Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Learning Lithic Advice

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Learning Lithic Advice

    I desperately want to be more familiar with and learn how to identify and differentiate the different material types in my area. What would be yalls best advice to learn this skilled trade. I recently bought me a little handheld microscope and im considering purchasing a book or two but id like some advice first being that can get expensive quick and may be full of information im not seeking. Ive got 2 different loupes. A 10X and a 45X and like examining my finds and believe the microscope will help even more but i dont really know what im looking for. So any pointers, advice, or recommendations on literature will be greatly appreciated. SW AR is my stomping groumds so id be looking at materials from SC region.

    Thanks.

  • #2
    Would like to help but I'm confused. You're in SW Arkansas but you are looking for materials from South Carolina?
    Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

    Comment


    • PaleoSnow
      PaleoSnow commented
      Editing a comment
      Sorry Greg, yes SW Arkansas but i was referring to SC as in South Central region. My apologies, that didn’t even cross my mind.

  • #3
    If you are hunting artifacts and want to identify what the pieces are made from. I would get the book Prehistoric Chipped Stone Tools of S.C. By Tommy Charles and Christopher R. Moore. The book Shows the Artifact in Color and material it is made from. I Am just across The Savannah River from S.C. and i find Rhyolite, Coastal Plain Chert and the different forms of Quartz and i have never seen the need for all the tools you use to id the material.
    South East Ga. Twin City

    Comment


    • #4
      Okay ill definitely look into that book. The tools are just to aid with all my collectables, be it coins, cards, comics, ect…and my eyes arent what the used to be im starting to see! Most what i find is AR novaculite im pretty sure but id like to be able to learn the different types of other materials. Ive always struggled in this area but ive never really tried to learn it nor been shown by anyone. I usually just refer to my good friend JScoggins, he is cery knowledgeable on material types. Thanks for the info. Ill be looking into it.

      Comment


      • #5
        It would also be helpful to look into the geological aspect of your area. Does the material come from outcrops, cobble, etc.. where are these outcrops located in your area would also be helpful. This is an area of research I too struggle with and can take a considerable amount of time to master. Good luck and happy hunting!
        North Central Kentucky

        Comment


        • #6
          The majority of light colored chert in your area will be Crowleys Ridge and the dark colored gray to black will usually be Pitkin. My favorite Arkansas lithic Novaculite is going to be the translucent waxy material . There is a lot of info on different materials here on arrowheads. Com. ProjectilePoint net website has a variety of the lithic materials listed in your area. I have found it very useful when learning the different types in different areas.
          SE ARKANSAS

          Comment


          • #7
            Maybe a simple question but…can anyone tell me what the difference is in some of the commonly used generalizations? Examples like flint and chert what’s the difference in the two? As a language using the same words in different areas means different thing I’ve learned. Like if I’m in llano county Texas and I said something about any material used to make points in the area I’d say flint no matter what and chances are I’d never be corrected. Other places I’ve learned would use chert in the same instance. Kinda fit the topic, don’t mean to deviate if I’ve done so.

            Comment


            • Mattern
              Mattern commented
              Editing a comment
              So my understanding is that Flint comes from England and France. All other like materials are called Chert. Chert has so many different colors depending on what region and individual outcrops. Chert can change in color even in the same outcrop. Kim

          • #8
            Originally posted by Mtmorris35 View Post
            Maybe a simple question but…can anyone tell me what the difference is in some of the commonly used generalizations? Examples like flint and chert what’s the difference in the two? As a language using the same words in different areas means different thing I’ve learned. Like if I’m in llano county Texas and I said something about any material used to make points in the area I’d say flint no matter what and chances are I’d never be corrected. Other places I’ve learned would use chert in the same instance. Kinda fit the topic, don’t mean to deviate if I’ve done so.
            having a quest of my own about learning to identify the different types of stone found in my area, know this was an older post, believe the difference chert is sedimentary and flint is volcanic
            2ET703 South Central Texas

            Comment


            • #9
              Try here, in the forum. Quite a few examples.

              Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

              Comment

              Working...
              X