Do I See Use Polish?

[DiversionHound]

Unfortunately this is the most complete dovetail I've managed to find. Funny it was laying in a field that is attached to my back yard, only 100 ft or so from my childhood home.

I've had plenty of time to study this one.



It appears they tried reworking the blade after the ancient break. I drew a white line dreaming of what it once looked like.



The grinding on the bases of dovetails is phenomenal.



The break has not been re-worked, but I think I see some use polish on an edge that would have worked great to scrape with. I'm thinking it may have been sharp enough to use without rechipping. What do you guys think?

[Narrow Way Knapper]

The base has heavy grinding. They would have done that with their hammer stone, abrader, or waste flake.

[outlaws15]

I'm learning every day. To date that is the most grinding I've seen on a point again I haven't been around Artifacts for very long.
Very nice.
I'm not that far yet in my knowledge to notice polishing very well.

[DiversionHound]

Thanks, I too learn something new every day.

Every bonified dovetail I have seen has a heavily ground base like this, and Lost Lakes are a close second. It's almost where I set the bar to determine how much grinding a point has. I might say something like "..well it's not quite ground like a dovetail but it has some decent grinding"...

[clovisoid]

Great looking dovetail- awesome base and wonderful flaking. It looks like there are some flakes taken from the broken edge on one side. In the last picture they are visible. Maybe they were going to rework it and then just left it as a scraper/tool?

That piece took a solid hit. Those fissures (little lines) in the middle of the break usually come from a hard blow. The lip on the break could have been used as a scraper edge, or ground a bit and used as a finger support for the opposite edge.

[DiversionHound]

Thanks so much. The lip there is exactly where I was looking for the use wear. The lip feels much like the ground base. It has been worn down in some way and is very hard to capture in a photo. I had noticed the fissure lines but did not know what they were, only that I had seen them on other pieces of flint/chert. I really appreciate the analysis. These study pieces are so helpful in learning things! I find myself spending more time with them than whole points.

[DiversionHound]

And yes clovisoid, great observation, I think both blade edges have had rework after the big break and diminished the width of the blade on both sides. I drew the white lines above wondering how wide and long this thing may have been in it's younger life and the red line showing where the initial break may have been.

[Mattern]

You lucky man DH. Doves are few in Pa. I've only found 1. K

[DiversionHound]

Thanks Mattern! They are not plentiful around my neck of the woods either though I have known of a couple great examples that have been found nearby, just not by me. A neighbor found a great one in great condition on a construction site in the tread marks left by a bulldozer. The neighbor, not being a collector, gave it to a friend of mine and my friend then sold it, a long time ago. My friend remorsefully has been trying to track it down ever since. My friend nick-named it "Dozer Dove". He's found it on web sites for sell, but by the time he gets close, it's sold. That same friend has a little brother who found a whole Dove as well in my neck of the woods... it's very near complete, I think, but nothing like "Dozer Dove".

[oldrocks2]

Sure looks like use wear. Nice dove. that base grinding on doves can be very heavy. Have several that are ground way more than would be needed.

[DiversionHound]

Thanks oldrocks2, is the grinding on the base due to use as well? I've heard a couple different theories on how basal grinding happens. I've heard some say it was done purposeful as to help prevent the base from fracturing in the haft. Then I've heard some say it was due from the point rocking back and forth in the haft and wearing it down as it was used.

[DiversionHound]

clovisoid, thanks, I see exactly what you are saying. This is something I had not thought of before. Perhaps it could have been ground to rest a finger to use the opposite side's cutting edge.

Like this:

[Artifascination]

Great thread with some good info. That’s an awesome find and I believe Clovisoid is spot on.