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  • Books on ID'ing rocks

    Hi there, another question for you guys.
    Does anyone have any recommendations for good books on identifying rocks like jasper, chert, flint, chalcedony and agate?
    Thanks in advance for your replies.
    -- James

  • #2
    James is this your web site?   www.bonanza.com/booths/jwilk23805 It is a link from on your profile page.
    I don't actually know what kind of rocks your selling there but they don't look like artifacts to me. 
    This one would be a good one for artifact ID It is a great guide for beginners. http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...erstreet-Books
    This one too but a little more advanced http://www.amazon.com/Points-Midcont.../dp/0253209854
    I suggest you buy and review them first. or your putting the cart before the horse. Maybe you already did with that website of yours.
    If you insist the one for lithics in Virginia which I also had to pull from your profile ( your question is quite vague)"  page may be hard to find.
    A Bulletin published in Virginia 2006  "Virginia Lithic Types: Chert, Quartzite, and Others.
    The Quarterly Bulletin"
    61:137-152. 
    or this one a bulletin published in West Virginia  2007. "West Virginia Lithics of Potential Prehistorical Significance.
    West Virginia Archeologist"
    Gustaves Library might have those bulletins or you can try the Archaeological society in Virgina and West Virginia and see if they sell out of print bulletins. They sometimes have left overs in stock.
    Good luck to you and your future endeavors. I do not think your going to get many customers by fishing over here.  But if your serious about learning you came to the right place. Time will tell.
    TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

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    • #3
      I agree with Matt. None of those rocks on that website appear to be altered by ancient man. To attempt to sell those as they are labeled is fraud, plain and simple. You don't need to id materials, you need to learn about artifacts. This is a good site to learn just that.

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      • #4
        I agree with Matt and Cliff, don't know what your seeing in those rocks but they are not artifacts. The only thing real was the drawer pulls.

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        • #5
          Thank you everyone for your replies. I am in the process of learning more.

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          • #6
            I'm disappointed to realize I've thrown probably 200 pounds of "shark tooth effigies, bannerstones and celts" back into the river.
            Rick, East Central Missouri

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            • #7
              Jwilk, the best way to identify those materials from your area is to see them (repeatedly) within local collections.  Almost any local collector will have a range of materials from your/their area.
              My collection has agate (greasy and coral fossil, chalcedony, chert (baybottom/coastal plains/ricegrain etc. etc.)
              BTW: all those materials are essentially the same thing, cryptocrystalline quartz, so is "flint".  :blink:   
              Professor Shellman
              Tampa Bay

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              • #8
                tomclark wrote:

                Jwilk, the best way to identify those materials from your area is to see them (repeatedly) within local collections.  Almost any local collector will have a range of materials from your/their area.
                My collection has agate (greasy and coral fossil, chalcedony, chert (baybottom/coastal plains/ricegrain etc. etc.)
                BTW: all those materials are essentially the same thing, cryptocrystalline quartz, so is "flint".  :blink:   
                  Thank you for the information, I am striving to learn so thank you.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hoss wrote:

                  James is this your web site?   www.bonanza.com/booths/jwilk23805 It is a link from on your profile page.
                  I don't actually know what kind of rocks your selling there but they don't look like artifacts to me. 
                  This one would be a good one for artifact ID It is a great guide for beginners. http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...erstreet-Books
                  This one too but a little more advanced http://www.amazon.com/Points-Midcont.../dp/0253209854
                  I suggest you buy and review them first. or your putting the cart before the horse. Maybe you already did with that website of yours.
                  If you insist the one for lithics in Virginia which I also had to pull from your profile ( your question is quite vague)"  page may be hard to find.
                  A Bulletin published in Virginia 2006  "Virginia Lithic Types: Chert, Quartzite, and Others.
                  The Quarterly Bulletin"
                  61:137-152. 
                  or this one a bulletin published in West Virginia  2007. "West Virginia Lithics of Potential Prehistorical Significance.
                  West Virginia Archeologist"
                  Gustaves Library might have those bulletins or you can try the Archaeological society in Virgina and West Virginia and see if they sell out of print bulletins. They sometimes have left overs in stock.
                  Good luck to you and your future endeavors. I do not think your going to get many customers by fishing over here.  But if your serious about learning you came to the right place. Time will tell.
                    Thank you for your time in answering my question. I am now trying to learn the identification of artifacts, and while some of those rocks that I have on my website, I do not see where they could be anything but artifacts made by ancient man. I will honor you opinion, and if you visit my website, you will see I have taken down a lot of artifacts that are in question. I am going to leave up the drilled items, whereas my imagination may want me to see an artifact where there is only a rock, but my imagination cannot drill a hole in a rock.
                  Please visit my website again since the alterations: http://www.bonanza.com/booths/jwilk23805
                  I appreciate your time.
                  --James

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi James,
                      No, your "imagination cannot drill a hole in a rock" but thousands of years of natural forces certainly can make holes in rocks. Those are soft sandstone or limestone and are commonly found with holes in them, but they are not drilled. If you are trying to learn artifacts, perhaps you should learn first and then sell them honestly later. There are beads, bannerstones, paint pots and pendants, but nothing you show on that website are those at all. They are natural rocks, plain and simple. You may disregard my advice based on my 50+ years of collecting genuine Virginia and NC artifacts, but to sell those as artifacts when they very clearly are not, is fraud.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I agree with Cliff and Hoss 100%
                      these r not artifacts but there r geofacts on your site ..... by no means am i trying to be a "butt"
                      , BUT selling these as such is wrong ,,, take these guys advise (with out getting definsave)
                      and study this before you jump into it head first .... doing it like you r can destroy your name , and kill any future opportunity you may have in this bussness
                      Everett Williams  (G10)
                      As for me and my house , we will serve the lord

                      Everett Williams ,
                      NW Arkansas

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                      • #12
                        Cliff is right on and he does have lots of experience! I viewed your website again and have the same opinion.
                        Like a drifter I was born to walk alone

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                        • #13
                          Thank you all for your replies and opinions. I will be posting with more questions at a later date.

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                          • #14
                            Thsnks again for your honesty. I will be coming in the future for further advice.
                            -James

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