Here is a better pic of my paleo knife

choo · Aug 8, 2009

sorry the first pic was blurry, this is a better pic.

allen · Aug 8, 2009

wtg on that awesome piece !!

Tnmountains · Aug 8, 2009

Hey choo welcome to Artifacts. That is a very nice knife. Big flaking on it. Sweet !

TnMountains

Tnmountains · Aug 9, 2009

Choo

I keep coming back and looking at your nice find. Can you please tell me what distinguishes this knife as being paleo? Sorry to sound so dumb but I have been wondering what particular traits to look for myself. Again great knife she is a beauty.

TnMountains

choo · Aug 9, 2009

The knife has a flute running up over half the blade , the flute is on the left side. it might look like big flaking, but it is fluted.

Tnmountains · Aug 9, 2009

choo said:
The knife has a flute running up over half the blade , the flute is on the left side. it might look like big flaking, but it is fluted.

Gotcha. I see it now. Its a very fine piece choo thanks for responding.

Stay cool

TnMountains

uniface · Aug 9, 2009

This link takes you to a page explaining how Mousterian points were made. Bear in mind, though, that a great many more blades were made this way than points, with removals coming from around the periphery of the parent core. If a pointed shape was desired, the blade would be shaped into one, as yours was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levallois_technique

It's an interesting piece, but I'd be hesitant to assign it to a time frame.

uniface · Aug 9, 2009

I'm assuming (above) your piece is a uniface.

By the same token, it might conceiveably be a removal from a platter-like bifacial core. But if so, why the high-angle edging around it ? The only paleo analogue to that re-sharpening strategy I can recall is what you find on Ohio Lanceolates and some points Hothem illustrated (in First Hunters) as late Paleo that I suspect were woodland.

It's an interesting artifact, whenever it was made. Thanks for showing it !