Uniface Tools and Unique Material

[RichPA]

I went through some of my past finds that were considered flakes. Thanks to Uniface I was able to recognize some pieces with worked edges. Three pieces in the first picture are kanawha flint. The top left piece is probably a knife with edge work on the bottom. The bottom left piece is slightly larger than a quarter and may be a thumb scraper or knife edge. The top right piece may be a broken point and the material is deep red to black.

The second pic shows the edgework on the reverse of the piece in the bottom right of the first pic. The edge work on the top right of the second pic is spaced at the thickness of a fingernail.

The third pic show a piece of unidentified black material. I showed this piece to a few local collectors that said it appears to be obsidian. Is it possible for the trade of obsidian to reach SWPA?

 

[FortBedfordbob]

Boy if that's obsidian it sure is a long way from home. I've never run into it in any of the fields or streams around here. But I would say it sure is possible with trade. Uniface is a Pa hunter maybe he's run into some

 

[uniface]

I asked GF about this, years ago. He said he'd never found an example of it himself, and very highly doubted that the occasional pieces of it in various Penna. collections had actually been found in Penna. For what it's worth.

Flint/Chert can be variable stuff. Even deposits of real poopstone (like the Helderberg cherts around Montour County, Penna.) can produce occasional pieces of outstanding quality chalcedony.

I've read that it is possible to identify (or at least narrow down) the source of chert using ultraviolet light response characteristics.

Maybe Neanderthal could help you when he gets done with his house renovation.