Root Beer Flint (Texas)

[gregszybala]

Root Beer Flint is found in central Texas with the greatest deposits in Kimble and Kerr counties. The homogenous dark brown translucent pieces are the best material for knapping. The flat cobbles or tabs are found in limestone formations. When the Root Beer tabs erode out of the limestone they are often found along stream beds. Larger tabs are often layered with the better dark material just under the cortex. Root beer look in appearance to dark brown or grayish brown and translucent on thin edges. Considerable color variation, one notable variant resembles chocolate milk, while another has maroon coloration that sometimes includes an unusual shade of dark blue. Color variation is often created by 'swirl' patterns of different grain textures, although the best pieces are homogeneous, dark and translucent. It is glassy and translucent, but has a toughness that makes it less brittle than Georgetown flint.

Four small natural tabs. Some tabs are over a foot across.

Four bifaces on which a small bit of the limestone cortex remains.

This is a larger tab (14 inches across.) I removed a flake to show the layers. Note that the darker (better) layers are just under the cortex.

Percussion flake showing how translucent the material is.


Photos, samples and some information provided by Ron Kelley

[gregszybala]

photos courtesy of Claycald