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Just saw a post on Facebook that someone stated 'nice Paleo tool'. How can you really tell if a tool is Paleo/Early Archaic or not? Is the flaking on a tool really that indicative? I also see comments of any uniface tool being Paleo. Say it ain't so.. Here is a tool I found that folks have said is Paleo. I did find it in a field where I've found a Quad and a Dalton but have also found many other culture's point types.
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Central KY (Frankfort) -
Good question, pacmanJohn. It's just too easy to say 'it's Paleo.' Someone will come along for you and better summarize 'over shot flaking' , also called OutrePasse flaking, which is one indicator, although not definitive . "OUTRE-PASSE - A highly specialized flaking technique that involves running a flake the full length of a blades face (edge to edge) before detaching, generally in a plunging termination."
Also, "it's uniface. therefore it's Paleo" is another over simplification and just not factual. A very experienced and authoritative member of another forum, who specialized in Uniface and Paleo tools....for decades..., says that to be reliably Paleo, a unifaced Scraper, for example, ought to exhibit 'spurs' as shown in my attached photo.
Another reliable indicator of 'it's a Paleo tool' is that it was found at an established, exclusivly Paleo site., as demonstrated by a series of previous finds and authenticated by experienced archeologists - pro or amatuer. They are hard to come by. Certainly not by walking a cornfield or streambed.
Last edited by Cmcramer; 06-19-2023, 08:12 AM.Cayuga County, NY Finger Lakes Region -
Love this information . I find so many micro blades and scrappers to flake tools . I always look for a spur . Not really knowing how big does a spur need to be ?
I actually saved a flake that had the O Passé flaking just as reference to show someone . It really starts to get in your head looking for all the signs .
Only Archiac points have been found at these sites but I believe the points have long been picked up and repurposed by other groups and then of course modern man finding them .
Just my thoughts .
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Having dug many paleo tools in context, I can tell you that some of the known paleo tools would never have been identified if found out of context. Similarly, some archaic unuface tools might be mistaken for paleo if found out of context.
Now there are some recurring characteristics found on paleo tools. First, Flakes are often struck from a core and have that class curved overshot look. Also many have very steep uniface flaking that looks like a rat knawed the edge. Next, is the recurrence of spurs. Then the presence of spoke shave crescents.
If a uniface exhibits two or more of those characteristics, its pretty safe to call that sucker paleo.
By the way.... nice paleo tool in the origional post.Last edited by Garguy; 06-19-2023, 05:23 PM.Comment
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What ever you want to call it... it's a fantastic artifact. I'd take that over a lot of points. It has color, great flaking with multiple edges being worked down. Plus cortex. Has it all.Central OhioComment
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Ron Kelly - those spurred Scrapers are not mine; the photo is a screen grab from a veteran member: "Uniface"Cayuga County, NY Finger Lakes RegionComment
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