Quartzite knife

[Tuna]

I live along a creek in North Central Montana and in the spring of 2011 we had two high-water events.  The first run-off occurred when all the snow and ice melted off the hillsides.   Shortly after a family member found this knife laying on top of some "washed out of the bluff" gravel next to the creek.  What was amazing to me is that the window of opportunity to find this piece was only a short 3 weeks because we then had flood conditions that would've swept this down the creek and maybe buried it forever. 
I showed the knife to a geologist and he said it was Quartzite.

[Butch Wilson]

That is a beauty !

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Clayton, Thanks for the pictures. That is a very nice knife.

[rmartin]

I agree, very nice piece!

[SDhunter]

Glad you found that knife before it disappeared.  You're right about the small windows.  Some artifacts may only be exposed a single day or even less.  Got to keep looking. 
Gary

[gregszybala]

Nice and who knows what the next good rain or high water will kick up.

[CoachG]

Very nice and glad you saved it.  Welcome from Tennessee.

[Bill]

Hello Tuna, that one I am certain is an early one. I believe it is an Ovate Knife and is Paleoindian in age. It might even be Folsom related given the area where it was found.

[G10+]

that's an awesome knife thanks for sharing that and Welcome from NW Arkansas

[Tuna]

Thanks for that info Bill.  I'm figuring out that points can be aged by their stems and maybe point shape but with this quartzite knife what clues do you use to age?  I really appreciate all input.

[Butch Wilson]

Similar knives appear in all time periods. Without finding in context . How do you date it as paleo ?

[rmartin]

Butch Wilson wrote:

Similar knives appear in all time periods. Without finding in context . How do you date it as paleo ?

  Good observation Butch! Just because it was found in the area it was does not date it with Folsum without context.

[Bill]

Butch and rmartin, unless someone very carefully excavates a site who knows what he/she is doing you aren't going to know context.
I mean a very careful, controlled excavation using shovels very slowly (and carefully!)making sure the artifacts in each level are analyzed. Then and only then can one be sure he/she knows context.
On the other hand some folks have repeatedly seen assemblages that accompany certain point types. Those folks become pretty good at placing certain artifacts with a culture.   
Now having said that, it must be admitted all such guesses are never going to take the place of a carefully controlled excavation but even so, they are good enough to spot an artifact and guess whether it goes with a certain time of projectile point type.

[Ron Kelley]

Bill I'm not following you. Do you have the GPS coordinates or something not in this thread?

[Butch Wilson]

Key word in your statement Bill "guess" ! So are lottery selections !