Ok Arappaho, more for you to see

[DigDug]

I forgot I had this quartz item, found it while digging through a bin with a bunch of stuff in it.



Got this one from a trade, supposed to be from Tipton County, TN, chert I think

[dreamcatcher]

Nice stuff Digdug! I'll be interested in what Arappaho has to say about the second one. I've found several such artifacts around here and the general consensus of opinion is that they are reworked projectile points made for use as a hafted hide scraper. I've tried them while working on brain-tan deer skins and the stone works well for getting the membranes off the skin.
Larry

[arappaho]

I'll tell you what I see, DD. I see green flecks in the stem of that
quartz point. Those aren't emeralds are they! Man, I'm seeing
green everywhere these days! Heck, on the way down the
mountain on 226 coming back from the Crabtree last weekend
I was sure I was seeing green flecks in some of those rock walls
along the highway but I couldn't find anywhere to pull over!

Anyway.....It's hard to say anything for sure about your quartz
point. Quartz can be hard to read in person, let alone from a pic.
And we aren't sure where it came from? That makes a big
difference. Where were you at when you were rummaging thru
that bin? It could be a Kirk type, circa 7000BC, or it could be a
Halifax type, circa 3000BC. I'll guess closer to the latter but then
again, it could be from Texas. Sorry, not much help there.

But I'd say Larry is right on the money about the second point.
Around here that would be called a Corner-Notched Kirk, circa
7500BC, and that definately looks like it could be some of that
great Tennessee Chert. TN may have another name for this type
of point, but I believe they would call this the same. And it was
broken and reworked to be used as a hafted hide scraper. It's
nice to talk to someone who has actually tried that, Larry.

We're supposed to be getting a lot of rain around here the next
few days. I'm going to have to get out Sunday and see if its'
made any arrowheads grow! ;D

Joe

[DigDug]

I got the quartz point from a friend about 5 years ago, he got it from...if I recall...an Indian woman he knows. The green....NOT...lol Emerald, something was in contact with it.

[travelerga]

Hi, the bottom point that has been reworked, we find those around here also, the professor at the local collage said they were stunner points. used to knock things down'small critters' and not kill them. only relaying what I have been told. \m

[arappaho]

Hey travelerga, I hope that wasn't a professor of Archaeology that told you about stunners.
Whether pieces like this were used as stunners is a hard thing to say. Years ago these pieces
were routinely called stunners, but 20-30 years ago with the advent of microscopic analysis,
the wear on most of these pieces show signs of being used as hafted scrapers. Atleast in the
Southeast. That is not to say they couldn't have been used as stunners also, but that type of
use does not leave any tell tale markings, and since use as a scraper does leave markings,
most people these days choose to go with what is obvious and call them scrapers.
There are different types of 'stunning' techniques reportedly used by the abos of the mid-west
and northwest. Most of these involve hunting in huge flocks of birds that are so thick that
if you throw something into them you are bound to hit atleast one.
My two cents on the 'stunner' subject. Hope it helps.
Joe