What is the point of attachment. Teardrop point...

Edgychris · Mar 17, 2020

Found this. Its is complete and shaped like a tear drop. Has some weight to it. Looks like perhaps a pick axe. Does not have a point of usual attachment. I put a shaft to where I think it was attached. Perhaps a semicircle one horizontal end and a pick the other. Any idea. Completley worked and gorgeous.

Tdog · Mar 17, 2020

It's waaaay too small for an axe of any kind. I think it's a preform and a nice piece of material. Thanks.

uniface · Mar 17, 2020

If it's as thick as it looks in your pictures, a ittle multi-function tool. Endscraper/spokeshave/borer.

Edgychris · Mar 17, 2020

Tdog said:
It's waaaay too small for an axe of any kind. I think it's a preform and a nice piece of material. Thanks.

The one to the left is a preform. Square sides, but accurate shape.. This is worked and definitely finished. Edged out. Not that small. Definitely large enough to crack shells on one side and get to bone marrow on the other.

uniface · Mar 17, 2020

Depends on where the edges run. Midway between bottom & top, point/preform. Along the flatter, bottom edge, tool.

Edgychris · Mar 17, 2020

Tdog said:
It's waaaay too small for an axe of any kind. I think it's a preform and a nice piece of material. Thanks.

More photos

Tdog · Mar 17, 2020

In post #4, the piece on the left doesn't look like an artifact at all to me from that pic. The preforms I'm familiar with are finished to the edge all the way around to some extent--not left "squared off" on the edge. They could be used as is for cutting tasks. The quartz piece has seen the hand of man alright, just not an axe IMO.

Edgychris · Mar 17, 2020

Tdog said:
In post #4, the piece on the left doesn't look like an artifact at all to me from that pic. The preforms I'm familiar with are finished to the edge all the way around to some extent--not left "squared off" on the edge. They could be used as is for cutting tasks. The quartz piece has seen the hand of man alright, just not an axe IMO.

Perhaps a blank is different than a preform. That is edged a bit one side. You do not have best angles. Sorry. Thanks guys

Tdog · Mar 17, 2020

Edgychris said:
Perhaps a blank is different than a preform. That is edged a bit one side. You do not have best angles. Sorry. Thanks guys

No, a quarry blank and a preform is the same thing.

uniface · Mar 18, 2020

FWIW, people often dissect the process into (arbitrary) stages, and reserve the term "preform" for the stage where the basic thinning & shaping's done.

https://www.pinterest.com/AuntCC58/indian-artifacts/

Tdog · Mar 18, 2020

I've got at least one similiar, maybe more, that I'll try and get pics of today and put up here for comparison. Seems we could be splitting hairs with terminology but I could be mistaken. I never understood it is two, separate processes.

"Onward and Upward" as a friend of mine says. I stole it from him 'cause I liked it so much!