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Obsidian Flaking

OntarioArch

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Location
Cayuga County NY
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
None of the lithic materials we find here in the Northeast (Onondaga Chert, Jasper, Argillite, ) can compare to the showy gloss of obsidian artifacts. What handsome flake scars! Too bad this 'cigar box find' has a broken base.
 

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Obsidian is nice looking but so fragile for tools. Easy to make but easy to break. It’s also much more dangerous to quarry. I know of several severe injuries to modern knappers quarrying at Burns OR. I’m sure there was a long list of Indian injuries and even fatalities during 12,000 yrs of use by the Indians.
 
Obsidian can be unbelievably sharp, as it is often used as a scalpel
for eye surgery.
 
If I ever came across a piece of Obsidian and having a good supply of band aids , I'd like to try Knapping a point! BUT until then I'm happy making small gravel out of what I :) have !
 

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