Think I at least found something today

[cladmaster502]

Hello folks! I have collected and looked for artifacts off and on for awhile now. Today I went out and looked around for about 1 1/2 hours for the first time in about 3 years. Searched around a river bank today. Didn't really find anything around the river. After searching for about an hour I got into my car and drove to the other side of the river. I parked got out of the car looked down on the gravel road and found this. It's not much but better than nothing I reckon Looks like a scraper or engraver to me, maybe it's nothing. Material is glossy black flint what do you all think? Measures about 1". Found in KY. Thanks

P.S. Sorry about the crappy pic. I took it with my crappy phone.

 

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[SwampHunter]

From looking at the pic I don't see any additional work on the piece. Around here that would be considered a chip. That doesn't mean that it wasn't used as a tool because it very well could have. The largest majority of chips we find are much sharper than worked tools and would do a much better job at cutting than most blades would. I really think the chips could cut leather and such better than most worked blades. We find a lot of chips ranging in size. I doubt they would have not used them especially in my area where there are no natural occuring rocks. Well, I guess if you dig deep enough you will find some but the surface is all swamp and sand hills. All of the rock was brought in from other areas. Surely they didn't just discard rock that was hard to come by.
We keep pretty much everything we find and that piece would be kept as well.

 

[cladmaster502]

Thanks for the reply, I think you are correct. Thought it was maybe just a big chip. I will be keeping it though.

 

[1320]

Personally, I can't rule this piece in or out as a scraper without a quality photo. I will say that it has the classic shape and size of a thumbnail scraper so I'm leaning in that direction. See if you can find some fine flaking around the base, not necessarily around the entire piece, could be just a small section. The flaking would kinda resemble facets on a gemstone, hard to see but obvious once your eye picks up on it.

 

[RGINN]

You found it on a gravelled road so it's completely out of context with the site. You can look along the river bank for wash out, but the village will be above the river, sometimes above the second terrrace of the river. Look it over, and figure out where you would camp. In Oklahoma, we have determined there was a town or small village along EVERY MILE of the Wa$hita River at one time or another. Same for the lesser tributaries, particularly where they flowed into a major river. Best of luck hunting!