Obsidian blade flake tools from the Great Basin

[manoman]

This is a small sampling of some very nice gem quality obsidian blade tools. These were usually struck off of a well prepared blade core. They do not have the nice curved shape of Paleo or Early Archaic technologies, so they are most likely Middle Archaic through the Historic era here out West. These artifacts were probably used right after they were knocked off the parent core and then were re-touched with some very tiny, intense micro-secondary flaking as they became dull. Under magnification, it is a wonder how they were able to get such uniforum tiny retouch flakes from these tools. The back lighting takes away some of the blackish color, but it gives you an idea of how transparent some obsidian can be. If I placed some of these down on newsprint, you would be able to read the letters with no problem. Tools like these are the reason I keep picking them up.....I find some of the most interesting characteristics after I get them home under a magnifying glass!

[Fyrestar51]

Fantastic!!Thanks for sharing I really love obsidian tools.

[erb]

Cool tools and great shots.

[rmartin]

Great tools, Mano! I love the backlight photos. Thanks, Ray

[comanche]

I think you have the right Idea to Phtogragh the Obsidian,,,I have tried every thing.


I really like the Graver///c

[silver lake]

Nice photos Mano. I'm usually conflicted as to whether to bring those things home or not and usually just leave them, but you have a couple of nicely worked ones.

[Steve Valentine]

Hey, I got a couple that look just like those. lol

Great looking Flake Tools manoman.

[ghost recon]

Great pictures and tool examples manoman. You can really see the retouch and usewear in those close ups. Like you I really enjoy studying the flake tools I find after a hunt, under a mag. glass or scope alot of interesting characteristics appear.

[uniface]

They do not have the nice curved shape of Paleo or Early Archaic technologies, so they are most likely Middle Archaic through the Historic era here out West.

A good point, and a moot one. FWIW though, in the east and the upper midwest, Clovis-era blades were not necessarily strongly curved by any means. I've posted a few such in the Gallery, if it's of any interest.

Question : did the Hopewell interaction sphere subsume your area ? That might help narrow it down a bit.

FWIW : Consider (if you care to) that much to most of the edge flaking might be from use rather than deliberate. Obsidian is pretty chippy stuff.

[manoman]

Originally Posted by uniface

A good point, and a moot one. FWIW though, in the east and the upper midwest, Clovis-era blades were not necessarily strongly curved by any means. I've posted a few such in the Gallery, if it's of any interest.

Question : did the Hopewell interaction sphere subsume your area ? That might help narrow it down a bit.

FWIW : Consider (if you care to) that much to most of the edge flaking might be from use rather than deliberate. Obsidian is pretty chippy stuff.

I've not found a classic Paleo blade core of obsidian, but have one larger block that has evidence of blade removal. Mojave recently posted some nice examples of obsidian cores, but I don't think he placed them in a time period.

I have a few micro-blade cores, which I have read were associated with Paleo culture and Hopewell culture, so that interaction could well exist.

Most of these blade tools show both usage and re-touch. Under magnification, if is very apparent what type it is. Some of the retouch flaking is so small I don't know how they did it----sharpened deer tines?