mystery two-tone material

[Guyfunkal]

This is one of my few Mississippi River finds. Found it in 2005 in Gilead, IL (Calhoun Co.) while digging to form up a sidewalk for concrete. I'm almost sure it's a beaver-tail adena, but it's the biggest one I've ever found (5 7/8 x 3) and I was never able to identify the material. I've found other points back in Pike on the illinois river that have the same dull black color. This is definitely the only one that looks like this though. It's a little crude, but not horrible I've got worse. Ive since named it the "Man on the Mountain Blade". At the peak of the gray is a quartzy material that resembles a snowboarder going down the mountain. It will actually shimmer if the light hits it correctly. It's definitely not a local material but it's right where the Illinois and Mississippi rivers kind of pinch together and it was a major trade route for the Hopewell cultures and probably before that.

[Guyfunkal]

Sorry I just found out about the insert button deal

[chase]

It is most likely Hixton. Style Looks Adena.

[rmartin]

Very nice point. I would say type is Waubesa although it kinda looks like a cross with Dickson. That would make it Hopewell, later than the Adena culture in Ohio. As far as material, good luck on that one but I doubt Hixton.

[Guyfunkal]

I would have to agree on it not being hixton,  I researched it a little last night. There where a whole spectrum of awesome colors, but all looked very quartzy.  I probably worded my feed wrong as to it shimmering.  Only the little inlay of the man is quartz. The grey has a decent slick finish,  and the black is very dark and like a matte finish that doesn't reflect light. The only thing I ever seen was what I was told was a novaculite arrowhead from Arkansas, and it was two tone. But when researching novaculite I found no matches. Ps. I've definitely heard the Waubesa term thrown around when showing it to some of the old timers. So definitely don't rule that out

[Kyflintguy]

Beautiful find! I tried to help figure this lithic out?... without a lot of luck. I did find a decent link with some Chert types found in Illinois.... I looked through them,  the closest option in my opinion was Moline. Here's that link.

http://virtual.parkland.edu/lstelle1/len/biface_guide/chert/documents/CHERT_TYPES.HTML

I plan on buying this book wich has been recommended By others....

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

do you know if that book has info on lithics from the minnesota area

[JoshinMO]

The dark half possibly stain or patination, not sure. Nice point!