I found an AXE! I think??

[Charmin]

The kids and I went creek walking yesterday and found some really cool stuff. I think I found a double-bitted axe? I can't figure out the material on this ! It is a dark charcoal color and looks like it has iron(?) deposits on it and little white fossils. Could it be Pitkin/Pitken chert? Most of the stuff from this area is Kay and Foreacre chert. The axe measures about 3 1/2" so its kinda small.
We also found 2 other beautiful small points. The first point(Kay chert?) is tiny!!(my 13 year old daughter found this) and has great flaking on one side but the other side is smooth?! is that typical of small points?? I also found a bluish(foreacre?) colored point--is this a base or side-notch?
We only got one in-situ before the batteries went down on the camera--sorry!!(I know everyone on here likes to see where the points were found).

Thanks for looking and any help with ID of type or material would be greatly appreciated!(We are such newbies at this and there is so much to learn ) sandcreek4

 

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[quito]

WOW!!! That"s one heck of a haul of great pieces!!

I think it is so cool when you have a site that can produce so many un-damaged relics.

Up here in farm country, most of those type of places are a thing of the past.

Joel

 

[tomclark]

Killer double bitted axe! I like that "ricegrain" material on that blu-ish point. Niiice schtuff there.

 

[Charmin]

WOW!!! That"s one heck of a haul of great pieces!!

I think it is so cool when you have a site that can produce so many un-damaged relics.

Up here in farm country, most of those type of places are a thing of the past.

Joel

Thanks Joel! kind regards, sandcreek4

Killer double bitted axe! I like that "ricegrain" material on that blu-ish point. Niiice schtuff there.
Thank you tomclark! The bluish one DOES look exactly like ricegrain! regards, sandcreek4

 

[seger98]

Beautiful finds! Thanks for posting them.

 

[Muddy Feet]

Looks like you had a good day. Very nice finds.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Very nice finds sandcreek. I really like the Double Bitted Flint Axe and both points are killers. It's also great that you take your kids with you. Kudos to you!!

Congrats on the great finds and thanks for the picture. Very nice in situ pic as well.

 

[Neanderthal]

Yup, that's a double bitted axe. The flint bowtie "axes" weren't used so much for wood, as butchering tools, found commonly in processing areas. The material on yours is a Permian chert. Pitkin is from Ark., The OK equivalent of it is Redbird (A.K.A. Bayou Menard) chert, named for the creek here in Mayes Co.

Your small arrow point looks like a Gober, they're pretty common in Okieland, but far more prevalent in the eastern part of the state. Material looks like Day Creek (?) a variety of Alibates that occurs in western Oklahoma. The other point looks like an Edgewood. You had a very nice day it appears! Hope this helps.

 

[jamey]

thanks for showing them,first axe like that ive seen and its a dandy.them are great points also,top it off by going with the kids great post thanks jamey

 

[Bent-Twig]

WOW!!

Very nice finds!!

I really like that last point , it's a nice one!

Twig.

 

[Charmin]

Beautiful finds! Thanks for posting them.

Thank you for the comments, seger98! regards, sandcreek4

Looks like you had a good day. Very nice finds.

Thanks Muddy Feet! sandcreek

Very nice finds sandcreek. I really like the Double Bitted Flint Axe and both points are killers. It's also great that you take your kids with you. Kudos to you!!

Congrats on the great finds and thanks for the picture. Very nice in situ pic as well.

Thank you DorkFish--I think you can't go wrong by taking kids to the woods. Most people only think boys are interested in outdoors stuff but both my girls like it!! The oldest is really into outdoor/wildlife photography and she is also a major deer hunter--the picture of the buck in my avatar is this years trophy . We were shed (deer antlers) hunting when we found these points and axe yesterday. kind regards, sandcreek4

Yup, that's a double bitted axe. The flint bowtie "axes" weren't used so much for wood, as butchering tools, found commonly in processing areas. The material on yours is a Permian chert. Pitkin is from Ark., The OK equivalent of it is Redbird (A.K.A. Bayou Menard) chert, named for the creek here in Mayes Co.

Your small arrow point looks like a Gober, they're pretty common in Okieland, but far more prevalent in the eastern part of the state. Material looks like Day Creek (?) a variety of Alibates that occurs in western Oklahoma. The other point looks like an Edgewood. You had a very nice day it appears! Hope this helps.

