A nice flake knife

[Older The Better]

I was getting my most recent finds processed and put away. Decided to clean up a large flake just to see the material and was pleasantly surprised. Thought I’d share because it’s a nice clear example of a worked flake

 

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[Garscale]

Nice prepped platform. Struck off a very flat biface. I'm sure some would say from a platter. It would fit perfectly in the debitage assembly from my Clovis layer . That said one flake isn't enough to be diagnostic.

I like the retouch.

 

[newnan man]

Nice.

 

[Tdog]

Complete with eraillure scar! Nice piece.

 

[antmike915]

That is a nice flake knife

 

[Older The Better]

Dang don’t say paleo haha I didn’t make a mental note where I picked it up since I thought it was just a flake. If it is paleo that will bug me as much as that black powder muzzle cap I found going back through my scrap metal detecting pile. Still hunting for that definite paleo artifact.

 

[sandchip]

Sweet piece. Is that a burin opposite the retouched edge?

 

[Older The Better]

Looks very possible there is a bit of work, good eye

 

[Older The Better]

Regardless of whether this or not, the burin flake tool combo seems to be common in paleo assemblages, is it common in other periods or is that a paleo trait?

 

[Garscale]

Regardless of whether this or not, the burin flake tool combo seems to be common in paleo assemblages, is it common in other periods or is that a paleo trait?

It also has a graver spur. Paleo traits.

 

[uniface]

For whatever little it may be worth, I don't associate very low angle retouching with Clovis.

 

[Older The Better]

Hey I’ll take any nuggets of knowledge, are you speaking specifically Clovis doesn’t do the low angle or were you using them as an example of paleo tool technology?

 

[uniface]

Yes. Clovis pretty much is Paleo.

 

[Older The Better]

Just wanted make sure it was clear In my head that it was just Clovis and not all paleo peoples

 

[uniface]

Pleistocene era = Clovis and early Western Stemmed points, with some interesting but enigmatic others like Garscale's Sloth Slayers.

Everything after Clovis (Folsom & later) is from the Holocene era. Often called "paleo" but Plano or VERY Early Archaic more accurately. In the east, Late Paleo is usual, but has the same problem, being descriptive of a (presumed) survival strategy but not of an era in time.

FWIW

 

[Older The Better]

Ahhh I see the disconnect, I let the transitionals in the group Folsom Dalton Cumberland so on.

To go farther off on a tangent I like the idea that we are trying to chop up a fluid group of people into neat distinct categories and same with their tools... it’s helpful but is somewhat arbitrary

 

[Garscale]

Ahhh I see the disconnect, I let the transitionals in the group Folsom Dalton Cumberland so on.

To go farther off on a tangent I like the idea that we are trying to chop up a fluid group of people into neat distinct categories and same with their tools... it’s helpful but is somewhat arbitrary

Without splitting hairs, your flake has characteristics of being old. I agree that Clovis often did uniface retouch very steep but this is not always the case as bifaces are sharpened at low angles. Not at all saying your flake is Clovis but it could be.

 

[Older The Better]

I’m not so worried about mine being Clovis at this point I’m just picking some brains so I know what to look for in the future. I’d agree nothing about my flake knife says without a doubt Clovis but it falls into that supporting evidence, if I were to find a paleo/transitional point then the flake could be farther evidence.
I appreciate the insight from you and uniface never hurts to hear different angles.

 

[Garscale]

The platform itself indicates older tec. It was well prepared. Small guide/release flakes look to have been taken before it was struck. Also the platform looks to have been abbraided to make the billet grip.

The blade was also struck from a wide, flat biface or core much like a platter. Cool item.