Huge Obsidian Spearhead found in the City.

[bigcaddy64]

I was just handed this huge obsidian spearhead by a friend who found it on a project in downtown Los Angeles

Is there any way to attribute this to any particular group of native Americans? I have zero knowledge on the subject so if there is any way to tell, id like to know and tell him.

 

[arrow86]

The size of it throws up some flags .... he pulled it out of the ground himself ?

 

[quito]

Nice!

I’d say your friend is quite lucky if he found it.
cant help with who may be associated with it, but I’d be more inclined to call it a knife form than spear head . Dang nice one too!!

 

[bigcaddy64]

A trench was being excavated and he was going in and out to be the eyes for the backhoe operator. I was told that when he was heading down for a look, he braced himself against the wall and his hand pushed into a void. Maybe it was in a buried basket? and the object was sitting right there at the bottom of the void.

 

[Peyton Manning]

if true, that's a hell of a find

 

[Tpmetal]

If true that's the finest knapping I have ever seen pulled out of the ground

 

[Tnmountains]

Any work on Obsidian is spectacular. I have been sent pieces with that type of work and could only imagine a whole one. They did make large blades like that back then and they are also replicated today by modern knappers.
Here are some examples that were cast from collections.

California Obsidian Blade

 

[bigcaddy64]

If true that's the finest knapping I have ever seen pulled out of the ground

I saw the pictures of the void and finding Native American stuff in LA isn’t unheard of. Numerous jobsites downtown have been temporarily closed due to the discovery of artifacts or graves.

He’s going to look more on Monday and send me pics with what he finds

 

[arrow86]

Pretty remarkable if authentic , I wonder if it was just a ceremonial piece, also very curious how a handle would have been attached

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It is a knife, not spear point and obsidian artifacts are usually spectacular.

Nice!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Beautiful piece BigCaddy.



Under the right circumstances some fantastic pieces come out of the ground. Piece below is not mine, I just know who found it, found in central texas.

Found more than 3 foot deep.

 

[smokeythecat]

Wow! Amazing!

 

[sandchip]

Incredible. Would love to see pictures of the void, etc. where he found it and anything else that he recovers.

 

[bigcaddy64]

Incredible. Would love to see pictures of the void, etc. where he found it and anything else that he recovers.

Here is the hole it was found in at around 8’ deep

 

[NCPeaches]

It's amazing! Bet his heart skipped a couple beats when he saw what it was! Incredible find!

 

[joshuaream]

Chumash and many other groups out that way made some very large bifaces, the biggest are north of 30 inches and were probably just ceremonial or wealth pieces.

If it was that deep, it was probably buried in a particular context. Your friend should be careful, easy to step on laws in California.

 

[southfork]

What strikes me is the fresh look on the edges. the center has a little of the sandblasted look of a piece exposed to the elements. In my experience the patina is the same on a piece from a deep stratified layer? But sometimes the artifact in question has been touched up hundreds of years ago and hasn't moved since or exposed to the elements . So I guess I'm on the fence on this one but I have bought large blades from Mexico for a couple of bucks like this one. I rubbed this one in the dirt to play a joke on a friend.

 

[quito]

The few obsidian pieces i have picked up in South Dakota show no patina whatsoever either. I know they are legit.

If memory serves me correctly, that material just doesn't patinate like other materials.

 

[sandchip]

The few obsidian pieces i have picked up in South Dakota show no patina whatsoever either. I know they are legit.

If memory serves me correctly, that material just doesn't patinate like other materials.

You're right. It patinates very little, if at all. I believe there's a test called hydration analysis used in determining whether an obsidian artifact was made recently or anciently.

 

[rock]

Its a beauty and I hope he finds some more but be careful and read the laws of your state, rock