Bladelet

[comanche]

I have always been interested in the aspect of the ancient Stone Tool technolgy. What is so interesting is the same technology has transcended across the Span of time. From the Pleistocene epoch (Great Ice Age) to the Holocene (Post Glacial Times) all the way through to our Western Woodland period. Although each Time period gained techniques. The oldest and most basic types of tools can still be seen in more modern discoveries. I suppose that,,, what was Tried was True.
The real advantage of studying tools are that there are always more tools present at sites as oposed to Projectile points. The techniques used to make the tools are just as important (if not more important) than understanding the knapping technique of Projectile points. The aspect of commerce and profit of artifacts has tainted the studies in my opinion. We now have so many divisions ,subdivisions (variants),AD Hoc Infintium. All for the Advantage of creating a market. All of this when the answers to the past.Are in the tools.
I present the Bladelet. This is one of the most simlpe tools found.Often thrown to the side as Debutage.Only 1 5/8'' X 7/8" and 1/4" thick it would be easy not to noitice this little guy. There is no evidence of retouch. It is not backed,but it does show edge ware on the long axis. The parallel flake scars show that it was made from a prepared core. It might have not been used very much,but it was used and shows purposeful manufacture.
I can't sell this piece because there is no market for it,but it tells a story all by itself. That is intrinsic value in my eye

[Buckeye]

I like it comanche, nice lil bladelet, every piece of 'debitage' has a story to tell.

[cgode]

Well written comanche, and I agree that the tools found are really cool as well.....I love my unifacial knives and always enjoy finding them.......thanks for sharing!

[Cannonman17]

I agree with you 100%, hammerstones, scrapers, utilized flakes, all if kept and recorded, can show a much bigger picture of a given site. I always encourage people to keep all the artifacts from a site. On some smaller sites I did this even with the flaking debitage, two neat things became of that. 1) after several yeras of doing that at one site I organzied all the flakes by type, I knew that the site was almost exclusively early and middle woodland with scant evidence for anything else. When the flakes were organized by material I counted them and did the math. I ended up with a window into the materials that were being usied during that time. Then, at another site that was exclusively archaic in nature I was able to do the same thing and in the end compare usage in terms of percentages of what materials were being used/preferred during different time periods. 2) Is I was really surprised at how many smaller broken artifacts, or pieces there of I had been missing because when they were caked with dirt in the field I had simply discarded them as flaking debitage! Since doing that I now keep virtually all the artifacts, including flakes, from most of my sites (except where the flaking debitage is just too much, like near a quarry. All these things go into big zip lock bags, each one is dedicated to a particular site. Inside each gallon bag I keep smaller bags breaking it down into debitage, fire cracked rock, the whole nine yards. With sites that are lost to urban sprawl or erosion, records like this could prove to be wonderful tid bits to future research. The only downside to it all in my opinion is that some people, particularly young collectors, get to thinking that every single flake is some tool or point when the majority of it is still nothing more than flaking debitage.

[comanche]

Well guys,,as you can tell I am a little short on finds.The fresh complete SEXY artifacts that emcompass most of this site. So a little introspective study of what I have and exactly how it relates to the everything else I have found at this sight.
Cannonman,,,I have taken out every piece of Debutage,Worked piece,and flake tools from this sight that I have pulled out of the ground.Thank God it is a relatively small site.
The way I see it,,, even though I am just an avocational hunter.I should do it to the best of my abilities. By doing this I have learned so much more than just pot holeing a site.I have started from the bottom and worked my way up.The principal of a good foundation are my roots here at Arrowheadology.

[Cannonman17]

I hope you are also keeping records of it all as well. Take pictures, write it down, do what ya do, we all pass away after a while and we can't let our knowledge pass away with us.

[Brian Higgins]

I've allways thought tools was cool I brought every thing home that I could carry when I started hunting alot of it was ( is this something or this and this ).But I get what your saying we all need to start looking at every aspect.

[uniface]

Comanche : Amen !

[Mud Hawk]

Biting my tongue about something that was said, but I'll just stay on track...

First, very nice bladelet Comanche. I tend to find tools more interesting than points. I always find myself pulling out tools (large and small) out of my case before my few scarce points. Maybe one of the experts here can make an article on assemblages - addressing both the importance of non-point lithic tools, categorizing, and making sense of it all. I think it would be a great read. I also think it would help give a new collector a healthy perspective on relic hunting.

My apologies if this type of article already exists here... I tend to stay in the forum.

[comanche]

That would be a great article indeed.
I chose this piece as an example because it is the most basic.Although it does in fact have a 1/2" area where a little retouch has been done to It.To avoid any contention.I did not mention this.I figured if Folks don't want to realize the most Basic,fundamental Aspects.It is not worth the time or energy to bring up the rest.It is-- over all,,,a Bladelet blank...from there It off shoots to many different forms.To name a few (Becs.,Triangle Bladelets,Rectangle Bladelets,Bilaterally denticulated Bladelets,
Dofour Bladelet,Magdalenian Shoulder point.This is just in the Bladelet category.The Blades Are another subject.
Note the top of this piece has a little Indention,,,I am thinking this was a "Seat or spur" for a punch.Using Indirect Precussion.Knowledge is power.Before I studied this aspect of tool I would never have realized how important this piece would have been.The preparation ,Patina,the Retouch,the use ware,,,.It all adds up.////c