The two pros both said they believe it is a preform, but that it could have been used as it is.
That is four for four saying preform.
The base is worked to a sharp edge in the center, and is only thick at the edges and further into the piece.
The only thing the pros said was that the work is early type.
Oddly, under 10X magnification, the small flat area on the point appears to be deliberate. There is an obviously worked trench forming it on one side, and it is still pretty sharp. It looks to date from about the same time as the rest of the work. Did any group use a small chisel tip instead of a pointy tip?
The one side has three wide trenches that run from low on the right hand edge, at about a 45 degree angle, all the way to the other edge, higher on that side. Then three more trenches were done lower on the left hand side, and terminate into the first of the right hand trenches. Those six lines form at least 80 percent of that side, and the only other work on that side is at the tip and the base, which is sharp edged in the middle, but thick at each side. I was hoping that knapping pattern would help identify the source. The work on the other side is very much like the drawings of the knapping on some Clovis types, and does not run across the piece from edge to edge like it does on the other side. Under magnification, there are what appear to be the remains of central percussion platforms on each side. One of the shorter left edge trenches was obviously done by percussion, and took several attempts to finish. The rest are pretty smooth.
I will get back in the creek and see if I can find more evidence of any kind. The site is near the confluence of a creek and Indian Creek, and I was out there Sunday with three women. They did not want to get in the creek because of the stick tights and burrs this time of year. While we were walking, I picked up a piece of very fine grained chert of a silvery gray color that looks to be as fine a knapping material as I have ever seen, short of obsidian. One of the women with me is Anishinaabe, and she was impressed enough that she took it home with her.
There is the confluence of two streams, abundant woodlands game, and material to make points, altho this point is not made of that material. I believe the rest of the question lies in whether or not I do the work to find more, and if my old eyes can spot the things that are there.
My wife says she thinks I am OCD! I spent several hours watching video's of creek finds in place, just to try and get my eyes to begin to pick up what they are looking for! The one pro says if I find anything else to contact her again. The creek is short enough that I may actually be able to find the source of the nice chert, and hopefully some bigger pieces of it.
I am a lapidary. I can go to my workshop and produce stunning very sharp points if I choose, but I know very little about the actual practice of knapping beyond some small instruction at gem and mineral shows. I know very little at all about knapping using primitive methods. What little I have done was done using a heavy stick that had a metal point, and a protective hand pad. To be able to produce the work on this piece with a hammer stone would be a remarkable talent.
Thank you for all the help! I assume that I will be dragging back in to ask again!
The point was scooped from the creek in a tractor bucket of gravel, and I found it where the gravel was used to repair a wash in a farm road that crosses my property. I am not even sure where the gravel was actually taken from the creek.
Again, thank you for the assistance!
