What is this??

larson1951 · Apr 28, 2009

only flaked on the humped side(1rst image)
no flaking and flat on the back side(2nd image)
made of chert

Tnmountains · Apr 28, 2009

beats me?

quito · Apr 29, 2009

Hard to say for sure what it's use was, but it is no doubt a nice little multi-purpose tool. It looks like it has a blade worked into at least one edge.

I have wondered if some of those finely notched pieces weren't use to maybe size sinew strands before use or something. But, who knows for sure?

Joel

jeff a · Apr 29, 2009

some sort of flake tool,nice material

GL · Apr 29, 2009

Used for shaving reeds, tendons into fibers.

SoIll · Apr 29, 2009

Hafted flake knife I bet.

larson1951 · Apr 29, 2009

SoIll, I kinda tend to agree with your opinion
Hopefully we will get some more input
I think getting more info is the very best part of posting these items

I have learned an awful lot from you forum members

I REALLY appreciate the comments as I am not an expert

creek astronaut · May 4, 2009

maybe a spokeshave?or maybe a youngster practicing his notch making?

Tnmountains · May 5, 2009

GL said:
Used for shaving reeds, tendons into fibers.

Could be that.

Cannonman17 · May 5, 2009

MacGyver tool. Lot of tools were multi purpose.

jmo784 · May 20, 2009

It looks to me like it was a hafted knife that was broken anciently and re-worked into a scraper. Just my thoughts...

Treefrog · May 20, 2009

could have been worked on both sides then later split down the middle

larson1951 · May 21, 2009

I agree with you jmo that it is a hafted scraper

Treefrog, I have never heard of something being split down the middle, what do you mean?

Treefrog · May 21, 2009

like hit by a plow and the flint split by force. ive found lots of stuff where i hunt artifacts with a totaly smooth side almost polished and the other works like crazy.
i believe most of these have been struck by something (plow, disc, tiller) and broken them down the middle of them.

deepsix47 · May 21, 2009

Looks to me like a small blade or scraper that was hafted. It would be perfect for working in tight spots.

Deepsix

larson1951 · May 22, 2009

treefrog, I think what you seeing are artifacts such as scrapers which are only flaked from one side
these are very common in the dakotas and other places
most of my artifact friends don't even pick these up any more
the chances of something splitting down the middle are very very slim
I think most of the forum members would agree if I could get some of them to chime in on this point of discussion
thankyou for your input and thanks for reading my posts

allen · May 22, 2009

cool relic !

pronghorn · May 23, 2009

greg-rocks said:
maybe a spokeshave?or maybe a youngster practicing his notch making?

I have often wondered how many pieces I find are the results of practicing or training.
It seems to me that there would be a lot of practice involved in becoming a master
knapper. I have been trying to learn how to flintknapp and I have buckets full of
broken points and such that didn't work out, however I do not have a master
teaching me.

I think you are right larson, the chances of a plow or anything splitting a piece
perfectly down the middle are almost nill. I have alot of scrappers and pieces
that are unifaced/ worked on only one side.