Basalt point. I think it's ancient....

[Out Of Time]

Found in a creek bed in Napa Ca.

I'm stoked to find this rare basalt (I think) artifact.

For various reasons I believe it's the oldest thing I've found.

Maybe Early Archaic.

What do you reckon?

 

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[Tdog]

Southfork would be the best one to help with this. Congrats.

 

[Out Of Time]

Southfork would be the best one to help with this. Congrats.

So I'm getting feedback from certain parties (on another forum) that this is not basalt but maybe a dacite preform.

Beyond that it's hard to say.

I still think it's interesting and probably pretty old.

 

[Tdog]

So I'm getting feedback from certain parties (on another forum) that this is not basalt but maybe a dacite preform.

Beyond that it's hard to say.

I still think it's interesting and probably pretty old.

I think the challenges to ID the material are due to the wear from water on it foremost. I've got centuries old artifacts from the west coast and some are made of basalt and look nothing like what you posted. The surfaces are raggedy looking under a loupe but are well crafted. The ones I have are arrow points.

 

[southfork]

So I guess the feedback was me and my thoughts it was a thick preform and water worn so anyone's guess on type or age but its not Basalt but sure looks like Dacite to me .

 

[Out Of Time]

So I guess the feedback was me and my thoughts it was a thick preform and water worn so anyone's guess on type or age but its not Basalt but sure looks like Dacite to me .

It's cool to get your opinion on this. Thanks.

I'm happy to believe it's dacite as that would qualify as exotic around here.

I'm not sure that I agree it's a preform though.

Partly that's because I still haven't really figured out what truly distinguishes preforms from cruder tools.

Never the less, I notice how specific the edge work is on this piece and wonder if that is consistent with a preform?

To me, it looks pretty resolved along the edges, albeit, it's clunky and thick.

Still I'm too green to argue if you feel sure....

 

[T.C.]

So I guess the feedback was me and my thoughts it was a thick preform and water worn so anyone's guess on type or age but its not Basalt but sure looks like Dacite to me .

Agreed

 

[southfork]

It's cool to get your opinion on this. Thanks.

I'm happy to believe it's dacite as that would qualify as exotic around here.

I'm not sure that I agree it's a preform though.

Partly that's because I still haven't really figured out what truly distinguishes preforms from cruder tools.

Never the less, I notice how specific the edge work is on this piece and wonder if that is consistent with a preform?

To me, it looks pretty resolved along the edges, albeit, it's clunky and thick.

Still I'm too green to argue if you feel sure....

Just saying the artifact was unfinished not unused that's what I see . Hard to tell from photos but appears to be a type of obsidian / Dacite