Odd find! Not much but worth a gander

[NC field hunter]

I went out for a few minutes before work today and found one broken point, flakes and this odd multipurpose piece. It's not much, but I thought it was pretty neat and that you guys may enjoy a look at it. It seems to be a scraper, small chopper and possibly a spokeshave. Oh, yeah... A fluted one at that! Lol!

 

[GatorBoy]

Looks like a by pointed scraper/ graver. Was it broken in half? It made sense To add graver Spurs to scrapers so when you were done removing material from a bone you could get right to work scoring in order to break it where you wanted.

 

[Twitch]

Rusty - With a good amount of certainty, I'd say you have the leading edge broken off of a flint adzes or celt. In my experience, they way the piece is broken is somewhat common for that type of tool and is pretty definitive.

 

[GatorBoy]

How do you explain the multiple flakes around the "spurs"

 

[GatorBoy]

 

[NC field hunter]

Rusty - With a good amount of certainty, I'd say you have the leading edge broken off of a flint adzes or celt. In my experience, they way the piece is broken is somewhat common for that type of tool and is pretty definitive.

Thanks brother. I found it about 10 feet from where the monkey found his nice point. Thanks for the advice and hope to see you soon.

 

[NC field hunter]

How do you explain the multiple flakes around the "spurs"

I think you and Joe are both on to something. I think Joe is correct in saying it was broken, but I think you have noticed, as I did, that this piece has been reworked. You asked if it was broken in half, that line is just a mineral deposit or a spot that did not hold patina like the rest of the piece. Those lines are common on artifacts around here. I'm guessing that is what appears to be a break, right? It looks to be a vein of quartz in the stone.

 

[GatorBoy]

Yes that's what I was seeing.
I have pieces just like that. I'm not going to try to guess what it was.. If it was something else. But what I see now is a graver/scraper.. and a nice one

 

[rock]

I was thinking core then turned into a tool myself just because to shows edge work and I have seen allot of cores with that long reduction flake removed off of a core.

 

[NC field hunter]

Yes that's what I was seeing.
I have pieces just like that. I'm not going to try to guess what it was.. If it was something else. But what I see now is a graver/scraper.. and a nice one

I'm pretty sure Twitch called it pretty close. Not because he is any more knowledgable than you Gator, but because he has seen first hand, still in the dirt what artifacts found here have to offer. I know you have NC implements, but the hands on experience and seeing what the unworked stones or lithic found in conjunction with these artifacts had to offer primitive man, really helps one understand the culture. In my last pic, I think what he is talking about is easiest seen. Notice the right hand side is smooth. It was more than likely a ground stone tool at once, or flaking would be seen across the entire bit. It probably busted just enough that grinding or resharpening would have been a time waster. Yet, it could be flaked and used as a totally different tool. The large flute looking flake is probably from impact. Up top where the spokeshave is you notice is smooth as well. Another smooth finger sized spot on the bottom makes me think the piece broke up high as well as the bit. The high break on the front face was probably ground down to a finger friendly texture then flipped over and another smooth spot was ground for the index finger. The top is ground with enough curve for a comfortable thumb fit, and the bottom for a bent index finger. This grip feels perfect for the two uses that I see this piece capable of. The two used, of course, scraping at the bottom bit and spokeshave up top. Graver is very well a plausible call as well. The grip that feels natural allows the graver to be used with plenty of hand or finger clearance as well. I hope this was more descriptive than confusing. Lol! Any way, it's no great museum quality mystery piece, more of a poverty stricken innovation type. Thanks fellas for giving this one a long enough look to figure it out. That makes me feel good! Thanks!!

 

[NC field hunter]

Found another one of these in my pocket today. It's made of quartz and a tad larger.















Had snow flurries here, so, a pocket find was great!

 

[Boxtopp]

Glad you had a chance to get out with snow flurries lol. hard core

 

[Tnmountains]

Yeah nothing like turning on the dryer and having bullets and rocks tumbling around. Gotta get those pocket finds !

 

[NC field hunter]

Yeah nothing like turning on the dryer and having bullets and rocks tumbling around. Gotta get those pocket finds !

My dryer sees these on a daily basis.

 

[Brandiwine]

When my husband does laundry he says my pockets are worse than my 6 yr old son. Always rocks and bullets. Bullets must always go with the rocks though. When I take my truck up a hollow 10 miles into BFE all by myself I like to feel safe. With a .40 on my side and a rifle in the truck. Plus, if I don't find anything I use "gun therapy" to release the aggression. A couple rounds always makes me feel better.

Nice pocket find...

 

[NC field hunter]

When my husband does laundry he says my pockets are worse than my 6 yr old son. Always rocks and bullets. Bullets must always go with the rocks though. When I take my truck up a hollow 10 miles into BFE all by myself I like to feel safe. With a .40 on my side and a rifle in the truck. Plus, if I don't find anything I use "gun therapy" to release the aggression. A couple rounds always makes me feel better.

Nice pocket find...

I think we would be great friends. Tell your husband it could be worse. A frog could jump out of the dryer. He's fortunate it's only rocks and ammo!

 

[YoungBlood]

Yeah nothing like turning on the dryer and having bullets and rocks tumbling around. Gotta get those pocket finds !

Story of my dryers life. lol

 

[Brandiwine]

I think we would be great friends. Tell your husband it could be worse. A frog could jump out of the dryer. He's fortunate it's only rocks and ammo!

Aha! It's not hard to find potential friends here. Where ya at in NC? Lived in your great state for a number of years. Of course, a great number of WVians did the same. When I lived there my joke was if you weren't from NC then you came from either WV or Mexico.

 

[NC field hunter]

Aha! It's not hard to find potential friends here. Where ya at in NC? Lived in your great state for a number of years. Of course, a great number of WVians did the same. When I lived there my joke was if you weren't from NC then you came from either WV or Mexico.

Lol! I'm in the big city of Roxboro. 20 min north of Durham. Roxboro is home of Hall of famer Enos Slaughter and PGA golfer Jim Thorpe. Oh yeah, and me!!

 

[bravowhiskey]

nice pickins' NC...it's great you don't have to go far to hunt.