I have watched some very interesting videos on U-tube concerning Nethers chert being gathered at the Nethers farm. More than one had a pneumatic jack hammer.
Here is a good column on the Nethers farm.
In my area, I have found relics made of Flint Ridge, Burlington, Harrison County, Harrodsburg, Laurel, Kenneth, Jeffersonville, Attica, Coshocton Zaleski, Upper Mercer, Liston Creek, Plum Creek. These are those I can recall.
In my view, authentic Nethers Indian artifacts are scarce.
Some of the materials I listed I have found relics made from, the count ranges to single digits to low double digits to a crazy amount of.
Prehistoric Chert Types of the Midwest by Tony DeRegnaucourt and Jeff Grorgiady states: (typing in its entirety)
Origin of Chert's Name: Named after deposits on the Nethers Farm located at the east end of Flint Ridge in Muskingum County, Ohio. Waldorf (1987:7) mentions this variety of Flint Ridge but does not name it. This flint has been sold commercially to modern knappers from the Nethers Farm for the last 10 years or more. Hence the name.
Other Names for same type: Flint Ridge, Stripped Flint Ridge
Similar Types or Look-Alikes: Regular Flint Ridge blends into this type. Summer Upper Mercer chert, especially the Bird-Dropping variety, can blend into this type. The lines and striations on some pieces of Jeffersonville chert can look similar. An occasional piece of Four Mile Creek chert of higher quality can have banding similar to the Nethers Flint Ridge.
References: Waldorf (1978:8) and Converse (1980:23 and 1994:172-173)
Geological Stratigraphy: Vanport Limestone Member of the Allegheny Group of the Pennsylvanian System.
Outcrop Location or Chert Source: Most Nethers Flint Ridge chert occurs at the extreme east end of the Flint Ridge on the Nethers Farm where it is commercially mined. There is also a source on the extreme western end of the ridge across from and just north of the Ohio Historical Society Museum on the farm of Gary C. Hardy in Licking County. Ohio (Garcy C. Hardy, personal communications). This western source of Nethers Flint Ridge has only been discovered and is also being commercially mined. The Nethers Flint Ridge is sporadically mixed in with other Flint Ridge varieties in both known locations.
Naturally Occurring form of Chert: Nethers Flint Ridge occurs as bedded blocks or tabular chunks within the parent limestone matrix. It is sporadically found in both locations where it is being commercially mined.
Color: Most Nethers Flint Ridge is red, black, or grey, but all other colors can occur. All Nethers Flint Ridge has the distinctive black, irregular parallel stripes or lines which may conver the entire piece or just a small portion of the artifact. It is often heat-treated which emphasizes pink and reddish hues and is the only Flint Ridge variety that is totally opaque. Munsell colors are 5YR 5/4, 5YR 8/4, 5YR, 41, 5YR 3/1, 10YR 4/6 and N3 through N7 inclusive.
Texture: This variety of Flint Ridge is not as vitreous or shiny as other types. Nethers Flint Ridge can range from porcelaneous to earthy in luster. The duller luster differentiates this type from other Flint Ridge varieties.
Minerals present: Cryptocrystalline, spherulitic and microcrystalline quartz. Also, some trace of hematite and limonite.
Fossils: Foraminifera are abundant, especially fusilines.
Prehistoric Geographic Distribution: Most Nethers Flint Ridge is found in a 30-to-40-mile radius from its source in Licking and Muskingum Counties. However, it occasionally shows up as far west as Adams County, Indiana near Geneva, as far south as along the Ohio River, as far north as Lake Erie, and east into western Pennsylvania. The vast majority is found in central Ohio.
Prehistoric Utilization: Use of this type of chert is most prevalent in Late Middle Woodland times as evidenced by the frequency of use in Pentagonal Jack's Reef type points and also in so-called Broadblade points. Broadblade appear to be a variety of the Affinis Snyder Hopewell type (DeRegnaucourt 1991 and 1992). Pentagonal points appear to be Jack's Reef points which have been demonstrated to be Late Middle Woodland in cultural affiliation (Ritchie 1961, Funk 1993, and DeRegnaucourt 1992). Converse (1980 and 1994:86-90) characterizes these types as Middle to Late Archaic, but I believe their morphology indicates a Middle Woodland chronology, especially late in that period. An occasional Adena Ovate blade or cache blade is seen made of Nethers flint.
Banded with colors ranging from light gray to black, tan to brown. SW Ohio.
