Scraper, Preform, Steak Knife, or....

[Cmcramer]

Over the last few years, I have acquired at least 4 similar pieces here in Central NY that have me wondering about their intended function: they are flat and extremely thin - like 2 or 3 mm., they are finely worked all the way around - including a very sharp 'base', and in general they look to be not very robust at all. An experienced local collector suggested they were hafted scrapers, with the narrow end hafted and the broad end doing the scraping. If this is true, it must have been some 'light' scraping. They are so thin! Someone else suggested they are a preform: a preform for what end purpose I cannot guess. And lastly, I am postulating that they might be simply small, sharp knives: narrow end hafted and sharp, broad end used to cut tonight's elk steak.

They only other pieces I have that are similar in form.....are my Meadowood Cache Blades: could the piece pictured here be a Meadowood Cache blade that didn't make it into a cache? Thanks!

[SDhunter]

So an inch wide at the base and looks like about 3 inches long?

[Cmcramer]

So an inch wide at the base and looks like about 3 inches long?

Yes. And just 2 or 3 mm thick - that's the mystery to me.

[SurfaceHunter]

Looks like a knife to me

[paohrocks]

Looks like Onondaga chert. A knife would exhibit edge wear/usage. It may be impossible to completely positively identify. It also shares some of the same characteristics of a Meadowood or Hopewell Cache Blade.

[Ron Kelley]

It looks like a scraper that was hafted in a socketed handle. It wouldn't have to be heavy to flesh hides.

[TJdave]

The little bulb on the top left of picture 3 looks like it was left intentionally. Working end looks like scraper

[Kentucky point]

Some of these things will never be ID'd, this being close to one of them. I think it was a lightly used knife.

[SDhunter]

If it was used as a scraper, you may see little step fractures on the working end.

[Dreamhunter]

Don’t know what it is for sure but it’s a killer find congrats.

[pkfrey]

I think that is a Meadowood cache blade. I don't think there is any exception to the flaking, and nothing really intentional, it's just the the blade was flaked. No two are alike, just similar. That would fit nicely into a cache of Meadowoods.

[Cmcramer]

I think that is a Meadowood cache blade. I don't think there is any exception to the flaking, and nothing really intentional, it's just the the blade was flaked. No two are alike, just similar. That would fit nicely into a cache of Meadowoods.

That was my suspicion, Paul. So delicate an artifact!

[pkfrey]

Yep, That's how Meadwoods are, cardboard thin, and the only thing left to do when they recover the cache is flake each side with shallow notches. A lot of times these caches are found with a hardstone artifact, and it will often be a birdstone! Or a double bit chisel. These caches are found with as few as fifteen points, to as many as over a hundred blades And almost always made from Onondaga chert..