Broke but happy.

[tomf]

Occasionally you'll find something that reinvigorates your appetite to hunt.
This broken uniface is such a one. It expands my understanding of what may be out there.

Little dart point a bonus.












Napa, California.

[Narrow Way Knapper]

They do look happy. My gut feeling is that you are going to find something amazing soon.

[tomf]

Don't just tell me when. Tell me where....

[tomf]

[willjo]

Tom you always find some interesting obsidian

[SurfaceHunter]

That little dart is sweet

[tomf]

I've found a couple of this type over the years - they are not common - but this one is the smallest. It's thinned at the base and lacks notching. Might be an older type.

[Artifascination]

Love the obsidian! You have been finding some very cool pieces with awesome flaking! Thanks for sharing

[tomf]

Love the obsidian! You have been finding some very cool pieces with awesome flaking! Thanks for sharing

It's the strong oblique flake pattern on the uniface that makes it special. Random flaking is far more common around here and when I find a piece with a pronounced pattern I tend to place it earlier in the chronology. This one has overshot flakes that, if it was complete, may have run the length of the blade. I'm not certain, but think the crushed ridges on the arris's may be sign of basle grinding.
Another unusual feature is the little notches at the base of the stem. Also plenty of use-wear on it. Remarkably well-preserved if it is an ancient piece.

[Narrow Way Knapper]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any overshot flakes. Although the flake pattern does cross the centerline, it doesn't look like it took out part of the apposing platform.

[tomf]

The flaking seems to traverse the entire width of the piece. Maybe I'm not seeing it right.

[Overshot]

Is that a mound? Looks huge. Should be some real goodies under the ground!

[tomf]

Not a mound. Just one of the little hills that dot the valley floor. I find camps adjacent to them more often than on them.

[Narrow Way Knapper]

Here is what I'm seeing: arrows show direction the flakes were taken and lines show where the flakes stopped. Some of the flakes blend with flakes from the apposing side.

[tomf]

Thanks for taking the time to diagram the pattern. I see what you are showing. They do blend almost seamlessly with opposing side and bottom couple of flakes nearly make a complete crossing. At any rate, it is high quality knapping with a clear pattern.

[Narrow Way Knapper]

No problem. it's quite interesting to see what they were doing. For sure, the ancient knapper was pretty good. To be able to blend the flakes without overshooting is tricky.

[Sage hen jack]

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/stoneage/fenn-07.html Here’s a link describing Overshot Flaking. The point in question here appears to have solid attributes that follow the description Sage Hen Jack.

[beatup1354]

great finds

[paohrocks]

Nice finds, fantastic flaking!

[redrocks]

Nice finds Tom

[tomf]

Thanks, Red.

[utilized flake]

Love those parallel flakes on obsidian! Always makes me think of Cody style flaking.

[tomf]

Also in common with Cody Knife is that maybe this piece only had one shoulder (a choil) and an asymmetric blade.

[Benji]

Nice finds tom...congrats man

[Glacial Pebble]

Both are very nice finds, Congrats!