Knife? Hammerstone? 2 new specimens.

OntarioArch · Nov 28, 2017

Thanks for any guidance you can provide. These two artifacts were found in the Syracuse NY/Onondaga Lake area. Is 'hammerstone' the proper terminology for the one specimen? Or 'pebble hammerstone'? I would say it shows flaking from repeated percussive blows...but that's just my guess. And 'Knife' for the other? This 'knife' is obviously a different stone than most of the points in this collection.....which I think are Onondaga gray flint.

welsbury · Nov 28, 2017

Without being able to hold them I would say yes to both. Is knife fairly thin?

OntarioArch · Nov 28, 2017

Here's a pic.

arrow86 · Nov 28, 2017

I would agree with your assessment that knife is really nice

The Grim Reaper · Nov 28, 2017

Yes, a Hammerstone/Peckstone type tool and a nice Knife. Great finds!

sandchip · Nov 28, 2017

The hammerstone is a nice'un.

dognose · Nov 28, 2017

Many of the hammerstone I find in Indiana are often round with many peck marks on them.

That could be a preform. A relic in the manufacture stage prior to completion.

I have found many round-ish disk made from slate which have flaking scars. These are about the same size as that at 1.5 inchs. The slate is too soft of a material to be used as a hammerstone. They just lack the polish and drilling to be a small pendent or gorget.

Here is a frame with a few of these items.
In the frame, the tow center items are also preforms. The slate a gorget preform I believe and the white blade is a made of hixton silicified sandstone most often found in the Wisconsin region. I found this in Indiana.

crj1968 · Nov 28, 2017

arrow86 said:
I would agree with your assessment that knife is really nice

Indeed- very cool find.

joshuaream · Nov 29, 2017

Both nice finds.

joshuaream · Nov 29, 2017

Dognose,

Those crude slate disks are unique finds. (Not the prettiest items out there, but good to see artifacts from home.) They typically come from a handful of counties along the Indiana/Ohio border on the Indiana side, and extend bit further into Ohio.

Some were preforms, but the round ones appear to have just been made and left as is. (They don't match any common gorgets or pendants, not much use polish if they were used as knives or scrapers, and seem to be too soft for a lot of tool use.) One idea is that they could have been a local variant of a discoidal game stone.

Joshua

dognose said:
Many of the hammerstone I find in Indiana are often round with many peck marks on them.

That could be a preform. A relic in the manufacture stage prior to completion.

I have found many round-ish disk made from slate which have flaking scars. These are about the same size as that at 1.5 inchs. The slate is too soft of a material to be used as a hammerstone. They just lack the polish and drilling to be a small pendent or gorget.

Here is a frame with a few of these items.
In the frame, the tow center items are also preforms. The slate a gorget preform I believe and the white blade is a made of hixton silicified sandstone most often found in the Wisconsin region. I found this in Indiana.

View attachment 1521031
View attachment 1521037

rock · Nov 29, 2017

Think you nailed it and welcome to the site

OntarioArch · Nov 29, 2017

I sure appreciate all of your positive comments and information based on extensive experience. But to be clear....and honest..., I did not find these items. I am a beginner who has become the caretaker of a collection of unidentified, unlabeled artifacts from Central NY, so I am sure I will be back with more questions! I am so excited to be learning more and more about our precious prehistory.

Old Pueblo · Nov 29, 2017

Yes and yes. And both are nice examples. Congrats!

Old Pueblo · Nov 29, 2017

OntarioArch said:
I sure appreciate all of your positive comments and information based on extensive experience. But to be clear....and honest..., I did not find these items. I am a beginner who has become the caretaker of a collection of unidentified, unlabeled artifacts from Central NY, so I am sure I will be back with more questions! I am so excited to be learning more and more about our precious prehistory.

Show us some more! We'd love to see your collection here!

OntarioArch · Nov 29, 2017

Old Pueblo said:
Show us some more! We'd love to see your collection here!

Using William Ritchie's "Typography and Nomenclature of New York Projectile Points"...here are some of my first identifications. I have to say, most of these fit Ritchie's descriptions and photos very, very well. (exception: Bannerstone: I really have no idea about this piece other than it is really cool.) Would appreciate any feedback.

Also, I am truly humbled by their beauty.