Webster Co. Missouri Garden Find ID help THANKS

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sweetmimzim3

Full Member
May 16, 2011
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Webster Co. Missouri
This is the 2nd piece we have found in our garden. The arrowhead is the first piece we found, but we are uncertain if this is a multi-tool or ax. Your ID help would be appreciated. gardenfind3.jpggardenfind2.jpgarrowheadfirstarrowhead.jpg
 

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That's simply a preform that they most likely discarded when it wasn't working out to their expectations. The steps from premature flake-detachment shows how much of a fit they were having with it. The Ozarks is chalked FULL of good quality rock. There was no need for them to keep whacking at that one when they could probably find a better one laying right next to it. You find those all over the place.

The smaller (notched) piece is a completely exhausted corner-notched knife or dart made out of Jefferson City chert.
 

Neanderthal said:
That's simply a preform that they most likely discarded when it wasn't working out to their expectations. The steps from premature flake-detachment shows how much of a fit they were having with it. The Ozarks is chalked FULL of good quality rock. There was no need for them to keep whacking at that one when they could probably find a better one laying right next to it. You find those all over the place.
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and after they discarded it another fella came by and used it as a square knife. Right matt?
 

so the roughness on the backside is where they stopped working and tossed it aside? Because we found a similar piece in the field across the street, but it was wide on one end and narrow on the other. Shown in the middle of this picture arrowheadsapril2012.jpg
 

sweetmimzim3 said:
so the roughness on the backside is where they stopped working and tossed it aside? Because we found a similar piece in the field across the street, but it was wide on one end and narrow on the other. Shown in the middle of this picture View attachment 632539
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Mims, the roughness is where they were having problems with the stone. I assume they tossed it because they never finalized it in any way - it's still in the reduction phases. It has no signs of preparation on the edges to make it useful as a knife or tool. Items similar to that one are especially common at quarry sites - places where they get their flint. Abo's would hammer on a stone at all different angles to see how it works, if it has any problem areas then it's discarded. You wouldn't want to toke back 50 lbs of flint to the village if you aren't reasonably sure it was usable. However, you won't see that happen in lithic-poor areas, they couldn't stand to be quite a choosey.

The piece in the middle of your pic does look like it was pretty much the same scenario.
 

So can it be in the same field where you are finding discards and full items that they have specific areas for each portion of production? Some areas you will find tons of debitage and 100 yards or so away you will find broken points (or full). Then other spots you will find large chunks of the kinda rock that would be used to produce these items. I have yet to see even the slightest sign of celts, or any other smooth tools. Is there any way to know where to look?
 

Yes, they can be found in the same place.

I take it you're new to hunting? If so, I'll give you some advice that always worked for me. If you want to be productive in looking for artifacts, you should spend at LEAST 1/3rd of your time out looking for new spots. If you keep hunting the same areas, you'll keep finding the same thing (in decreasing numbers, generally). diversify the places that you look.
 

Yes I am new this is my second season. Thank you for your advice. We have been doing alot of asking around. We may just have to drive around and start asking farmers.
 

Mimz...where in Webster Co. are you from? Most of my family is from there. I used to live in Marshfield, Seymore and I think I'm related to about everyone in Diggins. Try looking along the James River, and some of the creeks between Diggins and Marshfield.
 

matt your mostly right about pcs like that being tossed i have a lot of examples like that where it seems they gave up on the flaking process because of unworkable ridges most always on center. But I would say 90 % of the examples I have had some sort of use on them knife use chopper use scraper use. If you look at the square pc above you can see the cresent shaped areas on long edge of pc. inside the cresents you can see a sort of beveling due to scraping i'll bet a closer look on this piece will show polish/use, technically making it either a scraper or knife. Watcha think?
 

I would actually call this piece a thrown away attempt (just to be nice to matt) square knife scraper burin tip multipurpose tool.
 

@Neanderthal: We live in Conway across from the Rader Lutheran Church, just off F&ZZ highway. It seems whenever I search by rivers I just find fossils (which I like too), but I have not ever been to the James River area. We will have to check it out. Thank you so much for your input, it is very much appreciated. I am soooo hooked on this hobby :)
 

Neanderthal said:
Mimz...where in Webster Co. are you from? Most of my family is from there. I used to live in Marshfield, Seymore and I think I'm related to about everyone in Diggins. Try looking along the James River, and some of the creeks between Diggins and Marshfield.
Click to expand...

Can you be specific as to where to go (directions)? I'm from Illinois and I've lived in Missouri just shy of 3 years, so I am not certain how to get around yet. I am familiar with Marshfield though. We definetly need some new locations. Thanks
 

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