Flute?

[wae]

A fairly beat up base from a field. Wondering if this was a fluted point?

[orari]

Looks like one to me---but having the rest of the thing would help.

[wae]

orari wrote:

Looks like one to me---but having the rest of the thing would help.

  Thanks for the reply orari.  It's too bad the rest isn't there.  Unfortunately most of the artifacts from this field are broken.

[CMD]

Looks like it might be the base of a fluted point. Nice find even broken.

[CoachG]

It definitely appears that way.

[gregszybala]

I'm just playing devils advocate here, maybe the base is the other end and that's an impact fracture? Or a stack that got in the way?
What does the other side look like?

[chase]

gregszybala wrote:

I'm just playing devils advocate here, maybe the base is the other end and that's an impact fracture? Or a stack that got in the way?
What does the other side look like?

I side with Greg. maybe not an impact fracture. But the flute does not look right. Not enough of the artifact to tell. For sure a stack but how?

[SDhunter]

The other side should tell the story.

[wae]

gregszybala wrote:

I'm just playing devils advocate here, maybe the base is the other end and that's an impact fracture? Or a stack that got in the way?
What does the other side look like?

  The other side does not look like a flute to me.  What does it mean to have a flute on both sides?  I do have several points with impact fractures on the tip.  To me, this does not look like a tip, but a base, as it does have on ear intact on the one side.  I also have points with stacks on them but I'm not sure what the basal channel would be for?  I'm not really sure what I have here.

[Kyflintguy]

Interesting find wae, looks more like light basal thinning strikes as opposed to a true flute to me, just enough to help with hafting into a shaft. Thanks for showing it!

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

could we see a few more pics please?
one of the other side,and one straight  on to the  basal edge
it looks to me to be a basal thinning flake to me also,other pics may help to determine if its a flute or not

[wae]

Kyflintguy wrote:

Interesting find wae, looks more like light basal thinning strikes as opposed to a true flute to me, just enough to help with hafting into a shaft. Thanks for showing it!

  I don't know if I would call it light basal thinning.  I have several points with basal thInning.  Sometimes they almost look like a mini flute, lol.  If this is that it is pretty deep and wide relative to my other finds.  That's why at first I though it might have been something different.  There have been some early archaic points found on this site, so you never know.

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

the depth/width of a basal thinning flake is determined by the amount of material that is needed to be removed
to allow for proper hafting or just to straighten the base

[wae]

sneakygroundbuzzard wrote:

the depth/width of a basal thinning flake is determined by the amount of material that is needed to be removed
to allow for proper hafting or just to straighten the base

. Thanks for this comment.  So can someone tell me what separates a basal thinning mark from a flute?  When I look at books flutes appear to be a wider, deeper, channels.  At what point are they different?  Don't they serve the same purpose?  Thanks again for everyone's comments.

[rmartin]

[QUOTE]wae wrote:

the depth/width of a basal thinning flake is determined by the amount of material that is needed to be removed
to allow for proper hafting or just to straighten the base

. Thanks for this comment.  So can someone tell me what separates a basal thinning mark from a flute?  When I look at books flutes appear to be a wider, deeper, channels.  At what point are they different?  Don't they serve the same purpose?  Thanks again for everyone's comments.
  I am no knapper but my take is that on a fluted piece the channel flake is driven off of a prepared platform. Basal thinning strikes require no such platform. I have looked at your pics a few times and really can't tell for sure but I am leaning not.