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Author Topic: Stalking NC Rhyolite  (Read 13530 times)

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Offline arappaho

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Stalking NC Rhyolite
« on: September 10, 2010, 11:52:24 am »
There are so many different types of Rhyolite in NC that I never get tired of looking for it.
For example here's a sample of points I've found right around where I live in Northern
Wake County. There's about 10 different types represented here.



Now this ain't rhyolite but here's a close-up of the one you can't see well in that pic.



So I had the time to get out and check a site that I haven't been to in a couple of years.
It's been dry around here and hunting season hasn't started yet, so it was a good time
to check it out. Each area or out-cropping of rhyolite will have maybe dozens of different
types of material. Not all of them are knappable. There are several different areas along
this powerline that you can find good, to great, material.



One sure sign that you are in an area of good material is when you see the ground
littered with flakes and broken pieces. It's a good sign that the natives quarried the rock
and if it was good enough for them...............



Close-up of edge of ditch. Kindof looks like some of y'alls backyard. ;)


Here's a piece that didn't pass the grade, so it's leaverite.



Like a lot of the material east of the Appalachains, it has been warped and fractured
by ancient geologic episodes, but still might be good for making points under 2 inches.



Here's another outcrop close by that was not good enough material to be quarried.



And a piece of leaverite from it.


So it's not enough to just find rhyolite. You've got to pick thru it until you find
the good stuff. Here's a pic of what made it home with me to be busted up
and checked out further.



Still need to find some new sources, but the NC Slate Belt is all rhyolite, so there's
plenty of ground to cover. Just got to find the time. ;)

Hope this helps some,
Joe
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JustinNC

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2010, 12:32:31 pm »
Nice post. Here in WNC we have tons of leaverite, lots of Indian sex stones as well. Find a lot of quartzite heads here.
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Offline warhawk

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2010, 12:43:13 pm »
that is so cool. Hey i live in fayetteville and plan to go to the NC knappin next weekend will you be there or if possilbe if i could get with you to get some rhyolite for myself. I got alot of paleo indian artifacts from Cumberland county too.
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Offline Ncsnipe

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Nice post on rhyolite.
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2010, 01:13:32 pm »
I once found some rhyolite in a housing sub division near the asboro zoo. I need to get out and try to find some more but it just seems hard to find the time. Hope to see you at the N.C. Knap in.
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Offline arappaho

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2010, 01:14:33 pm »
Oh yeah, warhawk, I'll be at the knap-in next weekend. I can't wait! :)
Look forward to meeting you, and yes, I'll be bringing quite a bit of the rhyolite.
I'll be there all three days and camping out Friday and Saturday nights.
I would love to see some pics of those paleo points you've found down there,
or bring a few with you for show and tell. ;)

Yeah, Justin, I used to think the good material must come from the mountains,
but I've come to realize it's either coming from the Uwharries, ie Slate Belt, or
Tennessee. That's why they used so much quartzite. It was their best local stone,
generally speaking.

Joe
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Offline jcinpc

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2010, 01:33:28 pm »
DANG Joe, that stuff you brought home looks awesome.  I love to see other peoples paicking areas and what they find, we should have  a area on here for that to see all states with members listed and what they find
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Offline bowmo

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2010, 04:27:43 pm »
Geez. I hate norther IL.

haha
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Offline nugget

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2010, 04:57:50 pm »
I would love to find a honey hole like that of preety green rhyolite. I aint never had none of that stuff. I always get the speckled darker colors.
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Offline Hardawaypoints

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2010, 05:03:18 pm »
My best rhyolite spots now have houses all over 'em or have been picked pretty clean. I showed Joe the mother of all rhyolite spots (that I ever found) back in the 80s and I didn't have sense enough to load up on it like I should have.  

Another site right around the corner from my house did not have enough open ground to allow much picking.  If that whole hillside was turned up, I'd have all I needed for years.  Both sites were heavily utilized by the native populations for thousands of years accoring to the volume of debitage.  I saw another site that got clearcut this summer, just a few miles from the house that is bound to have decent rock on it. I'll wait until after deer season to give it a good going over.

If you have an arrowhead field where you're finding a lot of big chips, expand your search for the quarry site, because you're close.

Jim
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Offline arappaho

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2010, 05:50:57 pm »
Well Jim, that spot you showed me, many years ago, is still the best spot I've ever
collected from. Sweet material and a huge quarry site. We'll be going thru alot of it
next weekend. ;)

Nugget, the speckled dark stuff is usually found from Asheboro south, around Morrow Mtn.,
which is considered the heart of the Uwharries. I've mainly explored the Slate Belt north
of Asheboro, which is called the Virgilina District.

That pile I brought home with me all had good looking areas in them, but there was only
one piece that had the good stuff all the way thru. And I'd say there's a few points in
there somewhere.



Thanks for looking,
Joe
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Offline nugget

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2010, 06:00:34 pm »
Wow that is pretty.
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW WHAT A RIDE!!

Offline warhawk

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2010, 06:33:48 pm »
think we could trade some rhyolite?
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Offline mullet

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2010, 07:22:17 pm »
 Cool Pictures. I'd grab that pocket knife somebody left on that rock.
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Offline jamie

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2010, 07:27:35 pm »
that is some great looking rhyolite, never seen it that clean
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Offline leapingbare

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Re: Stalking NC Rhyolite
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2010, 07:58:35 pm »
mmm the goiod green stuff
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