Is it or isn't it???

[Bodkin]

In all my 50+ years of "playing" around in the woods I never found anything native American. No points, heads, markings, etc. Anyway, I found this the other day while metal detecting in Downeast Maine along very strong tidal waters. I was detecting the areas where the tide had recently gone out when I decided to detect up against the wood line along the beach. I noticed a small freshwater stream (I'm sure from a natural well) spilling onto the beach and said to myself that would be perfect for anyone doing any type of work around here to grab a fresh drink of water (at least back in the day. As soon as I put my detector to work I saw this stone that stuck out from all the rest in color and shape. Upon picking it up I noticed that it seemed to have been worked. I've never found anything like this before and am looking for opinions from the "pros". This beach is a perfect location for hunting seals which congregate in the ripping tide when it goes out between two land points. The seals wait for any food being washed through. Anyhow, please take a look and tell me what you think. Thanks!

 

[Bodkin]

Congratulations on finding a very nice NA Artifact!
It is significantly thin and unusually long, which is driving the speculation.
It’s hard to see in the photos, but there seems to be beveling along the blade edges. Perhaps a photo facing the business end and a shot at the base could help.

Also, check for grinding (or rough sanding) on the sides and or the base.

I can’t quite make out the material. A couple of the photos give it a quartz appearance and a couple others give it a Rhyolite look.
Nice find! And, great detective work.

I just took some more pics of the areas you suggested (I think I got it right for you to see what you're looking for) and will post them later. I would love to hear your (and others) opinion and observations. Thanks!

 

[sandchip]

Hellacious. You done good!

 

[Charl]

Great piece. As others have noted, it's rare, and lucky, to find a knife that size. I would go with rhyolite as the lithic.....

 

[Bodkin]

Congratulations on finding a very nice NA Artifact!
It is significantly thin and unusually long, which is driving the speculation.
It’s hard to see in the photos, but there seems to be beveling along the blade edges. Perhaps a photo facing the business end and a shot at the base could help.

Also, check for grinding (or rough sanding) on the sides and or the base.

I can’t quite make out the material. A couple of the photos give it a quartz appearance and a couple others give it a Rhyolite look.

Nice find! And, great detective work.

Ok, here's more pics that I took earlier this morning and can now post. Hopefully it covers what you're looking for. Thanks!

 

[Scorpio_queen6]

I am so jealous! Congrats! This has definitely been worked and is a beautiful piece. I will be posting a few things I found today to see if the pro's can tell me if it is intact an artifact or just a rock haha. Very Nice find!

 

[MAMucker]

Thank you for adding those photos.
It definitely has what seems to be a basal area and it may have been hafted. While it is a knife form and would be great for cutting, the cause of the tip and edge wear is mainly left to the imagination.
The knife end has ‘use’ damage (or wear) that seems to be caused by (welcoming other opinions here) cutting, or gouging hard materials.

I have a couple of knife forms that are made from a similar material that were found in an area where transitional archaic (2800 to 3600 YBP) pieces have been found (Orient Fishtail)

Here’s a photo:


Wish I could be more definitive. It’s a very nice coastal Maine prehistoric find. It was a productive tool from the kit of a skillful Stone Age man.

Can’t wait to see your new posts in 2020!

 

[GaRebel1861]

Very nice find. I’d be checking the area where you found it on a regular basis. Given your discription of the site there’s a really good chance of more artifacts being there. Be safe & good luck.

 

[Bodkin]

Thank you for adding those photos.
It definitely has what seems to be a basal area and it may have been hafted. While it is a knife form and would be great for cutting, the cause of the tip and edge wear is mainly left to the imagination.
The knife end has use damage (or wear) that seems to be caused by (welcoming other opinions here) cutting, or gouging hard materials.

I have a couple of knife forms that are made from a similar material that were found in an area where transitional archaic (2800 to 3600 YBP) pieces have been found (Orient Fishtail)

Here’s a photo:
View attachment 1784104

Wish I could be more definitive. It’s a very nice coastal Maine prehistoric find. It was a productive tool from the kit of a skillful Stone Age man.

Can’t wait to see your new posts in 2020!

Wow! I certainly had no idea about these. Thank you so much for that info. I went back today after a metal detecting hunt earlier this morning. Very hard to focus on two different activities at once, metal detecting and looking for artifacts. The stream emptying onto the beach was very overgrown and frozen but I did give a good look at the beach part. No native artifacts as I could see but I did find three musket balls right there. Strange too, this stream is a mere 50 feet from an old bridge where I park and have been detecting. It has gotten tons of traffic over the years. I find it odd nobody has found any of this stuff. Thank you again for all your info and help!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on your first Native American find. That is one sweet looking piece.

 

[rginn]

Very cool for a first find.

 

[wilcam47]

Ok, here's more pics that I took earlier this morning and can now post. Hopefully it covers what you're looking for. Thanks!
View attachment 1783839View attachment 1783841View attachment 1783842View attachment 1783843View attachment 1783844View attachment 1783845View attachment 1783846View attachment 1783847View attachment 1783848View attachment 1783849View attachment 1783850

Cool find, looks like it just could be unfinished spear head to me. Id be stoked to find that!

 

[Hillbilly Prince]

Is there a local university you ciuld take it to where someone knowledgeable about artifacts might look at it?
Not that you need to really-if I saw that I would definitely have believed I had found an artifact. Beautiful piece!

 

[yakker]

Shoot, man! That's an incredible first find! Good eye- really! I'm still trying to get my act together up here. Just moved up in May. I feel like a newbie all over again
I've found long pieces- but that was down in the mid-Atlantic. Totally different up here! I'm really impressed!