Is this a arrowhead?

[Unitedstatesofamerica1]

 

[bcarmack1]

I dont think its a point but the side kinda does looked worked so it might be a tool

 

[stefen]

WAG...rock

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sorry just a rock....Better luck next time..

 

[willjo]

It may be a rock but looks to me like some of the Rhyolite material that the N.A.s used to make tools and looks like it has been tried to shape. May be wrong have been before.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

No signs of flaking on it..

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Guys, I think you may be wrong on this one. I see a very distinct base on it and obvious flake scars from where they tried to thin it with no success. I believe it was started and discarded because the material was to tough to work.

 

[Tejaas]

Guys, I think you may be wrong on this one. I see a very distinct base on it and obvious flake scars from where they tried to thin it with no success. I believe it was started and discarded because the material was to tough to work.

I value your constructive thinking - but as a devout follower of Hester's lithics analysis/interpretation - it makes near zero sense that any type of 'exact point refinement' would have been attempted before sufficiently thinning down the entire piece.

We could go further in depth with this, but then words like 'distal' and 'proximal' come into play, and then nobody is having fun anymore, haha.

OP - if you are truly interested in educating yourself on the finer points (see what i did there?) of differentiating between 'natural vs worked' - give this a read. It is a good starting point to branch out from:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ggdMAA&usg=AFQjCNEvgY1CggKmX-hNo6V8p1TIxP8iUw

~Tejaas~

 

[ptsofnc]

Guys, I think you may be wrong on this one. I see a very distinct base on it and obvious flake scars from where they tried to thin it with no success. I believe it was started and discarded because the material was to tough to work.

Agree. But won't argue.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I see no flaking at all...just a shape made by nature that with a little immigration can resemble an arrowhead...

 

[Charl]

Guys, I think you may be wrong on this one. I see a very distinct base on it and obvious flake scars from where they tried to thin it with no success. I believe it was started and discarded because the material was to tough to work.

x2. That's a point. Unfinished, but nonetheless......

It does show very obvious flake scars. Crude material, could be a grade of rhyolite. Pretty obvious to my eyes that that is an artifact that was not finished. But I am used to poor lithics and poor results at times. Honestly, though, that's actually a no brainer if you're used to such things. Agree completely with Grim.....

 

[SCrocks]

I agree it is without a doubt one. Crude yes. Also look to me from the fourth picture an old break were the point broke off at an angle

 

[Rege-PA]

Agree with Grim & Charl, definitely an unfinished point in a difficult lithic material. Looks like large forward stack could not be removed and abandoned.

 

[Charl]

I think if you lived where I do, and are accustomed to sometimes poor results from poor lithics like quartz, argillaceous slate, felsite, etc., you would have absolutely no problem recognizing that this is clearly an artifact in manufacture. I knew immediately it was an unfinished piece.....

I know in the past that some forum members have had a very hard time recognizing points that were extraordinarily water worn. To the point of the flaking all but erased. To the point where an artifact seems to be "reverting" to a geofact. But, when you have your eyes trained to recognize all that, it makes all the difference in the world. The same is perhaps happening here, since, to my eyes, the piece in this thread is very obviously an artifact, not a geofact.

 

[Ohio_Doug]

Was this found in a creek by chance? Absolutely looks worked to me.

 

[Ohio_Doug]

Charl, we posted at the same time. My thoughts exactly! This is my first post here in a few years and I just had to put in my thoughts on this one.

 

[redbeardrelics]

I also agree with Grim, Charl, et al that it is an attempt at a point that they discarded, most likely due to being unable to thin the large stacked area near the tip. Here on the Delmarva it is not uncommon to find crude points and rejects made from that sort of rhyolite material. What part of the country was it found in?

 

[redbeardrelics]

I agree it is without a doubt one. Crude yes. Also look to me from the fourth picture an old break were the point broke off at an angle

Good eye, I can see that as well now that you mention it.

 

[theviking]

I agree as well. Looks worked to me, rough work on low grade material that has probably weathered some, but definitely worked.

 

[rock]

Looks like something was being done.