Went digging this morning

[Pancake]

Got a call this morning that work was canceled for the day so I went out digging in the field here in Mass. Found this one!

 

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[Pancake]

Went digging before work this morning. Home for lunch and to rinse these two off. The one on the right appears to be a scraper and the one on the left is a decent size quartz point. Don't know the type but it's pretty cool, if a bit crude. Any ideas on the type?

 

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[rock]

You are finding some nice ones.

 

[Charl]

The quartz piece looks too thick to be a finished point and is more likely a preform, point type unknown.

 

[theviking]

Nice finds. If I found the Quartz piece down here I would probably call it round base Guilford. I have a similar one, just a little more narrow. Always feel free to start a new thread with new finds, might get more opinions. Keep up the good work and thanks for the view.

 

[rock]

On the quartz one I was thinking MM or Guilford like viking said also.

 

[Charl]

One of the confusing things collectors must deal with at times is the fact that the same style point can go by multiple names, depending on what region it was found in. The latest Woodland Period triangle, known as a Madison here in New England, goes by many other names in other regions and is a perfect case in point. With that in mind, and since the round base quartz piece was found in southern New England, the only style in any of our typology that comes even remotely close would be Early Woodland Lagoon, and even that is very doubtful. If it's thick, it's likely a preform or even itself a scraper/small knife. I don't know of any analogs in southern New England for Guilford. I'll research it more though.

Looking at it again, and just thinking "preform", it could be such for either a Fox Creek Stemmed or a Lagoon, both of which would fit the time frame of the other pieces being found.

 

[Pancake]

Thanks Charl (and everyone else) I was looking at it again last night and I started thinking of it as a knife and it made sense. Both edges are sharp and it seems less rough in person than in the pictures. Of course preform would could also make sense and you guys know a lot more than me.

I ordered both of the books you recommended Charl and am searching for a book published by Harvard in '59 or '60 about a fairly extensive archaeological dig they did about 1/4 mile from where I am. My dad's old copy is long gone but I know a local old timer who actually worked on the dig and I'm hoping he still has a copy.

For reference, here is what I have found in this spot. All found in about a 10'x10' area. The other stuff I have found recently is from a field about a half mile away.

 

[theviking]

One of the confusing things collectors must deal with at times is the fact that the same style point can go by multiple names, depending on what region it was found in. The latest Woodland Period triangle, known as a Madison here in New England, goes by many other names in other regions and is a perfect case in point. With that in mind, and since the round base quartz piece was found in southern New England, the only style in any of our typology that comes even remotely close would be Early Woodland Lagoon, and even that is very doubtful. If it's thick, it's likely a preform or even itself a scraper/small knife. I don't know of any analogs in southern New England for Guilford. I'll research it more though.

Looking at it again, and just thinking "preform", it could be such for either a Fox Creek Stemmed or a Lagoon, both of which would fit the time frame of the other pieces being found.

Well said, Charl. Thats why I started my reply with "If I found it down here". Although the online reference I use shows Guilfords distribution area very close to southern new england, New York seems to be about as far north that they are found. After a second look I agree with your preform scraper/small knife assessment. Still a cool find, I love Quartz.

 

[Charl]

Well said, Charl. Thats why I started my reply with "If I found it down here". Although the online reference I use shows Guilfords distribution area very close to southern new england, New York seems to be about as far north that they are found. After a second look I agree with your preform scraper/small knife assessment. Still a cool find, I love Quartz.

I hear you, Viking, and it's not out of question by any stretch to see styles from further south utilized here. For instance, I found a Hardaway Side-Notch here in RI. Not many are known this far northeast. So Guilford would not be out of the question I would think. We have a lot of "analog" names in southern New England. By which I mean, to give an example, Morrow Mountain is Stark here. Our Neville points are closely related to Stanley Stemmed, although sometimes true Stanley's do turn up here. So I've learned not to rule things out completely where typology is concerned and distribution area, etc. I understood what you were saying by "if I found it down here." We collectors are forced into that position by regional systems, and so are the pros, although all regional typologies have a basis in the reality of the region in question. Anyway, I like quartz too, and I have no choice, it absolutely dominates the lithics here

 

[Charl]

Thanks Charl (and everyone else) I was looking at it again last night and I started thinking of it as a knife and it made sense. Both edges are sharp and it seems less rough in person than in the pictures. Of course preform would could also make sense and you guys know a lot more than me.

I ordered both of the books you recommended Charl and am searching for a book published by Harvard in '59 or '60 about a fairly extensive archaeological dig they did about 1/4 mile from where I am. My dad's old copy is long gone but I know a local old timer who actually worked on the dig and I'm hoping he still has a copy.

For reference, here is what I have found in this spot. All found in about a 10'x10' area. The other stuff I have found recently is from a field about a half mile away.

View attachment 708703

Pancake, you will love Boudreau's guide and profit from it as well. The photos are hi-res enough to study the lithic material under a low power loupe. Also very good is Hoffman's "Handbook of Indian Artifacts from Southern New England", which you can get at the MAS website as well. It's great because it describes and illustrates all classes of artifacts, not just points. Nice finds, Pancake, and good luck at your sites.

 

[menotomymaps]

I've only recently started digging again but from the 2 shell pits I've found and from what I remember as a kid everything would sort of be mixed together. Where I was digging this morning had tons of shells, a couple bones and a bunch of flint cobble and flakes, as well as the point I found. I'll be digging in the same area over the weekend if the weather is nice. It's right near a fresh water stream as well as a salt water pond, kind of a great spot.

My dad told me that in 59' a team from Harvard came down and spent a summer excavating a site right near where I'm digging. He said they actually published a book about it but his copy is long gone. I'm going to check the library tomorrow. It would certainly be cool to find this book as I'm sure I could learn a lot from it.

Pancake, were you able to find the book your dad mentioned?
I'm new to shell middens but I have found one way inland in Massachusetts:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-artifacts/326065-midden-massachusetts.html