New! Unsure what I've found.

[Rien]

So, I'm new to all this but I have a good eye. Today, during an excavation out in Gallant, AL. Which lies on the edge of Etowah county, we found some interesting pieces of what appears to be beads. Possibly a piece of quartz that was used as a blade or some arrow Head. I believe the markings are made from tools. The piece is about the size of a quarter for reference. Can anyone identify the beads and if the quartz was tooled? Thanks!

[willjo]

The piece may be a piece of a woodland triangle but the beads are crinoid fossils, they were sometimes used as beads

[Rien]

And that would explain why some have holes and some don't? Also, can you define woodland triangle?

[willjo]

It is sometimes called a Madison, Mississippian triangles and some other names. It is a small triangular arrow point used in time of the bow and arrow. Look in point identification guide on the web and you will see some examples of them. You can look it up by name, state or region it is found in.

[Rien]

Great! Thanks a ton. I'm sure this won't be my last post but you've helped a lot!

[oldrocks2]

The holes probably wern't drilled in the crinoids they are natural passageways. Have found some that looked drilled but I think the material in the holes just didn't fossilize .

[Lindenmeier-Man]

Welcome to the site !

[tomf]

If that quartz isn't a broken point, it may well be a complete scraper tool.

More pics may show which.