Scrutiny, Study, Context.

[MAMucker]

Here’s a piece of material I pulled out of Atlantic Ocean gravels after a storm. I made this post to illustrate the need to keep context center-most in a very broad sense (including historical NA evidence and environmental/weather action and effect)

There have been many posts looking for opinions on suspect workmanship on slivers of material. Here’s one that provides a teachable moment:






The material remarkably resembles similar local lithics. Here’s a section that resembles a bulb of percussion and another with some seemingly uniform edge work:




But these next photos tell the rest of the story:

 

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[MAMucker]

One member here once used the term “Creek Chatter”. I like that expression. We need one for the coastal storm and undertow effect.

 

[H.P.]

That’s why I like seeing more then a couple of views. Good post.

 

[uniface]

I'm not sure what the rest of the story is. My collection is full of flakes with retouch on only one part, and even with retouching @ higher and lower angles for different purposes on the same piece. They look purposeful to me, at any rate.

One thing I do notice is that your piece shows the identifying characteristics of a crested blade that was struck from the opposite end (the little bulb. Which, in itself, indicates purposeful creation) after a previous removal plunged, the way mis-struck paleo points were often ruined (thinned/fluted from the basal edge).

My 2 cents worth. YMMV

 

[Tdog]

Looks like cast iron.

 

[uniface]

It does. But New England lithics are odd ones sometimes.

 

[Relicgrubber]

I'm not sure what the rest of the story is. My collection is full of flakes with retouch on only one part, and even with retouching @ higher and lower angles for different purposes on the same piece. They look purposeful to me, at any rate.

One thing I do notice is that your piece shows the identifying characteristics of a crested blade that was struck from the opposite end (the little bulb. Which, in itself, indicates purposeful creation) after a previous removal plunged, the way mis-struck paleo points were often ruined (thinned/fluted from the basal edge).

My 2 cents worth. YMMV

I wonder what type of craftsmanship/tools they used to make the raised letters

 

[smallfoot]

Good one !!!

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Your point is well made and illustrated.
Most folks aren't educated and follow the terminology
describing creation and use of the finished product.
Heck even fewer know what to and how to photograph
their object of interest. Perhaps holding the item in the
wrong place, would cover up critical place, just leaves us really guessing of what it is....
Thanks for all the input - everyone is learning here...!

 

[MAMucker]

I'm not sure what the rest of the story is. My collection is full of flakes with retouch on only one part, and even with retouching @ higher and lower angles for different purposes on the same piece. They look purposeful to me, at any rate.

One thing I do notice is that your piece shows the identifying characteristics of a crested blade that was struck from the opposite end (the little bulb. Which, in itself, indicates purposeful creation) after a previous removal plunged, the way mis-struck paleo points were often ruined (thinned/fluted from the basal edge).

My 2 cents worth. YMMV

Thanks for replying. And I appreciate your point of view.

But the rest of the story is found (embossed) on the piece itself (modern clay tile). If that evidence wasn’t there, Id be tempted to ID it as Man-worked too.




This is why it is difficult to see the difference between Man-worked and the workings of nature on thin delicate slivers of material when the edge-work is slight, especially from a photo.

Context - (in this case, a rough and sometimes violent rocky coastal Atlantic seashore, where old bricks and other modern construction materials washout in proximity to NA Artifacts) - and logic are invaluable.

This scrutiny must be applied when items of interest are pulled from hostile environments like fast water on rocky rivers.

 

[uniface]

LOL ! I thought it was a watermarked image

 

[uniface]

EXCELLENT point you made, by the way ! (Now that I see it).

 

[Jeff H]

A very informative piece Mucker!