Did I find a arrowhead, tool, or????

[Tripplebeards]

I was out turkey hunting on my property and found this in my shale pit. The pit is dug out on the side of my hill that sits about 30 yards way from a creek below it. Would have made a good camping spot IMO. It's extremely sharp on one side. If it were me I would have used it for cutting or skinning back in the day.

Rock or tool??? What do you think?

[Winger Ed.]

Maybe a blank for making a arrow head or a tool for skinning.
I always figured they started with a rock that was pretty close in shape to what they wanted to make out of it if possible.

[Johnch]

IMO Part of a unfinished spear head or knife

John

[bangerjim]

Partially completed. Probably an arrowhead? They may have discovered the grain structure was not quite right for chipping the shape.

[Hogtamer]

called a spawl. The knapper got started but found some fault with the stone. All those crystals exposed won’t be worked.

[farmbif]

sure looks like it was knapped

[scattershot]

Looks like some kind of scraper to,me.

[1Hawkeye]

I agree it's a spawl the edges are way too thick.

[popper]

Apprenticeship.

[Iowa Fox]

Every time I pickup an arrowhead or something like that I wonder who was the last person to have it in his hand.

[HWooldridge]

I think the word is “spall” but the meaning is the same.

Think about the many thousands of years that people walked all over this country and used flint tools; it’s no wonder we still find points and other items. I’ve seen areas in Central Texas near rivers where there were piles of chips and broken arrowheads. I suspect most native people picked up flint or chert as they moved around and made whatever tool they needed on the spot.

True arrowheads are generally well crafted and fairly small, while larger points were for dart or atlatl use. I have several hide scrapers which fit my hand perfectly - it’s amazing to see the skill and care someone took to make it. A PhD archaeologist looked at some of the pieces I’ve found over the years and said they probably dated 600-1000 BC. It’s humbling to hold a tool that was intentionally made and used so long ago.

[Tripplebeards]

I found this googling.

[higgins]

I think it's a flake cutting tool, possibly used for cutting and skinning game. I used to look for arrowheads and passed up no telling how many flake tools that were no more than a flake of flint sharpened on one edge, possibly so the index finger could bear down on the other side of the tool. The flake scars could be large like on the one pictured or so small that the tool would have to be held to the light in the right way to see them. Possibly the first disposable tools; use it until the edge gets dull and either just toss it and make another one or resharpen the one you have.

[Tripplebeards]

It’s sharp enough that I could cut myself on the side with the serrations. The opposite side feels like it was made to rest my finger on. I thought the same thing…that is was made for cutting and or skinning.

[elmacgyver0]

Whatever it is, someone made it in the past, how long? hundreds of years, perhaps thousands.
Definitely something to hang onto, they are not making them anymore.

[pworley1]

We would find many of those in a small area and much fewer actual arrow heads, we always thought they were just the culls.

[Plate plinker]

Chuck learns lithics on YouTube. Watch and learn.

[skeettx]

Looks man modified to me, would be useful in many ways
Mike

[waksupi]

Whatever it is, someone made it in the past, how long? hundreds of years, perhaps thousands.
Definitely something to hang onto, they are not making them anymore.

Actually, my club has two very accomplished flint knappers. Quite a few of them around. I used to years ago.

[Electrod47]

We should all pause for a moment. And contemplate the absolute necessity that object represents.