Two reduction flakes from a Plains Clovis assemblage

[11KBP]

Platter core reduction flakes from a Plains Clovis assemblage

Two examples of thin flat Clovis bifacial core reduction flakes from a platter type core. The thinner flake is a fairly consistent 3 mm thick except at the bulb. The second flake was refitted from two pieces. It has some fine edge retouch and I assume broke during use as a cutting tool.

The lithic source is Flattop Chalcedony from north eastern Colorado and the documented Clovis site is in north central Kansas. The reason I find these two particular flakes to be interesting is because they provide evidence that this Clovis band still had large bifacial cores in their possession even though they were nearly three hundred miles away from the FTC source.

 

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[uniface]

Beautiful !

 

[Fat]

My favorite lithic. Please post more of your collection. I know you have lots of good stuff to show....

 

[Older The Better]

I’ve had experience with was called plate chalcedony from the flint hills, I recall it being somewhat blue, is this different from flattop?

 

[11KBP]

I’ve had experience with was called plate chalcedony from the flint hills, I recall it being somewhat blue, is this different from flattop?

Are you referring to the Kansas Flint Hills?

I have found numerous artifacts made of the Kansas Flint Hills Permian cherts but I am not familiar with a plate chalcedony from the Kansas Flint Hills region.
The only plate chalcedony sources I am familiar with are those from the Nebraska & Dakota badlands.

 

[Fat]

My Flattop chalcedony frame.

Edit. The plate chalcedony that I can directly identify has been worked onto more of backed knife kind of piece

 

[Garscale]

View attachment 1911622

My Flattop chalcedony frame.

Edit. The plate chalcedony that I can directly identify has been worked onto more of backed knife kind of piece

Some killer paleo in that frame. Maybe some cody complex up top? Cant be positive from that pic.

 

[Tnmountains]

As always a good post and it is nice seeing you again. Hope all is well.

 

[Older The Better]

Are you referring to the Kansas Flint Hills?

I have found numerous artifacts made of the Kansas Flint Hills Permian cherts but I am not familiar with a plate chalcedony from the Kansas Flint Hills region.
The only plate chalcedony sources I am familiar with are those from the Nebraska & Dakota badlands.

I couldn’t tell you, I remember liking the material and being told it was from the flint hills, being in a ku collection I just assumed they meant in Kansas but it’s very possible they were from farther north. It looks like some of fats pieces are more blue like I remember... it’s been 10-12 years now.

 

[Fat]

Not blue... translucent Red to White and all shades in between.

 

[Fat]

View attachment 1911701 View attachment 1911703

Dang... if click on it shows, belly from a Clovis....

Now?

 

[Older The Better]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/600536-badlands-knives.html...
Looking into it more I think this is what I’m thinking of.

 

[11KBP]

I’ve had experience with was called plate chalcedony from the flint hills, I recall it being somewhat blue, is this different from flattop?

Fat's frame of Flattop Chalcedony (FTC) material provides a very good example of the FTC color range.

Flattop Chalcedony Description:

"A typical piece of Flattop chalcedony is lavender gray with a dull luster and small white inclusions. It may be opaque or translucent, and the color range includes white, gray, brown, lavender, pink, and reddish purple. The gray and lavender shades are by far the most common and possess the best flaking qualities. White, purple, or red banding or inclusions may be present, especially in the gray-lavender color range. The texture varies from fine grained to waxy, with the more translucent pieces being the smoothest."
(American Antiquity 1993, Vol. 58, No. 4)

The most aesthetic colors fall in the translucent pink to lavender shades as seen in this image of a FTC cobble and projectile point.

 

[dirstscratcher]

can you get a good photo of the edge of the striking platform?