Rough tools

[Shemanese]

Do any of you collect rough tools? Seems they are very plentiful at one of my sites. The reason I ask is it seems some are disappointed when they find a rough tool. I find they are unique, not as pretty as a point, but the history intriques me. I know TIWWOP but will work on getting some.

 

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[creekhunter]

I guess folks never used to pick them up, I find they tell me more about the makers than any other item, and when I find one, I like to picture how it was being used, and what the maker was doing with it.

 

[MarkDz]

I collect whatever I find. A rough tool is still a tool, and like you said it does show a different side to ancient life than picture-perfect museum-quality tools do.

I agree with creekhunter that a lot of these rough tools may have been passed over. Where I've looked, rough stuff is the norm and there's little really "nice" stuff. There are hundreds, likely thousands, of flint chips around, but all the points I find are of rougher, plainer material, as though the really pretty flint points once existed but have already been collected. The same goes with crude and damaged tools.

Definitely not a complaint, just an observation. I'm grateful for anything I find.

 

[*Molly*]

Seems the East is common for rough blades/knives, mostly rhyolite, although rhyolite comes in many colours. I used to be dissappointed in finding rough blades, but not now, a quarter of my collection is rough blades, but I like them now & look forward to finding them. My new hunting field as turned up prolly 20+ blades, a mix of Arch/Woodland. I think they are rough because they used so many, so basically just whipped them up in minutes. I posted a few blades on here Blades/knives NC, as you can see quite a variety of shapes & sizes. I'll say one thing, they are easier to spot than points, due to the size.

Shemanese I would like to see the rough blades on your site. what's the addy?

Mark I agree Any find is a good find.

Molly. HH.

 

[Cannonman17]

Guess you would have to define "rough tool" as it may be different for different people. I met one fellow not too long ago who kept all the rough tools and when he offered to show me I was curious (specially since he said he must have a couple hundred) only to find out that his idea of a rough tool was anything that was knapped at all, including all flakes. He had been told that good stone was so rare and it was so hard to work that no indian would ever not use any part of the flint thus, everything he found was something. Just another example of people who will unknowing repeat whatever it is they are told and take it as the bible truth. I went through his box of flakes and pulled out a handfull of scrapers and little blades and what not and showed him the difference but I digress. I keep all tools because I feel they can offer great insight into the prehistoric mind as much as any other artifacts, particularly when it comes to the use-wear analysis. I think they are over looked far too often.

 

[Ohio_Doug]

I pickup and gladly keep all "rough tools" to me they are an artifact just the same as a nice point. Granted I do prefer to find points but if I just walk away with a rough blade I don't feel empty handed by no means.

 

[Neanderthal]

Clovis skip across the water a whole lot better than Daltons, the serrations catch hold and they fly funny after that. You can get 20 hops out of folsom "ultra-thins" if you hit the water at a low enough angle....