The Obsidian Network

[tamrock]

Article on North American obsidian trade.

Obsidian Artifacts in Alberta Reveal Vast, Ancient North American Trade Networks

Over 500 archaeological sites across western Canada have yielded a striking discovery: sharp-edged, inky black fragments of volcanic glass, which would have been used by ancient Native Americans as hu

www.ancient-origins.net

 

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[RGINN]

A lot of the material we found in SWOK was either traded or carried in from somewhere else, except for the Oglalla quartz, which they liked to heat treat. In sites that dated back 1500 years we found obsidian and some turquoise, which probably came in from New Mexico. Of course, lots of Alibates flint from up north of Amarillo. Other non-native material came from NEOK or down in Texas. Some shell which pretty much had to come from the ocean.

 

[russau]

Article on North American obsidian trade.

Obsidian Artifacts in Alberta Reveal Vast, Ancient North American Trade Networks

Over 500 archaeological sites across western Canada have yielded a striking discovery: sharp-edged, inky black fragments of volcanic glass, which would have been used by ancient Native Americans as hu

www.ancient-origins.net

Someday I'll get myself a piece of that Obsidian and knap me a nice point , OR end up cutting myself a LOT !

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Someday I'll get myself a piece of that Obsidian and knap me a nice point , OR end up cutting myself a LOT !

If it wasn’t located on federal land (likely a national monument now), I’d grab a boulder of it for you.

 

[newnan man]

Great post. A lot of Obsidian was found in several Hopewell sites in Ohio. One mound south of Columbus had 300 pounds of it still in raw form. It was traced back to the Yellowstone area of Wyoming as its source. The Ross Blade in the picture was found at Mound City near Chillicothe, Ohio.

 

[ToddsPoint]

The two places most modern knappers get their obsidian from are on Gov ground. It’s legal to take. Davis Creek in CA and the major outcrops near Burns OR are always mentioned. I’ve knapped that stuff and you will bleed.🩸 I avoid it now. It’s easy to knap and too fragile to be practical. Unless you have nothing else.

 

[tamrock]

I found only one point of true black rock desert obsidian volcanic material. I found it off a road called the Midus-Tuscarora road in Northern Nevada some time ago, but I can't seem to find it now.

 

[tamrock]

Great post. A lot of Obsidian was found in several Hopewell sites in Ohio. One mound south of Columbus had 300 pounds of it still in raw form. It was traced back to the Yellowstone area of Wyoming as its source. The Ross Blade in the picture was found at Mound City near Chillicothe, Ohio. View attachment 2201966

That's an incredible artifact.

 

[newnan man]

Ohio was ground zero for fine ceremonial points made by the Hopewell culture. Giant Ross blades were made from exotic materials from far away such as the Obsidian. A lot of Knife River Flint artifacts were found along with fantastic pipes made from Minnesota Pipestone.

 

[russau]

Well today I decided to take a little trip to try to get some flint and to look for a point since the weather has taken a little break and the streams are going down. Today I found a small Buck's 4 point skull with NO damage . It looks to me as though it died last Fall and it ended up in a creek that I just happened to want to do a search in. I didn't find any bigger piece's of flint but I got a few smaller piece's that I will play with but it probly won't be any good BUT I'll give it a try. I'd take a picture of the deer BUT me and computer's don't get along especially since we got a new computer with Windows 11 in it.... Good thing I came home early because the BLACK CLOUD's are moving in from the North.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

The two places most modern knappers get their obsidian from are on Gov ground. It’s legal to take. Davis Creek in CA and the major outcrops near Burns OR are always mentioned. I’ve knapped that stuff and you will bleed.🩸 I avoid it now. It’s easy to knap and too fragile to be practical. Unless you have nothing else.

I believe Davis Creek is a private mine? The forest service has written regulation in my forest prohibiting removal of obsidian.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I believe Davis Creek is a private mine? The forest service has written regulation in my forest prohibiting removal of obsidian.

I’ve never heard of a regulation like that in a National Forest. If you look at the rules for National Forests one of the first things they say is the rules are exactly the same in every forest. Taking rocks for personal use, detecting for coins, are both listed and legal. If I lived where your “regulation” was at, and wanted some obsidian, I’d take them to Federal court. I’ve never been to Davis Creek and have only seen pics of digging obsidian there. I was told it was Nat For. So at least there’s one private supplier the damn Gov can’t regulate.

 

[tamrock]

I've never heard of Cave Creek obsidian, so I looked it up. I find it interesting that natural obsidian is still used in surgery today for the same benefits it offered mankind thousands of years ago. To the ancients, it was no doubt a material in high demand.

When broken the edges can be 1/100,000,000 centimeter thick, sharper than a razor blade. Historically, obsidian was used by many native cultures to make arrowheads and tools. Today surgeons sometimes use obsidian scalpels instead of steel to reduce tissue damage.

 

[russau]

I’ve never heard of a regulation like that in a National Forest. If you look at the rules for National Forests one of the first things they say is the rules are exactly the same in every forest. Taking rocks for personal use, detecting for coins, are both listed and legal. If I lived where your “regulation” was at, and wanted some obsidian, I’d take them to Federal court. I’ve never been to Davis Creek and have only seen pics of digging obsidian there. I was told it was Nat For. So at least there’s one private supplier the damn Gov can’t regulate.

I agree with you Gary ! The Forest Service employes have been known to "make up their own rules"! When confronted by a F.S. employe or a police officer and they say you can't do this or that ,ask them to show you the law they are referring to ! Hopefully you have a witness to this BECAUSE you'll probly get cited anyway if you pursue doing what they say you can't ! Again hopefully the Judge will correct them and release you! you better have all of the paper work you'll need and witness' that will show up in court to back that you were telling the truth NO MATTER HOW THE OTHER SIDE SAYS IT HAPPENED ! YES the story will get turned around now that it is front of the Judge ! Defending yourself in court can and will get expensive. Good luck !

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Prohibited by these reasons: “Natural features and archeological and historical objects are protected by federal law. You can help preserve America's past by leaving archaeological and historic remains undisturbed,”

 

[newnan man]

If you're on state or federal land and come across an artifact you are supposed to leave it there undisturbed. Snap a photo is OK. So, an arrowhead is lying on the ground, hmmm.😒 🤔
The most likely scenario is if you leave it the next guy that comes along will pocket it.

 

[ToddsPoint]

The forest service rules say you can’t disturb known archaeological sites. If you find an ancient site you’re supposed to report it. Seems fair to me. I go to Shawnee National Forest and hunt rocks and mushrooms. I’ve never had any problems.

 

[russau]

Once I was dry washing in New Mexico and I did a little exploring up a old dry wash gully (just looking !) and I ultimately got tired and sat down on ledge. While I was resting and Just looking around I looked at where I was sitting and there was a small brown bottle with a black plastic cap on it. I picked it up and there were several small pills in it !!!! what could these be , I thought to myself maybe a man out walking dropped his NITRO PILLS I hope he was O.K. I still have them (I think) out in my shop . The bottle appeared to have been there some time , probly got washed down the gully in a storm ! BUT of all the things you see in a desert I never thought of seeing one of these !