Thank you for all that GREAT information, Neanderthal! I have so much to learn and really appreciate your input and knowledge on these things!! regards~~~sandcreek4

thanks for showing them,first axe like that ive seen and its a dandy.them are great points also,top it off by going with the kids great post thanks jamey

The kids and I thank you, Jamey~~~~~sandcreek4

WOW!!

Very nice finds!!

I really like that last point , it's a nice one!

Twig.

Thanks so much, Twig! regards, sandcreek4

 

[tomclark]

Actually when one looks at the profile of the business ends it appears to be beveled which would normally be used like an adze instead of axe. Still does similar jobs....!

 

[shopdog]

great finds i also take my kids with me its alot of fun plus they have better eyes and are closer to the ground

 

[Neanderthal]

Actually when one looks at the profile of the business ends it appears to be beveled which would normally be used like an adze instead of axe. Still does similar jobs....!

They are pretty crude, makeshift tools that were made in a hurry with percussion. It's common to see one side thicker, flatter, or the whole thing misshapen. It's pretty rare when you see one that someone took some time on.

About 7 years or so ago a friend of mine made a find that was pretty unusual - a cache of 11 bowtie axes. Who woulda thunk it? They were all piled together in a processing area.

 

[Neanderthal]

Actually when one looks at the profile of the business ends it appears to be beveled which would normally be used like an adze instead of axe. Still does similar jobs....!

They are pretty crude, makeshift tools that were made in a hurry with percussion. It's common to see one side thicker, flatter, or the whole thing misshapen. It's rare when you see one that someone took some time on.

About 7 years or so ago a friend of mine made a find that was pretty unusual - a cache of 11 bowtie axes. Who woulda thunk it? They were all piled together in a processing area.

 

[Pinellas Man]

Very nice finds Sandcreek! And it's good to see you looking with your kids.

 

[allen]

congrats on all of those awesome finds !!!

 

[Charmin]

great finds i also take my kids with me its alot of fun plus they have better eyes and are closer to the ground

Thanks shopdog! regards, sandcreek4

Very nice finds Sandcreek! And it's good to see you looking with your kids.

Thank you for the kind words, Pinellas Man~~~~sandcreek4

congrats on all of those awesome finds !!!

Thanks, allen! kind regards, sandcreek4

Actually when one looks at the profile of the business ends it appears to be beveled which would normally be used like an adze instead of axe. Still does similar jobs....!

They are pretty crude, makeshift tools that were made in a hurry with percussion. It's common to see one side thicker, flatter, or the whole thing misshapen. It's rare when you see one that someone took some time on.

About 7 years or so ago a friend of mine made a find that was pretty unusual - a cache of 11 bowtie axes. Who woulda thunk it? They were all piled together in a processing area.

Thank you tomclark for that info--this axe may have had numerous uses, then?
And Neaderthal, what did you mean by "processing area", did your friend find lots of animal bones? You think maybe the Indians buried this cache knowing they would be back and planned on using them again?
That would be so exciting to find a cache--I'm waiting for that day!! regards, sandcreek4

 

[Neanderthal]

And Neaderthal, what did you mean by "processing area", did your friend find lots of animal bones? You think maybe the Indians buried this cache knowing they would be back and planned on using them again?
That would be so exciting to find a cache--I'm waiting for that day!! regards, sandcreek4

Processing areas are where they butchered animals. No, there were no bones associated with the cache of axes. You won't always find them in context with skeletal remains, it all depends on the area. Some areas or conditions won't preserve bones as well, etc. You often will find them in context with knives, scrapers and other tools used in the butchering process though. I assume that the "axes" were used to help in the disarticulation or perhaps even break bones for marrow extraction.

There is one site that I frequent which is a kill site. You will find some small infrequent arrowheads, but no other projectile points. There are numerous bison bones and the tell-tale signs of butchering. Haraheys, bowties axes, scrapers, quickie knives and other similar tools are in abundance. The site is located right along a major waterway, a crossing. Undoubtedly, the aboriginals took advantage of that crossing to gain the advantage over the animals. The cache of axes were found at a very similar spot on the same river. The only thing I can think of is that they utilized that spot often to take advantage of bison and wanted to be prepared? Dunno, interesting to theorize though.

 

[creekhunter]

Great post and great info Matt!