lithic core?

[macgrube]

Hello everyone, I found this today when I was looking for artifacts in the mountains near Monte Vista, Colorado. I stumbled across this huge chunk of Chalcedony, it was right next to an old campfire pit. It weighs a 1/2 pound and looks like flakes have been removed. I'm wondering if this is a lithic core.

[turkeytail]

Incredible material!!

[tomclark]

Looks like the inside of a chalcedony geode and their skins are generally thin and the bubbly material doesn't lend itself to knapping but could still be used as a flake knife if it's worked along that top right edge.  Or they could have used the parts removed that were knappable.  Botryoidal mineral formation.  Killer specimen. :woohoo:  Our FL agate chalcedony, agatized coral, often has the same botryoidal formations when you break open a large chunk and there is a void inside.  Beautiful.  That's usually gem quality chalcedony.  Cryptocrystalline Quartz!
Silicon Dioxide.   I'd pick that up today and they would have, too, LOL.

[CliffJ]

Yes, it is what Tom says. It doesn't look to be a used core but maybe was being tested for potential use.

[greywolf22]

Love that material. I would have picked that up if I found it. Native American would have done the same.
Jack

[relic_hunter]

Like to see a piece made from that! :cheer:  I found something unususal today, thought is was glass, then petrified wood, fos. bone, and then noticed it is transluscent and possibly none of the above mentioned....i guess?! :unsure:  Will post later to see if ya'll can help....nice chunk you found!, Happy huntin'-Kenny

[macgrube]

Thanks you guys, I really love finding stuff like this, I will look for any pieces that may have been removed the next time I'm back down there.

[Paleolution]

That is a cool material.  We have a lot of that around here too, and there are a ton of geodes near the area we find this stone too.  I would go back, and look around for rough looking round cobbles, take them home and break them open.  I would advise a lapidary saw instead of breaking it with a hammer, I've done it before and destroyed some beautiful geodes.  Here is an example I polished that I found near my home.

[ksrocks]

Tyson thats a beautiful stone. Looks almost to good to be natural. What causes that -and- how do you polish it? Very nice! Joe.

[Paleolution]

I believe it has to do with volcanic activity?  I am not really sure, maybe someone knows more about Geodes?  I use a lapidary machine to polish it.  It's for cutting and making cabochons.  I have a five gallon bucket full of more geodes like this one, but my buddy and I have to buy some new diamond wheels to do some more.

[Scorpion68]

Mac - I agree with Jack. I wouldn't care if it was an artifact or not, I'd a picked it up and brought it home.  Really nice looking material.  Tyson - that is rock is off the chain.  Now I know why my archaeologist friend wants me to try and find him some larger core/spal type material that is grey to black from our area.  He cuts it polishes it.  Don't know what he does with it then tho.  ---Chuck