Hello,
I have been hunting artifacts all my life. For the past 6 yrs, I have been hunting on two different sites and they both have multi-sided (some six worked sides) tools using heat treated flint and chert. There are so many tools and completely worked pieces at these two sites it is hard to find areas where there are just flakes or cores. There is evidence these were not migratory people based on the size of the site and the mass amount of tools found. It has taken a long time for me to realize some things but after so many years and finds, I realized there is more to them than at first sight. Many of the tools were carved to expose a trilobite or other fossils or crystal. These fossil shapes are worked into the shape of an animal. There are 6 sided tools with an animal on each side. Some the same animal but not all. Bird heads with crest, sitting birds, bison, bears, horses, sloths, and a few other species. These images are not heavily carved out of the side of the rock but are finely carved with low profile. Almost without exception, these rocks have a very flat side (sometimes two), that they sit on. Other sides may be somewhat flat, but usually you know when you sit it on the right side. Most animals are carved on all sides, some are standing. They do not vary as far as how they look. They all have the same style basically. Horse heads typically have their mouths open. Bird heads always have an eye on both sides. These two sites are just nothing like anything I have seen in my 45 years of artifact hunting. Some of the tools come out of the ground very greasy. Lots have the remnants of biological matter, some are very shiny (heat treated), all are worked on every side. Lots are based on a six sided slab of about 1" thick. From this slab they carve some animal shape which is determined by the color of the stone, the fossils or crystals inside. The density of this type of worked tools is beyond comprehension. There are very few pieces of naturally chipped flint or chert until you get a long way from the site.
My question is, have any of you come across a site like this where that have this type of tools, heat treating, fossils, and animal figures? I can post pictures but you need to see several with similar content to believe what you are seeing is not an accident. I did not believe it until several years of bringing stuff home to realize the similarities.
I wish I could describe these two sites better. If you have questions, please ask.
Please keep in mind that these are all very well worn pieces and they are worked on all sides. Some are animals by their shape and others have more carving. Many have a trilobite or other fossil as the main point of the carving. In other words, they find the fossil first then finish the tool based on use of the fossil and the shape of the original rock. The site is not a migratory place. There are just too many years and number of artifacts to have been a place to stop by. There are very few flakes or cores on this site which is very unusual. Lower down on the hillside nearer the river, there are some but they appear to be from other causes and not flakes by man. I am sure there are some there somewhere. This site is over a mile long (that is as far as I can go with permission). These items are not right on the rivers edge, but rather up on the hillside and most of the ones pictured are from the top of the hill. I have some that are better examples that came from the side of the hills, but I will have to find them. I have bins full of the artifacts from this site and there are some that are better examples of the carved animals on the sides. More later.
I have been hunting artifacts all my life. For the past 6 yrs, I have been hunting on two different sites and they both have multi-sided (some six worked sides) tools using heat treated flint and chert. There are so many tools and completely worked pieces at these two sites it is hard to find areas where there are just flakes or cores. There is evidence these were not migratory people based on the size of the site and the mass amount of tools found. It has taken a long time for me to realize some things but after so many years and finds, I realized there is more to them than at first sight. Many of the tools were carved to expose a trilobite or other fossils or crystal. These fossil shapes are worked into the shape of an animal. There are 6 sided tools with an animal on each side. Some the same animal but not all. Bird heads with crest, sitting birds, bison, bears, horses, sloths, and a few other species. These images are not heavily carved out of the side of the rock but are finely carved with low profile. Almost without exception, these rocks have a very flat side (sometimes two), that they sit on. Other sides may be somewhat flat, but usually you know when you sit it on the right side. Most animals are carved on all sides, some are standing. They do not vary as far as how they look. They all have the same style basically. Horse heads typically have their mouths open. Bird heads always have an eye on both sides. These two sites are just nothing like anything I have seen in my 45 years of artifact hunting. Some of the tools come out of the ground very greasy. Lots have the remnants of biological matter, some are very shiny (heat treated), all are worked on every side. Lots are based on a six sided slab of about 1" thick. From this slab they carve some animal shape which is determined by the color of the stone, the fossils or crystals inside. The density of this type of worked tools is beyond comprehension. There are very few pieces of naturally chipped flint or chert until you get a long way from the site.
My question is, have any of you come across a site like this where that have this type of tools, heat treating, fossils, and animal figures? I can post pictures but you need to see several with similar content to believe what you are seeing is not an accident. I did not believe it until several years of bringing stuff home to realize the similarities.
I wish I could describe these two sites better. If you have questions, please ask.
Please keep in mind that these are all very well worn pieces and they are worked on all sides. Some are animals by their shape and others have more carving. Many have a trilobite or other fossil as the main point of the carving. In other words, they find the fossil first then finish the tool based on use of the fossil and the shape of the original rock. The site is not a migratory place. There are just too many years and number of artifacts to have been a place to stop by. There are very few flakes or cores on this site which is very unusual. Lower down on the hillside nearer the river, there are some but they appear to be from other causes and not flakes by man. I am sure there are some there somewhere. This site is over a mile long (that is as far as I can go with permission). These items are not right on the rivers edge, but rather up on the hillside and most of the ones pictured are from the top of the hill. I have some that are better examples that came from the side of the hills, but I will have to find them. I have bins full of the artifacts from this site and there are some that are better examples of the carved animals on the sides. More later.
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