Illinois: Cobden Chert

[ToddsPoint]

Cobden is about my favorite IL material. It outcrops in one small area of Union Co. IL. It is nodular and comes in round or mostly round balls up to 12" in dia. (rare that size) It is found in the soil, the original limestone it was formed in has long since disappeared. The area where it's found is owned by "Cobden Bob". He has a backhoe and several large rock saws. He mines his property for Cobden, slabs it and sells the slabs to flintknappers. Luckily, a creek runs through Bob's property and over millenia some of the balls have worked their way down the creek. Mostly smaller balls, but it is available in the creek. All of my Cobden came from the creek.

Here are a couple of average nodules. I've used up all my larger ones.

Here are some small nodules I opened to see the color. The material ranges from black, to bluish black, a pale greenish color like military camo, to a tan color, and finally a caramel color. Cobden has way more banding and bullseye patterns than IN or KY hornstone.


Here are some bifaces I saved over the years and also some Cumberlands I made from Cobden. Cobden flutes nicely and the Clovis people used it for their points. I've never seen an authentic Cobden Cumberland though.


I made a Cobden frame of various point styles. These were all made in the 90's.


Cobden was spread far and wide by the Clovis people, but the archaic people used it closer to the source. The middle woodland (Hopewell) used it extensively and it was again spread far and wide. After that, it was only used locally again. I don't knap anymore but I sure miss it, especially when I have material like Cobden. Thanks for looking. Gary

 

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[willjo]

Nice work with some neat material, don't see it much at knap-in's down out way any more

 

[uniface]

NICE !

 

[PetesPockets55]

Nice info and I like the colors. Cobden Bob must have quite a spread if it was all created on his property.

Wait a minute! I think I have some of those average nodules in my kitchen here in Fl... Nope, just potatoes!

Edit: Really nice to see the utility knife for size comparison.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I didn't have any change in my pocket so grabbed the box knife. Figured everyone knows how big they are. Gary

 

[joshuaream]

That's cool, I didn't know the back story about the quarry. Was there any evidence of an ancient quarry there?

I love that material. Like the Turkey Tail and the Snyder like point, the bulleyes quality in Cobden is so much better than what we usually find in Hornstone.

 

[ToddsPoint]

That's cool, I didn't know the back story about the quarry. Was there any evidence of an ancient quarry there?

I love that material. Like the Turkey Tail and the Snyder like point, the bulleyes quality in Cobden is so much better than what we usually find in Hornstone.

I only visitied Cobden Bob once and didn't get the tour. No idea on ancient quarry. Gary