What kind of rock is this?

[PA.Hunter]

I found this rock at the same site where I find most of my Native American artifacts and it looks worked to me but would like your opinion what is it? is it worked? is it slag from a furnace? most of the slag around here is usually very glass like and this stuff is more pourous. That also brings me to a different question. Did the Indians use slag from furnaces to make obsidion like points? It seems like it would flake very well.

 

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[SOHIO]

PA that is definately slag and no the indians were long gone and done knapping on anything when that was produced it looks flaked like that from being moved about i suspect. Some pcs are porous like that just air pockets from the process. And slag is just slag ..it doesnt turn into obsidian ...obsidian outcrops out west in several areas like yellowstone .....

 

[old digger]

It could very well be obsidian, and it could also be a piece of super heated slag. It is hard to really tell without hands-on. If I am correct obsidian will fracture differently than slag?

 

[PA.Hunter]

PA that is definately slag and no the indians were long gone and done knapping on anything when that was produced it looks flaked like that from being moved about i suspect. Some pcs are porous like that just air pockets from the process. And slag is just slag ..it doesnt turn into obsidian ...obsidian outcrops out west in several areas like yellowstone .....[/QUOTE

This piece is different from the slag in my area not saying it isnt slag. It just seems different to me. The slag im talking about is like solid glass and pure all the way through and in thin pieces it looks purple and translucent. When you think about it its kinda like a man made obsidian in a way. I know it isnt obsidian nor will it turn into obsidian but it can be flaked into a pretty nice point. There are some pretty old iron furnaces in my area and since I found knapped pieces of glass I wondered if they would of used slag if they were to find a piece.

 

[SOHIO]

Well id say if they came across it yeah they would probably use it to make a point ive knapped slag (see this thread).. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-artifacts/325576-hematite-points-2.html there is a pc of slag i knapped so if i tried knapping it id say an indian would take a notion to as well, and as you said that slag come in many different colors, swirls, porous, your pc is pretty dark compared to most examples one can find while say collecting it from a spot...but i have some of that real dark slag as well....what i think (im not sure) but what gives your pc away as being slag is the porous inclusions...i dont think obsidian had porous areas about it like slag.

 

[SOHIO]

....heres some i collected one day...

 

[SOHIO]

pa ill bet if you bust a flake off that it will be dark purple if you hold it to light

 

[nsdq]

i have lots of that stuff in my yard ,, i tried to see if you could knapp it an it does not do well like flint is just garbage slag but does look cool when held up to the sun to see the light go through it

 

[PA.Hunter]

Well id say if they came across it yeah they would probably use it to make a point ive knapped slag (see this thread).. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-artifacts/325576-hematite-points-2.html there is a pc of slag i knapped so if i tried knapping it id say an indian would take a notion to as well, and as you said that slag come in many different colors, swirls, porous, your pc is pretty dark compared to most examples one can find while say collecting it from a spot...but i have some of that real dark slag as well....what i think (im not sure) but what gives your pc away as being slag is the porous inclusions...i dont think obsidian had porous areas about it like slag.

I believe you are right theres no other black rocks in PA that look close to it and with it being porous it has to be slag. I'm still learning all the types of rocks. I have a couple 5 gallon buckets full of rocks that seemed wierd to me while i was digging lol. Once in a while I go through them and try to figure out whats worth keeping and what not. Thanks for the info and by the way thats a pretty cool point you knapped. I would like to learn how to do that someday.

 

[wells]

I'd say slag ! smash it open to see for sure ! It's not an indian artifact ! If your hunting the river below Hbg. your down stream from all the steel mills and railroad yards.

 

[rock]

Ill take it for you. Dont pitch it. I am not sure what type it is but I like it.