Napa Obsidian.

[Out Of Time]

Here are the things I've found hunting creeks recently.

Would love comments or help with ID.

Thanks!

 

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[Out Of Time]

Nobody can help me type that leaf shaped lanceolate?

 

[sandchip]

Nice finds. I like that red piece.

 

[welsbury]

Could be in Cascade series

 

[Out Of Time]

Do you agree that it's likely a core? It's a very unusual type of rock to find in the creek I hunt. It seems to have the quality to flake and it looks like it's been reduced on every face.
Somebody suggested it might be jasper. I'd love to know.

It's a gorgeous colour red.

 

[Out Of Time]

Thanks for giving me a hint on the type (assuming you mean the leaf). I just checked out Cascade type and mine is quite similar. Plus I'm within the range.

Another possibility is Excelsior. Though this one might be a little too wide to fit that type, just going on pics at projectilepoints.

 

[welsbury]

Thanks for giving me a hint on the type (assuming you mean the leaf). I just checked out Cascade type and mine is quite similar. Plus I'm within the range.

Another possibility is Excelsior. Though this one might be a little too wide to fit that type, just going on pics at projectilepoints.

The thickness and oval cross section of your piece makes me say Cascade. Cascade's have a large range in area. Excelsiors are usually thinner and can be a large point.

 

[Out Of Time]

Brilliant, thanks for the info, welsbury

 

[gilmerman]

Very similar to a point found in the skeleton of a man the government and indians fought over studying for years. I do not use monoker of Native American. There are no native Americans race. No race was native to North America. Every race found here migrated here and not long ago compared to other continents. Canada defines their founding peoples as First Nations. A more applicable name. That rubs a lot of people the wrong way but it's true.

 

[GB Paleo]

The thickness and oval cross section of your piece makes me say Cascade. Cascade's have a large range in area. Excelsiors are usually thinner and can be a large point.

Agree that it is probably a Cascade......loks a little thicker than most but still the closest fit I think.

 

[Out Of Time]

Would love to hear more about the point in the skeleton. Were they able to date it? Type? Culture?

I use the term Native American as 15,000 years or so seems like long enough to earn the name. Or maybe we are all natives of the Olduvai Gorge...

 

[Out Of Time]

Here's another Napa point I would love to type.

 

[welsbury]

Would love to hear more about the point in the skeleton. Were they able to date it? Type? Culture?

I use the term Native American as 15,000 years or so seems like long enough to earn the name. Or maybe we are all natives of the Olduvai Gorge...

Check out Kennewick Man. He was found on Columbia River. Interesting read and sad

 

[Out Of Time]

Here are new couple of new finds.

I think the bird point is a Rattlesnake Side-notch.

Not sure about the dart.

 

[MAMucker]

Nice finds!
Are Black Obsidian lithics found commonly on the West Coast? Our common lithic found here on the East Coast is Quartz.

Similar types as well.

Can you post more photos of that red core?

 

[Out Of Time]

I read up on the Kennewick Man. Very important find for both archeology and NA culture . Depressing that it couldn't have been dealt with better.

He caused a bitter wrangle and bruised reputations. He was exploited and misrepresented in the worst way.

He taught us a lot about history and showed us some hard truths about ourselves.

Mercifully, -in the end - he was buried with dignity in accordance with tradition.

 

[Out Of Time]

I really like quartz points but have never found one here.

Obsidian is the principle lithic for the west coast and California. It's distributed across the entire state and found in all time periods.

There are a dozen or so sources, mostly in the northern half of the state, and each has it's distinct variety.

It's lovely stuff and the best examples of it's use are masterpieces.

Also there are various tests that can effectively date obsidian which is a key tool researchers have used in building an understanding of California's prehistory.

I hunt lithics in creeks within miles of the Napa source and I find a lot of interesting pieces that range from crude expedient tools to finely worked ancient darts.

Other materials used are various cherts and occasionally quartz (personally have only found single edged cutting tools) but they are unusual here in Napa.

In the few years I've been collecting I've only found a couple of things that weren't obsidian. One reason I'm excited to have found that red material. I'll try and post some more pics of that later.

Meantime, this blade and scraper are rare non-obsidian finds...






And this is a very nice obsidian point.

 

[southfork]

On my side of the valley obsidian is a little scarce and a lot of different materials were used .

 

[Out Of Time]

Certainly, where obsidian is less available and other materials exist they were used.

I think there is less in the south and east and there's plenty of chert on the coast but, for the most part, you will find black obsidian the length and breadth of California and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's the dominant material in the state.

 

[southfork]

Certainly, where obsidian is less available and other materials exist they were used.

I think there is less in the south and east and there's plenty of chert on the coast but, for the most part, you will find black obsidian the length and breadth of California and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's the dominant material in the state.

I have thousands of personal finds from the foothill regions and only a small percentage are made of obsidian . And what obsidian we do find was traded in no local source a lot of the early points were basalt and slate / shale and quartz .