A cool piece of Flint hills flint

[Jatrox]

We moved into our property in 2020. It's a new development between two converging creeks and very close to where a large 3 chief village was located from the 1720s to 1835. It is known that a hunting trail came through here long before that. I have found a few things in the past, but this year has been a whirlwind of finds from archaic to KC Hopewell to a Wichita triangle and two other arrowheads. Nothing grade A but still artifacts. Looking over old maps and satellite images I have located multiple campsites, and the heat-treated flakes, test rocks, blades and points have been proof of much activity and tool construction. Sadly, the hunting is coming to a close as the last of the construction is wrapping up but I'm glad to have saved what I could find. This one I found last night has me puzzled though. I take it as just an odd piece of reduction flake that was tested or practiced on or something like that? It is not heat treated. It appears to be broken opposite the point. But I wonder if it could have been a one-use knife by the way it's shaped? I'd love to hear what you experts have to say.

 

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[CreekSide]

Reduction flake that could have been used. Creek chatter is hard to tell sometimes on flake knives

 

[ToddsPoint]

Reduction flake that could have been used. Creek chatter is hard to tell sometimes on flake knives

Agree.👍🏻

 

[Rockdog]

I agree with Creekside. Worn reduction flake. Too bad you can't keep hunting the area.

 

[Jatrox]

Thank you guys for the replies. To understand what you're saying... this was found near one of the campsites in the dirt work going on for a new build along with other flakes. I was under the impression that creek chatter is rocks that look similar to artifacts because they are damaged by being tossed by water or was damage to an artifact from being tossed by water in a creek. Is that not correct? I'd like to understand your assessment of this piece. And yes, I can only imagine how many artifacts are below the houses already that are now just stuck there. The hunting trail was used by military, Pikes Peaker's and the 49er's also, so there's no telling what could be in this ground. Even Major Long came through so... Who knows

 

[CreekSide]

Thank you guys for the replies. To understand what you're saying... this was found near one of the campsites in the dirt work going on for a new build along with other flakes. I was under the impression that creek chatter is rocks that look similar to artifacts because they are damaged by being tossed by water or was damage to an artifact from being tossed by water in a creek. Is that not correct? I'd like to understand your assessment of this piece. And yes, I can only imagine how many artifacts are below the houses already that are now just stuck there. The hunting trail was used by military, Pikes Peaker's and the 49er's also, so there's no telling what could be in this ground. Even Major Long came through so... Who knows

So you mentioned creeks in your start post I’m guessing you meant something other than a wet creek then?
If found in the dirt and not water it’s still a flake knife either way. Just read it wrong I guess

 

[11KBP]

From my observations of seeing huge amounts of that material I would say it is most likely natural and unused. Of course if the edge is sharp enough it is always possible it could have been used as an expedient knife then discarded. However even the least experienced NA knapper could have put an obvious, usable worked edge on that piece in probably less than a minute and there would be no question. The Kansas Flint Hills are loaded with that material (Permian chert) and of course there is a vast amount of debitage plus material fractured by nature. There are a couple of flakes on your piece that have removed the patina and that could have happened by any kind of machinery that ran over it.

 

[Jatrox]

That makes sense. I was just saying the development was bordered by two creeks. I'm sure there is plenty in the creeks but they are inaccessible