Point, flake tool, or preform. Not sure which.

[TXCreekWalker]

Found in a pile of gravel gathered at around the roots of a tree along a creek today after the storm passed through here in North Texas. The edges are sharp, so it probably has been in the dirt for a long time. Lighting makes the first picture shows it a grayish-blue color, which is closest to its actual color compared to the last three.

I am not sure if this is a type of point, or if it was going to be a type of point. I am also considering it may b a flake tool, perhaps a little blade.

What do you think?

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Looks like a thumb scraper, good find.

 

[Tdog]

I couldn't say it fast enough--thumb scraper.

 

[antmike915]

Agree with above comments

 

[plehbah2]

A lot of tools were a one time shot, and so expedient in form and manufacture. I see utilized edges all around, so my guess is that it is a finished tool. That is all you would need to shave a point on the end of a stick or something like that.

 

[TXCreekWalker]

Thank you all! This gives me a great deal of hope for this particular area.
I am wondering based on how it narrows just before widening if this thumb scraper would have been hafted?

Also, would this be considered a spur, or is it too small? I have two other thumb scrapers that are a little thicker with steeper edges (which is why I initially though this little guy was a point as it is thinner) with little points like this. They are from a different area, but still North Texas.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

No, it wouldn't have been hafted. On the new picture need picture of all of it.

 

[TXCreekWalker]

Here is the picture whole scraper. The point, or spur is along the upper left edge. I have also reposted the picture of the backside of the scraper but with the point in question circled.

 

[CreekSide]

Nice find

 

[Tdog]

It looks like it could be a graver spur to me.

 

[TXCreekWalker]

It looks like it could be a graver spur to me.

I was thinking that, too. It is small, so I was also considering that it was just a small leftover tip from the flaking. I am assuming that is was recently freed from the surrounding soil because that point would probably have weathered off quickly in this very gravel-filled creek which carried a large amount of runoff when it rains.

 

[dognose]

looks like nice material.
nice find

 

[plehbah2]

Judging from your picture I do not believe that to be a graver spur, nor would it be a spurred scraper typical of Paleoindian lithic technology. I think what you have there is a failure of the working edge along a pocket of a weaker inclusion in the stone, which happened during use of the tool as a scraper and putting downward and unidirectional pressure on the edge. There are definitely combination tools out there, and combination tools made on flakes, but a graver on the actual working edge of a scraper seems very unlikely. The scrapers dull quickly and would have to be resharpened regularly making a graver placement on the working edge very impractical. The spurred scrapers have the spur located to the side of the working edge where the scraper could be turned sideways during hide working and used to score the fascia on the interior of the hide. Again, I do not think that your pictured example is that type of artifact.

 

[TXCreekWalker]

I often like seeing the places people find artifacts. So, I went back to the place I found this thumb scraper and took some pictures. The pile of rocks by the dead branch on the right is where I found it, gently wedged between two slightly larger rocks.

 

[CreekSide]

You can always take a hard nosed rake and rake the gravel. It works for some. I tried it once and it washed the gravel away on next high flow. That’s a good looking spot. If there is a big log close by place it on the front of the gravel section and if it stays in place on high flow it will help catch more for you and create a larger gravel bar. Nice pictures
I used to take pictures of the creeks I hunt but local guys like myself will know exactly where I’m at so I don’t do it anymore.

 

[Older The Better]

I may be paranoid but I try not to post pictures from my sites because I use my phone and I’m afraid somewhere in the data is a gps type tag. I don’t mind seeing others, I’m definitely not going to poach anyone’s spots, so it is helpful to see what kind of landforms are producing. Looks a little brushy getting in there

 

[CreekSide]

I may be paranoid but I try not to post pictures from my sites because I use my phone and I’m afraid somewhere in the data is a gps type tag. I don’t mind seeing others, I’m definitely not going to poach anyone’s spots, so it is helpful to see what kind of landforms are producing. Looks a little brushy getting in there

That’s how they make their money nowadays. I had my location turned off on my last one and went to trade it in and was told it didn’t have enough information on it. So the new ones now there are all types of location devices that you could turn off but it takes a while.

 

[TXCreekWalker]

I may be paranoid but I try not to post pictures from my sites because I use my phone and I’m afraid somewhere in the data is a gps type tag. I don’t mind seeing others, I’m definitely not going to poach anyone’s spots, so it is helpful to see what kind of landforms are producing. Looks a little brushy getting in there

I did not think about that. It is fairly difficult to get to, and I am sure most people would not just casually walk into the tall grasses that you have to to get there. But, at the same time, I have a search pattern that I am progressing through. I would not want that jumped into.