Point doesnt look right

NC field hunter · Jan 21, 2014

My uncle gave me this little point a little while back and I'm just really looking at it. A little insight for you guys: my uncle has lived around the country. He said that he believed he found this pieces out in Nevada but couldn't swear to that. He has never really collected artifacts but seems to always find a center piece when he does find something. I've seen him pick up a full grooved raised ridge while quail hunting with little excitement. In fact, he sat it down once and said "I'll pick this up on my way back through". I made a special run to the truck for him. Any way, that's irrelevant to this point. The point doesn't look right to me. I wander if my cousin bought this during her childhood travels around the US. The point looks far more authentic than those flat gift shop pieces. What do you guys think? Any clue on what state it may have been found in? Most importantly, is it authentic looking? I tried to magnify pics for you to look at and I even moved around my house looking for decent picture taking light. Lol!

View attachment 934196

Thanks for any info. Also, sorry if I offended any of you by taking so many shots of this one artifact. It's tough to get what I see across to you guys.

old digger · Jan 21, 2014

Interesting! The corner notches look poorly notched, but I have seen some really rough looking made points out here in Montana.

NC field hunter · Jan 21, 2014

old digger said:
Interesting! The corner notches look poorly notched, but I have seen some really rough looking made points out here in Montana.

I agree Digger. This point is just strange. I've seen rougher also. Actually, had this point been a little rougher my suspicion would probably be much lower.

GatorBoy · Jan 22, 2014

It honestly looks like it was put in a rock tumbler with sand and water.

monsterrack · Jan 22, 2014

JMO it looks to be a flake that was made into a point, there is not much major flaking across the point, the notches are pretty rough, but that is not uncommon. If it is a reproduction I would call it a knocked out point due to it being so crude. JMO I think it is a real artifact from what I see, it is real hard to tell from a photo. 1 other thing is that is the most popular style for a new flint knapper to make, it also has good thin base, which is one thing that new knappers don't understand, it had to be thin to haft :dontknow:

The Grim Reaper · Jan 22, 2014

GatorBoy said:
It honestly looks like it was put in a rock tumbler with sand and water.

That look can happen very easily out that way because of the sand and the wind. I have see some that are polished almost smooth be that combination.

Here is what I have from Nevada and while I don't have a type like that I do you some similat material and a couple that have that polished look. I think your Point may be fine and could be that Nevada or at least that general area.

kansa54 · Jan 22, 2014

Looks legit to me. I think a lot of times they didn't put much effort into knocking out the smaller pts. I have found a lot of crude flake pts. over the years.

NC field hunter · Jan 22, 2014

Thanks fellas! It never crossed my mind that this could be a point made on a flake. That makes sense. I'm not sure if my pics show the "ripple" like pattern that is only on one face of the point. That ripple is commonly seen on flakes. If this is a flake point, it's a pretty nice one. My uncle unknowingly hit jackpot again. Lol! Reaper brought an interesting thought to mind. I didn't think about Mother Nature sandblasting this piece and others for thousands of years. Nice collection of Nevada points, by the way Reap! Thanks guys!!

GatorBoy · Jan 22, 2014

That ripple effect is visible on lots of flint artifacts its just where the shockwave from percussion traveled through the material .. Sometimes it's there right from the start when the spall was originally removed and just had not been flake away.
Whatever that piece is and wherever it came from is beyond me I do have several pieces from Nevada and Arizona.
Just not any of that material with that look.
I wonder if Reaper has an idea of what type it is if it is from that area?

The Grim Reaper · Jan 22, 2014

I don't know a lot about types from that area, but it could be one of these.

Mount Albion

NC field hunter · Jan 22, 2014

GatorBoy said:
That ripple effect is visible on lots of flint artifacts its just where the shockwave from percussion traveled through the material .. Sometimes it's there right from the start when the spall was originally removed and just had not been flake away. Whatever that piece is and wherever it came from is beyond me I do have several pieces from Nevada and Arizona. Just not any of that material with that look. I wonder if Reaper has an idea of what type it is if it is from that area?

I haven't spent much time looking for what type of point this is or what it's made of. It is foreign to me. I'm glad the "ripple" description I gave made sense. You got what I was saying. The side of the spall that was broken from the mother stone has that ripple like texture. Some times I reread my post and think.... What I said makes no dang sense. Lol! My uncle said Nevada is the state that he found it in. Well....he thinks! That's all I have to go on.