Bowchickameowmeoww
418995
981
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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!!!
alecmrcraig
It is old.
Iamatalkingape
Awesome! Definitely share this with a local museum/expert.
FrenchPressBenchPress
Technically the customer owns it since it was found on their property.
wuthless
I know a Paige that might have a use for this.
CheeseborgarSoop
That might be REALLY REALLY fucking old. I'd take that somewhere.
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
Dimr3ver
Upvote because I love riddles that come with the answer in picture.
cyberstormtrooper
That's Paleo
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
Ploty
Amazing find. The natives are there since the Stone Age and maybe before
jumbosmooth
Impressive!
Nunyajonesinc
Really neat chert coloration. Doesn't match anything my grandfather has in his collection (central MO, near Columbia)
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
CrappleJack
i am sure no expert, but that might be pretty old
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?
hackller
a pointy chisel?
username330
Looks like a ye old spear head to me.Great find.
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.
Shiznit007
Probably something to do with Cahokia since it was the biggest civilization in the Americas
InariPakannen
That, my friend, is a knife used by a native American mohel.
DaveSamsonite
Ouch!
eviloce
Does the customer know you got his artifact?
llcoolj
So did you give it back to the customer or let them know about it?
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.
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.
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.
redtails2649
From the technique and markings? I looks like Fred made it.
HMSFord
Yabba Dabba Doo!
Jagerbeast
Think its flint?
Digitalblade
Definitely stone
Jagerbeast
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
whatdidyoureallyexpect
Clovis spear point?
CrappleJack
as i look at it again, there may indeed be a Clovis notch at the bottom. muy cool.
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.
CrappleJack
QueefMalone
This made me laugh quite a bit.
Salpinus
Is he wearing someone else's skin?
EmanNiemThcin
No, he is the legal owner of that skin.
Ketelbinkie
As is tradition
CrossLament
It was the style at the time.
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
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)
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
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.