Who Has The Most Water Worn Piece?

[Gravelbar32]

Here is my entry. A knife found last year in the gravel on Neosho River, SE Kansas. It's been in the water so long without breaking that the facets are nearly gone. I love this piece and it sits on a table where i can touch it often! I am sure you pros have one like it or better. Let's see it.

 

[HillBilly244]

My entry

 

[tomclark]

 

[Gravelbar32]

View attachment 1900667 My entry

Satin!

 

[Gravelbar32]

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That is a ghost of it's former self!

 

[Older The Better]

It’s more worn than the pictures really show since I was trying to capture the flake scars, also from the Neosho and a very strange break. Don’t think I’ve seen any break right down the middle

 

[Fat]

 

[HillBilly244]

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I think you have me beat,lol

 

[Gravelbar32]

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It’s more worn than the pictures really show since I was trying to capture the flake scars, also from the Neosho and a very strange break. Don’t think I’ve seen any break right down the middle

Yes. That is an acute break. I don't think I have a match for that one. Scars nearly gone.

 

[Gravelbar32]

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It figures that Fat would toss one in from three point range! Appears to match Tom Clark's whispery smooth point.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

The large Point at the top is polished heavily by wave action. Both it and the smaller one at the bottom where found on the coast of Connecticutt.

 

[Charl]

Middle Archaic Stark point, 7000-8000 BP. Rhyolite, Massachusetts....

 

[Charl]

We do much of our hunting in Rhode Island tidal zones. The more turbulent such zones, the more water worn a point may be. The type of material is a factor, some lithics weather more readily. I took to calling such points “erased points”, because they sometimes have every lick of flaking removed. To the point that some folks, not experienced in hunting turbulent tidal zones may remark “that’s a rock, not an artifact”. Understandable, I look at it as an artifact on its way to becoming a geofact. But, in truth, of course, they will always be artifacts, just on their way to becoming “erased points”.

Here are 2 quartzite points in a stage where flaking is gone. The first is a very large grained quartzite...





This may be a single eared variant of Brewerton Eared Triangle, or perhaps more likely an Otter Creek with one ear resharpened away....



Barrington Argillite is a poor lithic, and rapidly weathers. This material did not flake well to begin with, and sometimes only a few flakes were removed to fashion points from it. Here are 2 water worn Barrington Argillite points.....





I’d prefer to find finely flaked points, but in turbulent tidal zones, we have to learn to recognize “erased points”.

 

[MAMucker]

We do much of our hunting in Rhode Island tidal zones. The more turbulent such zones, the more water worn a point may be. The type of material is a factor, some lithics weather more readily. I took to calling such points “erased points”, because they sometimes have every lick of flaking removed. To the point that some folks, not experienced in hunting turbulent tidal zones may remark “that’s a rock, not an artifact”. Understandable, I look at it as an artifact on its way to becoming a geofact. But, in truth, of course, they will always be artifacts, just on their way to becoming “erased points”.

Here are 2 quartzite points in a stage where flaking is gone. The first is a very large grained quartzite...

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This may be a single eared variant of Brewerton Eared Triangle, or perhaps more likely an Otter Creek with one ear resharpened away....

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Barrington Argillite is a poor lithic, and rapidly weathers. This material did not flake well to begin with, and sometimes only a few flakes were removed to fashion points from it. Here are 2 water worn Barrington Argillite points.....

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I’d prefer to find finely flaked points, but in turbulent tidal zones, we have to learn to recognize “erased points”.

Those are great examples. If you’re familiar with the types, there’s just enough left to make an ID. I like the term, Erased Artifacts.

 

[CHUDs]

I’ll be honest that I don’t know what to think about this one. I found this very early on in my pursuit of the hobby. It’s from Nantucket Island. I revisit it every once in a while. It sits on a shelf but doesn’t go in the case. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Older The Better]

Looks like it’s been in a fire

 

[Tdog]

Looks like it’s been in a fire

It sure does Steve with those pot lid fractures and overall surface condition.

 

[CHUDs]

It was found on the beach. So maybe it went from a fire pit to the water and has been tumbled in the surf for potentially hundreds of years? Any of the MA/RI people recognize the material?

 

[MAMucker]

I’ll be honest that I don’t know what to think about this one. I found this very early on in my pursuit of the hobby. It’s from Nantucket Island. I revisit it every once in a while. It sits on a shelf but doesn’t go in the case. Any input is appreciated.

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I’m not sure or confident saying that one is (or isn’t) an artifact. But, we do have a regional material called, Wakefield “Salt & Pepper” Rhyolite (MA). It’s recognized by it’s creamy beige patina, sometimes nearly white, and black and white phenocrysts.

Here are a couple ‘Erased’ beach points made of the same:

 

[MAMucker]

Here’s a 2020 ‘Turbulent Shoreline’ find. A big knife blade, made of interesting mottled material that has had almost all of its identity sanded off.
The shape and the ancient tip break gave me a little extra confidence in it when I picked it up.