Uniface Tools

[Tdog]

Forgive my ignorance but can one determine what time period certain uniface tools were made? I have two in particular that I'm interested in. I should mention that they were found in my area and are made of chert--which doesn't occur in my area (at least abundantly). I think these are scrapers? Thanks in advance.

[Mud Hawk]

I would say those are all utilized tools TDog. I think unifacial tools appear in all time periods though. I would guess the only way to put a time on them would be to find a point or two in the general area those were found in.

[neralich]

Uniface tools are some of my favorite artifacts to find! I notice certain trends in time periods that have certain traits that are distinguished from the other's. Study uniface tools from single component archeaological sites and from various time periods to start determining what trait's are common with certain period's of your area.. I know of a mississippian site that every other flake you pick up, is unifacially flaked to some degree; which makes sense, because it's a long haul to lithic sources from this site, so they took advantage of nearly every decent flake!

[Gibby]

Uniface would be the man to talk to about those. He is the man.

[ghost recon]

I think Jason brings up some good points in his post. Paleo uniface tools imo are the easiest to identify because of their usually consistent characteristics. Most uniface artifacts, unless found in context with associated points and artifacts are near impossible to assign to a particular culture or even time period, jmo.

[uniface]

You have to know your area's history -- the who did what and when of it. In some places, uniface tools are a constant throughout time ; in the little corner of Penna. I hunted, they stopped with Clovis and never reappeared.

The material in your first picture looks like Dover chert. That wouldn't be surprising for the Paleo era, but it would fit just as well from maybe the Benton Archaic on to contact. The second material I have no idea on. In parts of the southeast, chert is replaced by quartz and quartzite early on, so if you live there, you have a leg up. But you need to get with someone who's familiar with your specific region and who used what in it (and when).

Sorry I can't be of more help than that