Thoughts on CT point?

[ShortLobster]

This was found in SW Connecticut. Seem similar to this Bare Island point: https://www.projectilepoints.net/Points/Bare_Island.html

Any advice or suggestions appreciated.

 

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[Tdog]

We have a knowledgeable collector in the north-east that can likely positively ID the piece and the material it's made from. His username is Charl from Rhode Island. Hopefully he will chime in. You may have already nailed the type with Bare Island.

 

[uniface]

Upper Delaware black chert, FWIW

 

[ShortLobster]

Upper Delaware black chert, FWIW

Wow, very interesting, thanks. Presumably a trade item to get from Ohio to CT?

 

[MAMucker]

Hey, that’s a very killer point! And I love that material.
Could be a wide Bare Island variant.
From the one photo, it seems to have very sturdy (and pronounced), broad square shoulders. That would make it unusual, but maybe not so unusual to eliminate the type.

It looks to have many of the typology features of Bare Island as described in A New England Typology-(by Boudreau).

The length seems to be on the max end of the range for the type: (96.52mm).

It may fit well with a Broadblade type or tradition as well. If I found it on the coast, I’d lean toward Atlantic Blade.

That’s a beauty though!

Can you add a photo of the opposite side and side view?

 

[Tdog]

Hello MAMucker. I didn't forget that you were pretty good on typology and material ID too but I haven't seen you around here in so long that I didn't know whether you were still checking in or not.

 

[MAMucker]

Hey Tdog!
I know I’ve been MIA. Navigating the website from my phone is difficult. I’ve also added Archery as a new hobby.
Hopefully, Charl will have insight on that point. It’s an interesting one.

 

[ShortLobster]

Can you add a photo of the opposite side and side view?

Additional views are below.

Dimensions:

Length: 93.5 mm
Max Width: 39 mm
Max thickness: 11 mm
Stem Thickness: 8 mm

Really appreciate everyone's thoughts on the point, I'm new to this.

 

[uniface]

SL: not Delaware chert from ohio -- black chert which outcrops along the upper reaches of the Delaware River. Closer to home but still exotic. Sorry for unintentional ambiguity.

 

[ShortLobster]

SL: not Delaware chert from ohio -- black chert which outcrops along the upper reaches of the Delaware River. Closer to home but still exotic. Sorry for unintentional ambiguity.

Ah ok, thx. Still very interesting.

 

[Tdog]

I think I'm seeing several healed fractures. Is that material known for doing that?

 

[ShortLobster]

I think I'm seeing several healed fractures. Is that material known for doing that?

I can see a number of small surface cracks through a microscope, and what looks like a few mm of the tip is broken off.

Where are you seeing them? I can post some more pictures.

 

[Tdog]

Where are you seeing them? I can post some more pictures.

On the lower 1/3 to 1/2 oriented diagonally and crossing the center of the piece.

 

[ShortLobster]

On the lower 1/3 to 1/2 oriented diagonally and crossing the center of the piece.

I think I see what you are seeing, but not sure. Here's a picture with better lighting. The lighter colored material in the crack looks like sediment under the microscope. I haven't cleaned the piece.

 

[Tdog]

I realize some of these may be step fractures but their sheer number and length made me think they were healed fractures. Otherwise, they would probably have broken all the way through by now by freezing and thawing for 100's if not thousands of years.

 

[uniface]

Good eye, Terry

 

[MAMucker]

SL: not Delaware chert from ohio -- black chert which outcrops along the upper reaches of the Delaware River. Closer to home but still exotic. Sorry for unintentional ambiguity.

Hi Uniface,
Do you know of any reference or info regarding this black chert? It looks a lot like the lithic material one of my artifacts is made from. I’ve not found another like it.

 

[uniface]

I can't cite a publication for you, Charl. Just repeating an old east-central Penna. arrowhead hunter-collector-dealer id. in common use ca. 1970. Like Williamsport Black (another example).

 

[Charl]

Hey Tdog!
I know I’ve been MIA. Navigating the website from my phone is difficult. I’ve also added Archery as a new hobby.
Hopefully, Charl will have insight on that point. It’s an interesting one.

Well, I certainly don’t consider myself the be all or end all on Northeastern types. Most of the cherts that show up in Ct., and southern New England in general, will be Hudson Valley cherts. Almost always actually, except for jasper, which can be either from Pa., or from RI.

As for type, like yourself, I might lean Atlantic phase blade. But we should keep in mind Atlantics are considered an eastern correlate of the Snook Kill point. If found in eastern Ct., collectors might call it an Atlantic. But in western Ct., collectors there might know it better as a Snook Kill point. Need not be a coastal find, just as common in the interior.

My best guess…..

 

[MAMucker]

Well, I certainly don’t consider myself the be all or end all on Northeastern types. Most of the cherts that show up in Ct., and southern New England in general, will be Hudson Valley cherts. Almost always actually, except for jasper, which can be either from Pa., or from RI.

As for type, like yourself, I might lean Atlantic phase blade. But we should keep in mind Atlantics are considered an eastern correlate of the Snook Kill point. If found in eastern Ct., collectors might call it an Atlantic. But in western Ct., collectors there might know it better as a Snook Kill point. Need not be a coastal find, just as common in the interior.

My best guess…..

I want to make an additional observation regarding the stem. After having a good look at both sides; it looks to have a snapped-off base. This could throw Adena in as a suspect type.

It’s a stunning artifact either way.
Just beautiful.