Bowchickameowmeoww
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Discovered this Native American knife(?) while installing a dry creek at a customers. I was blending the natural stream edge with our dry creek with some of its rocks, and after lifting a thin large piece something flipped upright in corner of my eye. Turned back and bam, like the lady of the lake presenting King Arthur’s sword, this beauty glistened at me.
Discovered in town and country Missouri, if anyone knows more about this please tell! I will be going to a local historical museum/society asap to hopefully find out more and share the location of my discovery with them. I can’t believe I found this. Been wanting to discover some ancient artifact my whole life and it finally happened!!!
llcoolj
So did you give it back to the customer or let them know about it?
Nunyajonesinc
Really neat chert coloration. Doesn't match anything my grandfather has in his collection (central MO, near Columbia)
alecmrcraig
It is old.
hackller
a pointy chisel?
jumbosmooth
Impressive!
SHOGOKI
Nice find, i admirał how much time the maker would ned to put into workin a knife like that. I had my time as a aprientece blacksmith,
SHOGOKI
but in working sharp steel there is no randomnes or Łuck factor, making a blade like this takes expirence, time, panience and luck.
username330
Looks like a ye old spear head to me.Great find.
CrappleJack
as i look at it again, there may indeed be a Clovis notch at the bottom. muy cool.
eviloce
Does the customer know you got his artifact?
chandon1
It's definitely a spear point, I've been collecting for over 30 years and have a few of those. Tell the property owner.
whatdidyoureallyexpect
Clovis spear point?
Dimr3ver
Upvote because I love riddles that come with the answer in picture.
Mmmmm337
ROFL - recall an early disappointment. . . Back in the days when Raiders of the Lost Ark was in theaters, parents sent me to an >>
Mmmmm337
'archeology camp.' Learned some stuff about the 'science' and had an opportunity to do a dig. Found a chisel just like that and was >>
Mmmmm337
over the moon, taking it home and showing it off. A few weeks later it chipped and revealed it was a 'weathered' bit of cast plaster. >>
Mmmmm337
don't know why I expected to find an actual artifact in a curated little bed of soil at a camp. . . ah, youthful idealism weathered away.
dragonace16
Oh man I used to find arrow heads in my field and near the creek back when I was kid, was always excited to find one.
Ploty
Amazing find. The natives are there since the Stone Age and maybe before
FrenchPressBenchPress
Technically the customer owns it since it was found on their property.
InariPakannen
That, my friend, is a knife used by a native American mohel.
DaveSamsonite
Ouch!
IndianaJonesNeglectedStudent
Archeologist here who specializes in stone tools. Definitely knife, one side has more use-wear than other - likely cutting pattern of wear.
IndianaJonesNeglectedStudent
Material looks like chert. Definitely take it to the local museum or university and tell them where it was found. Location is important.
ExtremelyHappyGuy
"IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM!!!!", sorry, couldn't resist. love your username. +1
cickeboy123
Pffft..all these experts in the comments thinking they know shit. Me on the other hand know what dragonglass looks like when I see it.
Shiznit007
Probably something to do with Cahokia since it was the biggest civilization in the Americas
CheeseborgarSoop
That might be REALLY REALLY fucking old. I'd take that somewhere.
cyberstormtrooper
That's Paleo
GrilledSpamNCheeze
Very nice. I've found nothing in Eastern Pennsylvania that size due the plows. I'll look into web sites for info for ya
GrilledSpamNCheeze
It could be a preform.. basically they were going to work it further but held off
wuthless
I know a Paige that might have a use for this.
CrappleJack
i'm gonna say if there is a university around, take it there. i am used to looking for Clovis notch at the base and there is none. 1/2
SeanSweat
My first thought was Clovis based on the shape, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_point
alecmrcraig
But no Clovis flute
CrappleJack
bigger flute in the middle usually...Folsom?
CrappleJack
i am sure no expert, but that might be pretty old
wildwestpb
From its size, it was likely a spear point. Sloan Dalton point or Dalton point. Don’t know which tribe, there was half a dozen or so in &
IndianaJonesNeglectedStudent
Unlikely spear point. One side has more use-wear than the other - suggests knife with cutting pattern
DaveSamsonite
Very possible
Rockafella83
Gotta be chissel my nissel
gypsyspot
Not to mention the trading metropolis in east st Louis brought shit in from all over the Americas
DaveSamsonite
Not dalton or Sloan dalton, closer to early Clovis but has barely any fluting. Search on wenatchee clovis points perhaps?