THIS IS THE FLINT RIDGE NETHERS CHERT PLATE 10 FROM THE BOOK
Here is a good column on the Nethers farm.
In my area, I have found relics made of Flint Ridge, Burlington, Harrison County, Harrodsburg, Laurel, Kenneth, Jeffersonville, Attica, Coshocton Zaleski, Upper Mercer, Liston Creek, Plum Creek. These are those I can recall.
In my view, authentic Nethers Indian artifacts are scarce.
Some of the materials I listed I have found relics made from, the count ranges to single digits to low double digits to a crazy amount of.
Prehistoric Chert Types of the Midwest by Tony DeRegnaucourt and Jeff Grorgiady states: (typing in its entirety)
Origin of Chert's Name: Named after deposits on the Nethers Farm located at the east end of Flint Ridge in Muskingum County, Ohio. Waldorf (1987:7) mentions this variety of Flint Ridge but does not name it. This flint has been sold commercially to modern knappers from the Nethers Farm for the last 10 years or more. Hence the name.
Other Names for same type: Flint Ridge, Stripped Flint Ridge
Similar Types or Look-Alikes: Regular Flint Ridge blends into this type. Summer Upper Mercer chert, especially the Bird-Dropping variety, can blend into this type. The lines and striations on some pieces of Jeffersonville chert can look similar. An occasional piece of Four Mile Creek chert of higher quality can have banding similar to the Nethers Flint Ridge.
References: Waldorf (1978:8) and Converse (1980:23 and 1994:172-173)
Geological Stratigraphy: Vanport Limestone Member of the Allegheny Group of the Pennsylvanian System.
Outcrop Location or Chert Source: Most Nethers Flint Ridge chert occurs at the extreme east end of the Flint Ridge on the Nethers Farm where it is commercially mined. There is also a source on the extreme western end of the ridge across from and just north of the Ohio Historical Society Museum on the farm of Gary C. Hardy in Licking County. Ohio (Garcy C. Hardy, personal communications). This western source of Nethers Flint Ridge has only been discovered and is also being commercially mined. The Nethers Flint Ridge is sporadically mixed in with other Flint Ridge varieties in both known locations.
Naturally Occurring form of Chert: Nethers Flint Ridge occurs as bedded blocks or tabular chunks within the parent limestone matrix. It is sporadically found in both locations where it is being commercially mined.
Color: Most Nethers Flint Ridge is red, black, or grey, but all other colors can occur. All Nethers Flint Ridge has the distinctive black, irregular parallel stripes or lines which may conver the entire piece or just a small portion of the artifact. It is often heat-treated which emphasizes pink and reddish hues and is the only Flint Ridge variety that is totally opaque. Munsell colors are 5YR 5/4, 5YR 8/4, 5YR, 41, 5YR 3/1, 10YR 4/6 and N3 through N7 inclusive.
Texture: This variety of Flint Ridge is not as vitreous or shiny as other types. Nethers Flint Ridge can range from porcelaneous to earthy in luster. The duller luster differentiates this type from other Flint Ridge varieties.
Minerals present: Cryptocrystalline, spherulitic and microcrystalline quartz. Also, some trace of hematite and limonite.
Fossils: Foraminifera are abundant, especially fusilines.
Prehistoric Geographic Distribution: Most Nethers Flint Ridge is found in a 30-to-40-mile radius from its source in Licking and Muskingum Counties. However, it occasionally shows up as far west as Adams County, Indiana near Geneva, as far south as along the Ohio River, as far north as Lake Erie, and east into western Pennsylvania. The vast majority is found in central Ohio.
Prehistoric Utilization: Use of this type of chert is most prevalent in Late Middle Woodland times as evidenced by the frequency of use in Pentagonal Jack's Reef type points and also in so-called Broadblade points. Broadblade appear to be a variety of the Affinis Snyder Hopewell type (DeRegnaucourt 1991 and 1992). Pentagonal points appear to be Jack's Reef points which have been demonstrated to be Late Middle Woodland in cultural affiliation (Ritchie 1961, Funk 1993, and DeRegnaucourt 1992). Converse (1980 and 1994:86-90) characterizes these types as Middle to Late Archaic, but I believe their morphology indicates a Middle Woodland chronology, especially late in that period. An occasional Adena Ovate blade or cache blade is seen made of Nethers flint.
Banded with colors ranging from light gray to black, tan to brown. SW Ohio.
THIS IS THE FLINT RIDGE NETHERS CHERT PLATE 10 FROM THE BOOK
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