Adze?

[tnmudman]

I thought at first this was a triangle with a broken tip, but I think what appeared to be the tip is actually the base. There is cortex on it and the wide end of it is dished out. Im not sure it is an adze, but I think it some type of specialized tool. I would like hear any thoughts or opinions on it.

 

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[arrow86]

I think it was a point/ knife with corner notch ears at one point but base was snapped off than maybe reworked into triangle

 

[Quartzite Keith]

It is one of the natural break patterns found in most types of knappable stone. Causes vary by stone type, but in general it is a spot in the stone where during the formation process, two layers came together but didn't entirely bond. This basically causes a tiny "fault line" in the stone such that when the piece is being knapped, the bending stress of the flake removals opens up and expands the fault, causing the stone to shear apart. If a knapper wanted to intentionally create a smooth, continuous edge like that with a single flake removal, I'm not sure how it would be done. In any event, there would be no reason to do it since the same effect can be had more easily with a series of flakes, like on the rest of the biface. It looks like a biface that came apart very late in the process. This demonstrates one of the main reasons to bother making a biface to begin with: The stresses applied by the knapping process thoroughly test the material for defects like this such that the piece fails at the stone source instead of away from it.

 

[uniface]

Start by looking at whether the edge seems to have been used (shows use-wear) and go from there.

FWIW

 

[tnmudman]

I will have to disagree I think this piece was made the way it is on purpose, but I appreciate your opinion.

 

[dirstscratcher]

It looks to me like a fluting error where the flute being removed dove through blade destroying it. That's a common failure in fluting.

 

[mainejman]

I would say not an adze..Most adzes are built heavier..mjm

 

[MAMucker]

It is one of the natural break patterns found in most types of knappable stone. Causes vary by stone type, but in general it is a spot in the stone where during the formation process, two layers came together but didn't entirely bond. This basically causes a tiny "fault line" in the stone such that when the piece is being knapped, the bending stress of the flake removals opens up and expands the fault, causing the stone to shear apart. If a knapper wanted to intentionally create a smooth, continuous edge like that with a single flake removal, I'm not sure how it would be done. In any event, there would be no reason to do it since the same effect can be had more easily with a series of flakes, like on the rest of the biface. It looks like a biface that came apart very late in the process. This demonstrates one of the main reasons to bother making a biface to begin with: The stresses applied by the knapping process thoroughly test the material for defects like this such that the piece fails at the stone source instead of away from it.

I had to read this reply again. This is why an experienced (modern) napper is so valuable to this forum. They provide the ‘expert witness testimony’ just when you think you know, all that you could know about an artifact.

 

[Tdog]

It looks to me like a fluting error where the flute being removed dove through blade destroying it. That's a common failure in fluting.

It looks like a tip that got driven off from a fluting failure to me too.

 

[MAMucker]

I defer to the experts here.
My follow up question is, If fluting a point is the last step, why does the rest of the flaking look so preliminary (or crude)?

 

[Jon Stewart]

Not an expert here but fluting is not always the last step. I know many knappers that run flakes after the flute is made. That is a good example why you should thin the base and tip of the blade first.

 

[Tdog]

I defer to the experts here.
My follow up question is, If fluting a point is the last step, why does the rest of the flaking look so preliminary (or crude)?

I'm far from an expert but the piece looked a lot better before it got chipped up along the edges. One thing that I'm looking at that is more evident in pic5 is what I think is a shock ripple radiating toward the tip. If so and the flute took a dive as dirtscratcher suggested, the dished out section with the thin, fragile, somewhat ragged, straight edge at the bottom is the aftereffect. Fluting failures occur for a number of reasons and one of which is a hidden flaw in the material as Quartzite Keith indicated.

 

[monsterrack]

As Jon said fluting is not always done last and was not always done last by Clovis period people. Flaking is some times done last to make the base thinner for hafting, there have been a number of flute flakes found with no finale flaking on them. Sometimes Colvis period knappers would break a point, pick up the broken point an redo the base and flute it again. We are just guessing if we say that it is a Clovis period item, because there is no evidence of Clovis period knapping method . That being said just from my time breaking rocks I would have to go along with Quartzite keith on the idea that there was a flaw in the stone and it broke while it was being made. The perform was not made complete due to the fact it still has core on the tip and in my opinion no one would flute a preform before it was done because after the flute if you were to try and chip the tip the item can break and all that time is wasted. It's a nice find and will make you a great study piece.

 

[Tdog]

The perform was not made complete due to the fact it still has core on the tip and in my opinion no one would flute a preform before it was done because after the flute if you were to try and chip the tip the item can break and all that time is wasted.

I did not see the cortex until you pointed it out. My oversight. That's a very good observation.

 

[sandchip]

I think it was a point/ knife with corner notch ears at one point but base was snapped off than maybe reworked into triangle

I agree with part of this coupled with QK's theory except I'm seeing shoulders of a stemmed point instead of the ears of a notched point. I don't think any reworking was necessary, because once the stem broke off, a triangle resulted. Whether it broke late in the manufacturing process or soon after being placed in service is one for the ages. There's no evidence of further modification. In hand, it may look different, but that's what I'm seeing in the pictures. There's not even a hint of a hinge that you can usually find with points where the base was snapped off. Not seeing anything even remotely associated with fluting, most notably the absence of a negative bulb of percussion nor any conchoidal rippling. QK nailed it in my humble opinion.