Ramah Chert

[wells]

This is a personal find in the mid-80's, from Snyder Co. Pa. It is one of only a few pieces of ramah found in the Pa.- Md. area. A few experts think it may be a Lerma point. There's at least a half inch of the tip missing, which would have made it 3 1/2" in length. Can anyone report of other finds of this material ? THANKS.

 

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[bsit1361]

I'm from md. Looks like quartz to me but we also find a white flint. Never had a name to it so maybe that's it. Here's a couple quartz. All my others are packed for the move that won't seem to happen. I miss my rocks.

 

[bsit1361]

Just googled ramah and I don't think I have any of it but now I really want it. Wonder if I could buy some to knapp.

 

[rock]

Is it greasy feeling to the touch?

 

[wells]

Is it greasy feeling to the touch?

Looks greasy but no feel greasy. There is a lot of info. on the internet now with many examples shown.

 

[rock]

Yeah I just checked and saw Elfshot lol. Did you see that?

 

[wells]

Just googled ramah and I don't think I have any of it but now I really want it. Wonder if I could buy some to knapp.

I remember a big Webb Complex blade being found of Ramah in either Md. or Del. it was 6 or 7 inches by 3 . I think i did see someone from Canada was selling the material, but can't remember where i saw it.

 

[bsit1361]

Ill find it when money is available. Tight funds till we move. I can't wait to open the boxes because I do think I have a point of it. Looks more on the translucent grey color than the white. Only one I have like it but its just in memory right now. Saw google pics that match it. A triangle point too maybe. Cool thread and material.

 

[tncreeker]

I'm from md. Looks like quartz to me but we also find a white flint. Never had a name to it so maybe that's it. Here's a couple quartz. All my others are packed for the move that won't seem to happen. I miss my rocks.

LMAO,,"I miss my rocks" I thought I was the only one who missed their rocks!! Mine are in storage, all boxed up and alone in the dark,,it`s sad. They are lonely, I am lonely. I just like looking at and studying them. Pretty little things that they are! Everyone in my life thinks I`m nuts,,,now I can show em I`m not alone!

 

[jamey]

hi wells,i think boris has one or two posted in a pic on the typo help post by hbloveinglife

 

[Get-the-point]

This is a personal find in the mid-80's, from Snyder Co. Pa. It is one of only a few pieces of ramah found in the Pa.- Md. area. A few experts think it may be a Lerma point. There's at least a half inch of the tip missing, which would have made it 3 1/2" in length. Can anyone report of other finds of this material ? THANKS.

2 Nice Perks in that frame. Gotta love them they are nice points.........................

 

[Th3rty7]

I'd never heard of Ramah chert before. After doing some research I think it's really interesting it travelled as far south as the Chesapeake Bay and inland. More than 3000km according to one source I read. Also fluted types found in the upper north east made of this particular chert type imo support the " Atlantic ice bridge " theory in some degree.

I acquired a large Pa. collection some years ago from Dauphin Co. and there is some material that looks very similar to Ramah chert examples in a google image search I just did.

Particularly this biface.

http://nlarchaeology.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_07491.jpg

http://nlarchaeology.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/00071.jpg

INSIDE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR ARCHAEOLOGY | Digging through the files? | Page 2 scroll down

Maine Memory Network - Native American long knife, ca. 3800 BP

Some eastern Pa. types that look like a match.

 

[rock]

Those are nice 37

 

[bsit1361]

Lookin at 37s I definitely have at least two points in that material.

 

[Neanderthal]

Pretty stuff, but it's definitely not a "Lerma".

 

[Charl]

Yeah I just checked and saw Elfshot lol. Did you see that?

Elfshot is a great blog!

 

[Charl]

I'd never heard of Ramah chert before. After doing some research I think it's really interesting it travelled as far south as the Chesapeake Bay and inland. More than 3000km according to one source I read. Also fluted types found in the upper north east made of this particular chert type imo support the " Atlantic ice bridge " theory in some degree.

I acquired a large Pa. collection some years ago from Dauphin Co. and there is some material that looks very similar to Ramah chert examples in a google image search I just did.

Particularly this biface.

http://nlarchaeology.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_07491.jpg

http://nlarchaeology.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/00071.jpg

INSIDE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR ARCHAEOLOGY | Digging through the files? | Page 2 scroll down

Maine Memory Network - Native American long knife, ca. 3800 BP

Some eastern Pa. types that look like a match.

The first one very much looks like Ramah chert that I've seen.

 

[Charl]

Use of Ramah Chert from the far north of Labrador was a hallmark of the Maritime Archaic Complex, present in north coastal Maine and the Canadian Atlantic. The other thing I've always loved about that archaic adaptation is one of their other hallmarks: ground slate implements, such as ground slate points, spears, etc. They were skilled deep sea fishermen, as evidenced by the presence of swordfish remains at their encampments.

Here's another good website describing Ramah Chert.

Ancient Uses of Ramah Chert: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage

The chert was traded long distance, even in later time periods. The Lithic Casting Lab has a beautiful example of a Vt. Fluted point made of Ramah. I'll see if I can find it and post it. Here's a photo of some artifacts of Ramah Chert from Charles Willoughby's "Antiquities of the New England Indians"(1935):

 

[Charl]

Ramah Chert fluted point from Vt. Probably lost when Lake Champlain was the Champlain Sea and still connected to the Atlantic.

Fluted point from Franklin Co., Vermont----Ramah chert.

and, anyone interested in the Maritime Archaic and it's distinctive artifacts, here is an excellent short summary with photos of the classic style of chipped stone point made by these people, made from Ramah, as well as an image of their awesome slate weapons.


http://www.therooms.ca/museum/mnotes12.asp

many color photos of Ramah Chert artifacts:



https://nlarchaeology.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/recent-indian-tradition-labrador/

 

[bsit1361]

Found two for now. One of the triangles is that chert.