Uni-faced and snapped bases

[mxdigger]

One of these days I hope I can find someone to explain that the purpose of a uni-faced point. And I know there are some people say that there is no such thing as a snapped base point and that they are just broken. I have a bunch of those and some I guess could be just broken but a few I have are to too perfect to be broken by accidental use. The uni-faced points have always been a mystery to me.

 

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[mxdigger]

One of these days I hope I can find someone to explain that the purpose of a uni-faced point. And I know there are some people say that there is no such thing as a snapped base point and that they are just broken. I have a bunch of those and some I guess could be just broken but a few I have are to too perfect to be broken by accidental use. The uni-faced points have always been a mystery to me.

 

[Rockdog]

Those are not broken bases. They were intentionally made that way imo. I have some as well.

 

[Older The Better]

For what it’s worth I have a Lars hothem book that shows snapped base artifacts.

 

[southfork]

Show the uniface points am I missing something. In archaeology, a uniface is a specific type of stone tool that has been flaked on one surface only. There are two general classes of uniface tools: modified flakes and formalized tools, which display deliberate, systematic modification of the marginal edges, evidently formed for a specific purpose.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I

Show the uniface points am I missing something. In archaeology, a uniface is a specific type of stone tool that has been flaked on one surface only. There are two general classes of uniface tools: modified flakes and formalized tools, which display deliberate, systematic modification of the marginal edges, evidently formed for a specific purpose.

Used to know a guy that was generous with his knowledge and time that was pretty well versed in uniface artifacts. Maybe a person could search “Uniface” as the member name. I think only one lengthy thread was deleted.

 

[newnan man]

The member Uniface has not posted in a very long time. I enjoyed his input on artifacts. Personally I do not think there are intentional "snapped based" artifacts. They were broken off during use. To knap a point then intentionally snap off a base makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[antmike915]

The member Uniface has not posted in a very long time. I enjoyed his input on artifacts. Personally I do not think there are intentional "snapped based" artifacts. They were broken off during use. To knap a point then intentionally snap off a base makes no sense whatsoever.

I agree

 

[ToddsPoint]

Uniface points:
When you set out to make a point, you need a suitable piece of flint. A small nodule will make a single point. A large nodule will make several. From a large nodule, a spall is detached. The spall will usually show flake removals on one side, the other will be flat and smooth. A thick spall needs to be thinned from both sides. A thin spall might only need to be thinned on one side, the side opposite the flat side. The preform is thinned and shaped, perhaps notched. You end up with a uniface point. Actually, in terms of flintknapping , a uniface point shows good economy and conservation. You can get more points from a nodule if the spalls are thinner. This is Cobden flint from So IL. I’ve been knapping since 1985. Every point collector should try it, or at least watch a knapper working. So many knapping “mysteries “ are easily solved once you learn the process. Once you learn, there are no mysteries at all.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Snapped base points:
They’re broken. End of story. Get over it.

 

[OntarioArch]

Here's a previous discussion you might be interested in: the hornstone 'uniface' blade I pictured is one of my favorite pieces.

Uniface

Is this considered a “retouched” uniface tool, or was that small flaking on the edge part of the original flaking? I have not visited this sub-forum much in 2023. I noticed that a particular member that always donated much of his knowledge and time here has been vacant from this forum...

www.treasurenet.com

 

[Blackfoot58]

As to snapped bases: I always wonder if one side of a notched base broke off. This would cause a potential balance issue in flight.
Rather than to discard and waste the tool, maybe the other notch was removed to rebalance it.
Just a thought, no proof whatsoever.

 

[mxdigger]

Those are not broken bases. They were intentionally made that way imo. I have some as well.

Yes, that's what I thought. I have several more that I think were actually broken from misuse, but they are not snapped as cleanly as these.

 

[mxdigger]

For what it’s worth I have a Lars hothem book that shows snapped base artifacts.

Yeah, Overstreet has a snapped base Kirk and a snapped base Adena on their site, but they note that it is not a true variant of the kirk type. Claiming that these points were created by collectors to sell broken points. Basically, saying that without a base a true ID of the points cannot be made just by what the blade looks like.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Here's a previous discussion you might be interested in: the hornstone 'uniface' blade I pictured is one of my favorite pieces.

Uniface

Is this considered a “retouched” uniface tool, or was that small flaking on the edge part of the original flaking? I have not visited this sub-forum much in 2023. I noticed that a particular member that always donated much of his knowledge and time here has been vacant from this forum...

www.treasurenet.com

There’s an easy answer for that. When you are working a spall on the dorsal side (hump side) only, you occasionally have to build a platform and lower the edge toward the dorsal side. To do that, you have to take some flakes of the ventral side. (Flat side). For me, it’s still a uniface tool even with minor chipping on ventral side.

 

[mxdigger]

Show the uniface points am I missing something. In archaeology, a uniface is a specific type of stone tool that has been flaked on one surface only. There are two general classes of uniface tools: modified flakes and formalized tools, which display deliberate, systematic modification of the marginal edges, evidently formed for a specific purpose.

I'll get some pics sometime today. Getting pictures off my iPhone and on to my computer has been a challenge these days. A couple of the ones I have looks like one side has been ground down smooth. All of them are what I'm calling Guilfords

 

[mxdigger]

I

Used to know a guy that was generous with his knowledge and time that was pretty well versed in uniface artifacts. Maybe a verify could search “Uniface” as the member name. I think only one lengthy thread was deleted.

I'll do that, thanks

The member Uniface has not posted in a very long time. I enjoyed his input on artifacts. Personally I do not think there are intentional "snapped based" artifacts. They were broken off during use. To knap a point then intentionally snap off a base makes no sense whatsoever.

Yeah, that makes sense, but it looks to me like if anything was going to be broken it would be at or near the tip. The base to me would be the toughest part of the blade.

 

[mxdigger]

Uniface points:
When you set out to make a point, you need a suitable piece of flint. A small nodule will make a single point. A large nodule will make several. From a large nodule, a spall is detached. The spall will usually show flake removals on one side, the other will be flat and smooth. A thick spall needs to be thinned from both sides. A thin spall might only need to be thinned on one side, the side opposite the flat side. The preform is thinned and shaped, perhaps notched. You end up with a uniface point. Actually, in terms of flintknapping , a uniface point shows good economy and conservation. You can get more points from a nodule if the spalls are thinner. This is Cobden flint from So IL. I’ve been knapping since 1985. Every point collector should try it, or at least watch a knapper working. So many knapping “mysteries “ are easily solved once you learn the process. Once you learn, there are no mysteries at all.View attachment 2168791View attachment 2168792

I know nothing about knapping but what you are saying makes sense, thanks.

 

[mxdigger]

Snapped base points:
They’re broken. End of story. Get over it.

Okay........

 

[mxdigger]

Here's a previous discussion you might be interested in: the hornstone 'uniface' blade I pictured is one of my favorite pieces.

Uniface

Is this considered a “retouched” uniface tool, or was that small flaking on the edge part of the original flaking? I have not visited this sub-forum much in 2023. I noticed that a particular member that always donated much of his knowledge and time here has been vacant from this forum...

www.treasurenet.com

Thanks