I am new, and have been learning by reading, reading, reading, as of late, your posts. I found topic “Geofacts & Fossils Commonly Mistsken for Artifacts” (under Information forum’s “Pseudo-Artifacts & Geofacts”) and a post by painshill on 6/28/14, edited last 1/28/16, containing 16 examples. The fourth photo (second from top in right column) of a whiteish bird(?) looks carved/knapped/shaped, which is what I look for in deciding if natural beautiful rock, or beautiful rock changed by man. Doesn’t it have the look of carving? .....I’m a little lost....
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Why isn’t this an Artifact?
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Well it could possibly be debatage. A waste flake from the knapping process but it's not an effigy. The shape is coincidental not intentional. I got a percussion flake one time that looks like a mourning dove.
Here is the link to the post Cecilia mentioned:
Last edited by Ron Kelley; 07-20-2019, 06:03 PM.Michigan Yooper
If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything
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Like Ron said, when I'm flintknapping, I get some bizarre flakes. Sometimes I see rocks that look special, but are really just rocks. I think of it this way: Why would a native American make a crude image that you really have to stare at in order to get it, when he can actually take the time to make something beautiful, and recognizable. They didn't waste their time making exceptionally crude pieces, when the work to make great examples would be worth it.
I'd be aware of supposed "rock art" on eBay, and other websites. I'd say 99% of it is just normal rocks being sold as artifacts by dishonest people looking for a few bucks."The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee
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I’m an admirer, even a devotee, of ancient rock creations, but I don’t knap, flake, chip (not as rocks go, anyway!). And, I know to really “know”, I should. If I imagine learning now, or imagine a Paleo child learning, or imagine being a Paleo adult who’s not artistic but slightly bored w/looking at stars, the creations rendered would not be masterful. I, the child, and the non-artisan adult would be proud of this beautiful bird-flake!
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There is no wrong in thinking that, but could we be absolutely certain, that is what happened? No, sadly not. But there are signs of human workmanship in every piece. Flaking, pecking, grinding, etc. You would know it when you see it.
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If I may, when you see an actual effigy, it will be unmistakeable. It won’t be a “if you hold it just like this and squint just a bit in poor lighting...”
this is is an example that is unmistakeable.2 PhotosWandering wherever I can, mostly in Eastern Arkansas, always looking down.
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This is an example of an maybe artifact/effigy found only a few feet from the head.
My brother also found it, and it was on a very large Mississippian site, so I’m certain it was at least handled by a native, and likely modified. I call it the Snoopy Effigy. It looks like snoopy to me, but I know they didn’t make snoopy effigies, because Charles Schultz wasn’t around yet....
Pics below...
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Cecelia, my avatar is an effigy! And, it can be seen as more then one thing. A turtle, a frog, a fertility figurine! You can read about it here:
https://forums.arrowheads.com/forum/...le-frog-effigy
Rhode Island
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