What kind of material is this?

[DigIron2]

I have only seen this material at a couple places and doesn't seem to be much of it around?. I am sure it is some kind of chert, but not sure what it is called? It is the nicest material I have found here locally, and have only found one point made from it so far. I found this Decatur which is one of my finer pieces in a creek not to far from a camp where I see a "little" of this blueish/grey colored material, and haven't found anything made from the same material since. What do you guys call this material?

 

[PaDirtDigger]

Super fractured base you got there... I love those...

As far as that material, its tough to say... Blurry pictures and it doesnt seem to really have the edges of chert,plus, the one picture looks like it might be scratched or engraved (not human engraving though) is it a river tumbled piece??

 

[DigIron2]

thanks. Actually I found the piece of material in a field that is above the creek where the point came from. Will try to get some clearer pics of the material.

 

[redbeardrelics]

I am not sure what type, or name, would be appropriate to use to identify the type of chert that your fine Decatur example is made of, but I do also love that style of point. I would propose though, that if it is not local to your area of Virginia, that it probably originates to the west of your location. We do not find much light or tan colored cherts here to your east on the Delmarva, and we do not have recognized names for them when they do appear. The few points we call Decatur here, are a bit different than yours, whose outline IMO looks more like the ones found in the central states. Hopefully some members from the Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky or Illinois areas may recognize it as one of their local lithics? Thanks for showing that point. I think the knapping technique for removing burin flakes from the base of these points, is one of the under appreciated, and more interesting attributes of any point type.

 

[DigIron2]

I am not sure what type, or name, would be appropriate to use to identify the type of chert that your fine Decatur example is made of, but I do also love that style of point. I would propose though, that if it is not local to your area of Virginia, that it probably originates to the west of your location. We do not find much light or tan colored cherts here to your east on the Delmarva, and we do not have recognized names for them when they do appear. The few points we call Decatur here, are a bit different than yours, whose outline IMO looks more like the ones found in the central states. Hopefully some members from the Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky or Illinois areas may recognize it as one of their local lithics? Thanks for showing that point. I think the knapping technique for removing burin flakes from the base of these points, is one of the under appreciated, and more interesting attributes of any point type.

I have only seen this material it at a couple places I have hunted so far, but never allot of it. For example when I do see it , it is a little piece here or there. That piece I posted is the biggest hunk of it I have found. It seems kind of like slate around this part of VA. Found a couple points made from it, but don't see much slate around. But when I go to West VA slate is everywhere.

 

[DigIron2]

Tried it outside.Hope these pics help some. This camera isn't much.

 

[PaDirtDigger]

Yeah, i can't really tell, but the pictures are much better. If it is a knappable material, maybe it is a type of rhyolite. I believe that material gets pretty popular starting where you are and down through the carolinas...??

Seeing the decatur, i just assumed you were from those central states... Hmmm... I still havent found a decatur in the dirt... Hopefully one day.

 

[austin]

I think it's quartzite, a metamorphic rock that is hard, but workable.

 

[DigIron2]

Yeah, i can't really tell, but the pictures are much better. If it is a knappable material, maybe it is a type of rhyolite. I believe that material gets pretty popular starting where you are and down through the carolinas...??

Seeing the decatur, i just assumed you were from those central states... Hmmm... I still havent found a decatur in the dirt... Hopefully one day.

I live in central VA. I looked up rhyolite. I saw a couple examples that where kind of close in color but not sure?

 

[DigIron2]

I think it's quartzite, a metamorphic rock that is hard, but workable.

I don't think it is a quartzite, seems more like some kind of chert, but I could be wrong?

 

[Charl]

Even though the second set of photos are better, when enlarged they are still way too blurry. Rhyolite is a reasonable guess, though, for your neck of the woods....

 

[DigIron2]

Its hard for me to get a clear pics with this junk camera sometimes. I forgot to mention the material is very smooth/ slick almost like it was creek polished but I found it in a field?

 

[redbeardrelics]

I would say from the photos that I am pretty certain the Decatur is a chert/flint piece and not rhyolite, but I have no idea on the intact cobble. If you are not too fond of the cobble as is, you could crack it open to see what it looks like inside. It could look totally different than the patina on it's cortex looks now? What part of Virginia are you in if you don't mind me asking?

 

[PaDirtDigger]

I would say from the photos that I am pretty certain the Decatur is a chert/flint piece and not rhyolite...

Definitely agree there, I believe we were trying to figure out that cobble... Breaking it is a good idea to see what it was like before it changed into its current state.

 

[DigIron2]

I would say from the photos that I am pretty certain the Decatur is a chert/flint piece and not rhyolite, but I have no idea on the intact cobble. If you are not too fond of the cobble as is, you could crack it open to see what it looks like inside. It could look totally different than the patina on it's cortex looks now? What part of Virginia are you in if you don't mind me asking?

Not at all. I live right next door to Fredricksburg VA, pretty much central VA. Thanks for the tip. I broke a piece off the end. The inside looks different then the outer. It is a dark greyish/blue color with little "light bluish" lines running through it, and it is a slick material. It is a different material then what the point is made from. That light blue color that was on the outer layer is what had me fooled thinking the point might have been made from the same material. Now I am thinking the cobble might be some kind of slate maybe?

 

[PaDirtDigger]

Yeah... Maybe road stone... Some call it 2B... Sometimes gets stuck to a tractor and then falls off etc... Limestone

 

[rock]

Limestone would be a good guess. Maybe a wet pic will help cause the dry ones are blurry