Prismatic Blade

[uniface]

According to Kentucky Archaeology by Dr. R. Barry Lewis (p. 31) :

By comparison with the preceding period [Clovis], the Middle Paleoindian [Gainey, Barnes] tool kit exhibits a number of differences. For example, prismatic blades and polyhedral cores are absent. The core and blade technology was replaced by the technique called bipolar lithic reduction. (Notes in brackets are mine).

Since Paleo technology was more or less continental in breadth (certainly, regionally uniform), this is an example of a large Clovis Prismatic (triangular in cross section) Blade. It was found at Coffee Slough, Alabama, is 4 11/16" in length, and made of river-stained Fort Payne chert.

It's a recent score from our own Jerry Sherman (Paleoworld), who I recommend highly as an honest and knowledgeable source of stuff you have no hope of finding yourself.

 

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[SoIll]

That's cool. I wonder why they stopped making them.
I could post mine here for comparison if you like.

 

[abarnard]

That is one sweet blade Uniface, and good info to soak in. Thanks.

 

[uniface]

I could post mine here for comparison if you like.

Of course I'd like ! The more, the merrier

The identifying features of such a blade are ;
1) Smooth bottom face (uniface)
2) Much longer than wide (i.e., a blade and not a flake)
3) Although sometimes (like here) modified with extensive secondary chipping (re-sharpening, spot modification) from the sides/ends, the top flaking shows that previous removals from the core it came from were struck in the same direction it was (like cutting a carrot into long strips produces long, parallel flats on it the carrot)
4) Angled striking platform

 

[Th3rty7]

That is an awesome piece, it's really well worked too. You just can't make out the detail in the pictures on his site. I dont know if it's the lighting or low res pics, that's my only complaint about Paleoworld, other than that I second the recommendation, honest guy and fair prices. That's where I got the Ft. Ancient knife in my " Flint Ridge Blades " post. Sherman listed it as a Ft Ancient knife from Ohio, which reminds me I need to email him for full province, I'm going to get that piece authenticated.

Super piece and nice photo(way better than his)

 

[uniface]

It was your recommendation of him that precipitated the "go" decision on it, Thirty7

I think he uses scanner images. When the light's sweeping from one side to the other, there are no shadows to highlight flaking patterns.

 

[Th3rty7]

It was your recommendation of him that precipitated the "go" decision on it, Thirty7

I think he uses scanner images. When the light's sweeping from one side to the other, there are no shadows to highlight flaking patterns.

I think you're right about the scans. Did you check out his ' Old World ' pieces? interesting stuff imo.


Jerry, if you're on tnet, no offense, I just call them as I see them.

 

[SoIll]

Here it is.

 

[uniface]

It surely looks like a lamellar blade in outline, but the flaking all seems to be coming in from the sides (?)

Nice one, whatever it is

 

[Tnmountains]

You got it ! It deserves a home its journey has been long. It has seen the mammoths !! ?
Nice blade SoIll. You guys have some very nice items.
TnMountains

 

[uniface]

Fascinating

 

[SoIll]

Mine is flaked from the side to a median ridge. The distal end is shaped like a scraper. I've only seen one like mine and that was BadAndy's that he posted on here.
Do you think mine is paleo or woodland?
11KBP that is some killer material. Too bad they didn't retouch it.
Killer find anyway. Were there any points found in association with them?

 

[uniface]

Paleo or Woodland ? Good question.

I wish I knew enough to tell you.

A call either way would be conjectural.

Maybe Neanderthal could tell you -- he's more familiar with your area.

 

[uniface]

The tough part of yours, 11K, is trying to tell if the dark streaks are a color band running through the material, or shadows.

 

[*Molly*]

Fascinating

Indeed.

Molly..

 

[uniface]

Except that the previous removal scars look pretty concave (?!?), textbook examples

From _______ (?)

 

[uniface]

Nicer yet, then ! I'm under the impression that Paleo stuff is pretty far under the surface in that region (?)

Not often you seem to see Clovis/Paleo items from there.

Super !!!!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Very Nice indeed. Nice reading as well. HHHH

 

[uniface]

The only problem I can see that might complicate the blades being Paleo is that Western Hopewell did use the same technology, and, at least sometimes, made fairly large ones.

I'd ask Neanderthal, who knows your area (and what turns up in it) inside out.

 

[SoIll]

Just like modern knappers duplicate this through experiments, I'd say the later cultures were experimenting too.
Would you agree these blades are not common?
I watched paleojims vids on core/blades last night (thanks to "37"), and I gotta say I've never seen one of those long cores except from pics from Mexico. Never in a N. American collection.
I think the moundbuilder/agricultural movement caused these people to unearth these cores/blades and they wanted to make those little razors.