Rhyolite Cache from Newfoundland

[CMD]

I came across this page last night while doing research on a different lithic altogether. I thought of all the forum members who are fond of their rhyolite and decided to post a link. Some really nice bifaces here. Change Islands is the name of the village where found, in Newfoundland, Canada.
http://elfshotgallery.blogspot.com/2...nds-cache.html

[spanky]

Cool find, one we all dream of coming across. Thanks for info.

[JoeM]

Remarkable Find! Thanks for the link.
The size, shape, and material are all very interesting. I would like to hear more about this and
if they definitely decide on a time period for them.
The flintknapping photo-essay on the site is pretty cool, too.
I like his simple primitive tool kit.
Joe

[CMD]

spanky wrote:

Cool find, one we all dream of coming across. Thanks for info.

  Your welcome, spanky.  Yep, that would indeed be a dream come true!

[CMD]

JoeM wrote:

Remarkable Find! Thanks for the link.
The size, shape, and material are all very interesting. I would like to hear more about this and
if they definitely decide on a time period for them.
The flintknapping photo-essay on the site is pretty cool, too.
I like his simple primitive tool kit.
Joe

Joe, from his own comments, and those of people in the comment section, they are probably Late Woodland.
BTW, he does seem to be an excellent flintknapper and he likes using Ramah Chert, a type of translucent quartzite quarried only in the far north of Labrador. It was used throughout prehistory and points made from it have been found as far south as Rhode Island. I was researching Ramah Chert when I came across his story of the rhyolite cache.  Here's an example of his work with Ramah Chert:

http://elfshotgallery.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramah-wrap-up.html

[rmartin]

Amazing cache! Thanks for the link, I enjoyed it.

[greywolf22]

CMD
That is a very good article and the comment section was very good also.
Jack

[cgode]

Wasn't there a fluted point found in Vermont made from Ramah chert?........hmmmm......Northeast passage peopling the America's???

[JoeM]

Keep working that angle, CG. I'm right behind you. 
JoeM

[CMD]

cgode wrote:

Wasn't there a fluted point found in Vermont made from Ramah chert?........hmmmm......Northeast passage peopling the America's???

Yes there was, Chris!  Here she be:

http://lithiccastinglab.com/cast-page/2010julyflutedpointramahchert.htm

[cgode]

Thanks Charlie, the cache link is great and so is the Vermont Ramah chert point link! You said there have been other points found made from Ramah chert?....as far south as RI? Are those put to the scientific analysis as well, with definitive results? I had only heard of the Vermont point but it certainly stands to reason that if there's one, then there's a bunch more.
JoeM, I know the theory of a Northeast passage is quite unpopular among the pro's for the most part....kinda upsets their apple cart to a major degree. hmy: .....but you have to admit (or be in denial) that evidence like Labradorean chert and some of the carbon dating dates pre-dating clovis makes one wonder.....at least is does for me, but I don't have the education or experience in this field................then again, the earth was flat at one time.....right??? 

[CMD]

Chris, there was a Nova episode entitled "Secrets of the Lost Red Paint People" which dealt with the Maritime Archaic complex found in Labrador, Newfoundland, the Atlantic provinces of Canada as well as Maine. It included a map of the distribution of Ramah chert and mentioned it had been found as far south as New Jersey.  I imagine it has turned up in every New England state. I have a photo of a large "killed" blade of Ramah chert that was found in RI. It's shown in Charles Willoughby's 1935 classic book "Antiquities of the New England Indians". Don't know if copyright law still applies to such an old book, so I'm reluctant to post the photo here. Ramah chert was quarried right into the Late Woodland and was perhaps traded for at times to account for it's distribution far to the south of Labrador. Don't know if analysis done to samples from RI or elsewhere, I imagine that's been the case with some, but I've seen many referances to it and I'm certain it shows up here and is not being misidentified as such.