This may seem crazy.....

Huskerhunter · Sep 21, 2014

I admit, I am guilty of keeping every speck of flint I come across. That may seem a little bit crazy to most hunters, but today I found one that validates my obsessive flake hoarding problem. After cleaning off my "haul" of flakes, I realized there was a small broken triangle point mixed in. Birdies are common in my field so it's not find of a lifetime or anything. What makes this unique is that it looks like it was re-purposed into a burin or something. I know the native Americans didn't like to waste anything, but if this was in fact re-purposed, it was done by someone who very frugal and wasted nothing.

Hopefully I will find some real artifacts here soon to show off because this is a pretty lame post compared to other member's killer finds recently. I hope some of you keep the flakes you find too. If not, this might make you start. Besides, finding things like this is the only reason my wife allows me to have buckets of flakes taking up space in the house, so to me it's totally worth it!

H.H.

BurntBear · Sep 21, 2014

I found this in N.C. while sluicing for gold. It was about 24" deep in a creek. Look like anything to you? I'm not very familiar with artifacts.

austin · Sep 21, 2014

Looks like a scraper to me, but as I told my Texas History class, I don't know much about native americans, other than their histroy. BUT, Bill from Lachine and Gator Boy, as well as a guy from North Carolina, seem to be the experts here. Hopefully, they will weigh in. They are experts...

rock · Sep 21, 2014

I got a bucket of flakes and brokes mixed in. I need to go through it all but I guess I will wait for a rainy day when I cant do nothing but sit. HH everyone and keep what you like its your collection. rock

old digger · Sep 22, 2014

I find a lot of chippings that look like they did some practice on after they were previously flaked. Most likely a youngster trying his skills at knapping.

quito · Sep 22, 2014

I would say the point was put there for a purpose other than to make it an arrowhead. It's a scraper with a burin. Likely used to score bone.

I can't wait to hear what them "experts" say.

redbeardrelics · Sep 22, 2014

I will pick up and take home a lot of the flakes, cores, and other "material" too, and have to admit that I am anal enough to keep them all separated by site. These flakes and pieces of material are just as old as the completed artifacts, and are often (unfortunately) the most interesting or beautiful lithics' to be found.
Some of the sites I hunt are small and there are not many finished artifacts to be gathered. The chips and flakes are sometimes the main clues remaining to who were at the site and when, which can sometimes be assumed by the types of flakes that remain. Sometimes when I get them home and clean them up I can see like yours, a flake that has been utilized as an expedient and completed tool. A tool that I would have missed if not having examined it later and closer. Bringing home the chips, flakes, and material also prevents me from having to bend over, pick them up, and examine them year after year, as well as helping me gauge how deeply a field had been turned, or how much erosion or weathering has taken place at the site since I was there last.
I don't think your crazy for gathering the flakes, it actually makes very good sense to me. HH

GatorBoy · Sep 22, 2014

Neat little scraper graver combo...almost looks like it was made on a broken stem of a point.

NC field hunter · Sep 22, 2014

It looks like so many pieces I find. It's most defiantly NC rhyolite. Yours may be a complete piece. I often see pieces that literally twin yours, and they are plow victims. Cool little piece.

sandstonecrazy · Sep 23, 2014

did anybody else see the face in the third image certain angles in low light really make em stand out

GatorBoy · Sep 23, 2014

Oh boy..lol

quito · Sep 23, 2014

sandstonecrazy said:
did anybody else see the face in the third image certain angles in low light really make em stand out

Reminds me of the man in the moon.

Huskerhunter · Sep 23, 2014

I can't see the face, but the letter "I" is obvious.

lookindown · Sep 23, 2014

I keep every flake...Im sure some of the flakes were utilized...some make nice little tools just by the random way they flaked off.

monsterrack · Sep 24, 2014

Flakes were used for tools all the time some got extra chipping to sharpen them or turn them into another type of tool. With just one fresh flake you can skin an quarter of deer, just holding the flake in your hand. I have picked up what I thought was a flake and in turned out to be a point. Good eye :thumbsup: