✅ SOLVED New to the Activity -- Possible Artifacts?

[deaves]

Someone suggested I post my pictures in this forum for some help. I'm fairly new to this activity, but I recently found these two interesting pieces of chert (not naturally found in the immediate area where I found them) on the north shore of Lake Erie in an area known to have been home to Neutral Indians prior to European settlement.

The one piece of chert shows definite signs of work, so I'm guessing it might be a blade tip or something similar. The other piece has me stumped. The shape is unusual for chert, and I'm heard some people say it's just a rock while others with some experience say that I might have something interesting on my hands. Any input on these two pieces would be appreciated. I'm really excited about learning more about this field.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[uzd]

I agree w/answer on duplicate post about chert. The other fish shaped piece when examined hi-res and cleaned shows wear pattern as is seen on hafted tools or objects. Deductive reasoning suggests tied w/strands of hair/raffia where it's waisted and worn as pendant

 

[quito]

The first piece looks like a piece of debitage, or waste flake. The other, I am pretty certain is just a natural formation.

 

[autographcollector11]

1st piece possible debitage. 2nd one natural-no evidence to support human workmanship......

 

[NCPeaches]

I agree the first is probably a flake and a keeper, might have been a utilized flake. The other is iffy due to it's smoothness but could be a water worn artifact, it's hard to tell.

 

[joshuaream]

on the north shore of Lake Erie in an area known to have been home to Neutral Indians prior to European settlement.

What happened in the 100 or so years prior to European settlement have little to do with the at least 14,000 years of prehistory in the Americas. I'm not suggesting that the ancient Native Americans lived in a state of warfare, but it seems like most areas in Eastern Canada or the Eastern US have an oral history of having been "peaceful, neutral, or unsettled" by the time Europeans arrived. The reality is that the landscape was crowded with people, resources were valuable, and the people who lived there would defend their "turf" if it came down to it.

The groups that prehistorically lived in that area (before 1600 or so) probably go pushed west or north once the fur trade and Iroquois & Algonquin expansions really started moving things around. Some of the groups that you might think of as groups traditionally living on the western prairies started out on the eastern shores of the great lakes. They were pushed out once eastern groups picked up guns from the Dutch, French & British.

The shape is unusual for chert, and I'm heard some people say it's just a rock while others with some experience say that I might have something interesting on my hands. Any input on these two pieces would be appreciated. I'm really excited about learning more about this field.

You can always find experienced people who will call a rock something. There's a guy in Ohio who has a webpage dedicated to rocks that look like Owls, and has a rather complex theory about an ancient global owl culture that the government doesn't want us to know about.

Most of us have been finding rocks for years (or even decades), and I think most of us would call the second piece an interesting pebble. The first piece does look like worked chert, it could be a waste flake made while they were making a point, or it could be a really heavily used tool. If the other side is completely smooth, I'd suggest it's just a waste flake. If it has flakes like this side, it could be a little scraper/flake/tool.

 

[deaves]

Thanks for the input!

 

[deaves]

Thanks for the help!

 

[deaves]

Thanks!

 

[deaves]

What happened in the 100 or so years prior to European settlement have little to do with the at least 14,000 years of prehistory in the Americas. I'm not suggesting that the ancient Native Americans lived in a state of warfare, but it seems like most areas in Eastern Canada or the Eastern US have an oral history of having been "peaceful, neutral, or unsettled" by the time Europeans arrived. The reality is that the landscape was crowded with people, resources were valuable, and the people who lived there would defend their "turf" if it came down to it.

The groups that prehistorically lived in that area (before 1600 or so) probably go pushed west or north once the fur trade and Iroquois & Algonquin expansions really started moving things around. Some of the groups that you might think of as groups traditionally living on the western prairies started out on the eastern shores of the great lakes. They were pushed out once eastern groups picked up guns from the Dutch, French & British.

You can always find experienced people who will call a rock something. There's a guy in Ohio who has a webpage dedicated to rocks that look like Owls, and has a rather complex theory about an ancient global owl culture that the government doesn't want us to know about.

Most of us have been finding rocks for years (or even decades), and I think most of us would call the second piece an interesting pebble. The first piece does look like worked chert, it could be a waste flake made while they were making a point, or it could be a really heavily used tool. If the other side is completely smooth, I'd suggest it's just a waste flake. If it has flakes like this side, it could be a little scraper/flake/tool.

Thanks for the input on both pieces. Sometimes a rock is just a rock. It was my first time out with my kids to look for artifacts, and what I found most exciting was the way they wanted to learn more about the people who used to live in the area. That's what I really want them to get from this: I want them to view time out looking for signs of past activity and appreciate the cultures/ways of life and survival, appreciate the incredible geology and geography that decides so much about human activity, and recognize the ever-changing nature of these geologic processes.

So, perhaps this time I only found an interesting rock and a waste flake, but it's all been worth it when I see how my kids responded to the experience. They even want to go to the local museum later this week.

Thanks for taking the time to respond and provide all that info!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The first piece looks like a piece of debitage, or waste flake. The other, I am pretty certain is just a natural formation.

I agree with quito, debitage and natural rock...