JustARandomStrangerOnTheInternet
Definitely a poop knife
greggoda
That’s probably why the Heat treated Burlington Chert it’s stained that color.
Thankyouforthis
Always upvote poop knife
Syzygy77
Coprolite knife?
JustARandomStrangerOnTheInternet
Bystandr
Yeah if you look there are very characteristic shapes for each peoples knapped spear points, showing some thought def went into the idea of
Bystandr
standardizing shaping. Some might be smaller some bigger in length, but the curve doesnt usually vary that much. This curve strongly
Bystandr
suggests a spearpoint.
boevis
Almost definitely not Dalton, since it lacks the iconic concave base and ears. That's Holland or Plainview
greggoda
It’s a Sedalia with a few dings on the base.
DaveSamsonite
Not dalton, not Holland. I am from Iowa and I know those, base is not narrowed - earlier than those I think
DaveSamsonite
Goshen Plainview is my best guess.
wildwestpb
Perhaps an Angostura? https://www.projectilepoints.net/Points/Angostura.html
wildwestpb
around Missouri. It’s a good find.
Bowchickameowmeoww
It’s definitely a good size!
thekeyofe
That's what she said.
harpti
GrilledSpamNCheeze
Could be a Dalton but Daltons usually have more pronounced bifrication. Either way it's VERY OLD!
Bowchickameowmeoww
Thanks for the info!
mobial
Like 10,000 years old or something
GrilledSpamNCheeze
Welcome.. here's Dalton info
FuctangularAnomaly
Most likely a knife. Spear points are small like arrowheads to help them fly and penetrate.
GrilledSpamNCheeze
Base looks Bifricated
Bowchickameowmeoww
It does have a subtle notch in there
Digitalblade
My thought would be years of running water wearing away at the edges could explain the lack of a more pronounced notch/bifurcation
GrilledSpamNCheeze
http://www.projectilepoints.net/Points/Angostura.html
GrilledSpamNCheeze
Possibly
redtails2649
From the technique and markings? I looks like Fred made it.
HMSFord
Yabba Dabba Doo!
Jagerbeast
Think its flint?
Digitalblade
Definitely stone
Jagerbeast
Lyzarus
Can't tell very well from the video, but it appears to be heavily laterally flaked on the one side, that has a good light angle. (1)
Lyzarus
Its larger than most Clovis points, and isn't as finely made either. The lack of basal work and the very crude edge retouching (2)
Lyzarus
Makes me think it is probably something in the archaic phase instead of Paleo. The Excurvate edges and semi random to lateral flaking (3)
Lyzarus
Is interesting. It isn't something I've seen a lot of before for sure. My expertise is actually in South East stuff, but if you want (4)
Lyzarus
I can take a look at my reference material (Justice is a great source) on Monday when I'm in my office. I also am close with someone (5)
Lyzarus
Who did their work in that area and is very familiar with lithics up there, I could ask him if you haven't found a good answer.
DaveSamsonite
One edge is very damaged, maybe was used for chopping
Lyzarus
Possible. Without looking at it myself I can't tell if the damage in the edge is later reworking to resharpen or damage from use.
DaveSamsonite
The RHS in the still pic is so crude. Looks like a kid picked it up and tried to chop other rocks with it. So much damage.
DaveSamsonite
To me it looks like someone much less skilled tried to sharpen the edge, maybe hundreds of years later
CrappleJack
QueefMalone
This made me laugh quite a bit.
Salpinus
Is he wearing someone else's skin?
CrossLament
It was the style at the time.
EmanNiemThcin
No, he is the legal owner of that skin.
Ketelbinkie
As is tradition
RelevantImgurian
Are you not?
Salpinus
Only for kinky time
Thankyouforthis
I am. \\8//
CrappleJack
yes. he's a version of Xipe Totec, the flayed god. Aztec founding myth even involves skinning the daughter of a local ruler and dancing 1/2
CrappleJack
around in her skin in front of him. they had an unselfconscious, kind of unmalicious bloodthirst that's almost refreshing
Ruhig
Interesting to describe as "unmalicious"
CrappleJack
i'm not going to say 'oh ppl considered it an honor to be sacrificed', but it was certainly a ritual activity seen as necessary to keep 1/2