This was found on the Clearwater River. It is a Big piece of high quality Idaho common opal. I believe it to be a hand ax. I've seen alot of semi-precious gem stone artifacts come out of my area but nothing of this size. Tools of this size were usually saved for the more abundant basalt, granite, andesite, and quartz.
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Hand ax?
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Hand ax?
This was found on the Clearwater River. It is a Big piece of high quality Idaho common opal. I believe it to be a hand ax. I've seen alot of semi-precious gem stone artifacts come out of my area but nothing of this size. Tools of this size were usually saved for the more abundant basalt, granite, andesite, and quartz.Tags: None
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It does look like a fire pop also but grabbing it on the narrow end the thumb is in a perfect spot to fit in that hole. I have a couple pieces that are fire popped but arrowheads. I do know opal had a lot more water in it than agate per se but my favorite point is a Carnelian agate fire popped Columbia plateau Arrowhead
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The large item posted is a large spall struck and heat treated. The fire pop might have prevented the maker from continuing the reduction process. Also it looks like he took test fakes around the edge so it jay gave been discarded because it didn't work well or just stored to be used later.Last edited by Garguy; 10-14-2021, 10:57 PM.
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Great looking material.
The big spall could have been a lot of things, but my guess is was planned to be a core. In the hands of a great knapper that piece would have made a lot of little agate points if traded down river. Along the way it could have been used as a heavy cutting tool, etc.Hong Kong, but from Indiana/Florida
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