd bet something good turns up.

old digger · Oct 24, 2013

Looks like an ordinary piece of quartz to me. jmo!

quito · Oct 24, 2013

NC field hunter said:
Quito, I always assume, since this is the Native American section of T-net, that pieces posted are found along side of known artifacts. Not wanting to ruffle feathers.

And that means what? Artifact by association?