Selection of endscrapers from Paleo Crossing. Endscrapers are the most common type of tool found at Clovis sites.
Posted on 09/15/2013 2:20:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Clovis points are undeniably special. For one thing, they are among the oldest artifacts in America. (Some archaeologists would remove the qualification and say they are THE oldest, but the evidence and arguments for a pre-Clovis human presence in the Americas are compelling -- at least to me.)
In addition to being really old, 13,000 years old give or take a century or two, Clovis points also are large, beautifully-crafted, often made from high-quality flint, and at least occasionally were used to kill mammoths and mastodons. Because a few have been found in direct association with the bones of these Ice Age behemoths, some archaeologists have imagined that Clovis points were specialized mammoth-killing weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at apps.ohiohistory.org ...
Selection of endscrapers from Paleo Crossing. Endscrapers are the most common type of tool found at Clovis sites.
Clovis spearpoints likely were all-purpose tools
The Columbus Dispatch
By Bradley T. Lepper
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/science/2013/09/08/1-clovis-spearpoints-likely-were-all-purpose-tools.html
I just read “The Ice Man” and it was published in 1994. The late Konrad Spindler (author) would be amazed at the things that have been learned about “The Ice Man” since the publication of his book.
Amazingly complex queries have been answered by technology. And still, the Ice Man has much to reveal!
I have found several, no, many of the smaller ones pictured in south Texas and northern Mexico. Never found one of those big ones, that would be a treat!
It's also interesting to speculate from where they got the flint.
Blackwater Draw is a sand dune down to what used to be the water table.
Found near Menard, Texas.
just read an article somewhere that said there’s now a field tool archaeologists can use to pinpoint the source of the flint in minutes.
I don’t know. maybe google archaeologist flint field tool for the article
The word "flint" is probably not always used correctly in regard to Clovis points. They were made from flint, certainly, but also other quartz minerals with conchoidal (shell-shaped) fracture. Those include chalcedony, chert, jasper, agate and obsidian in addition to flint.
There are major flint deposits in Ohio (Flint Ridge) and the colorful Alibates Flint in Texas. Less important deposits are found at many U.S. locations. The other minerals mentioned are abundant in most Western states and are found in many places around the country. The Clovis knappers probably traded for material as well.
No, not flint. Obsidian. While obsidian is often wrongly called flint it's entirely different. Obsidian is natural glass created by volcanic action. Flint, jasper, chert etc. are formed in different ways and have different properties.
Interesting!
He had no idea when he started his climb that day that his mortal coil would wind up studied more than almost any other cadaver in history — or maybe no almost.
I just don’t understand this mamouth and mastodon fetish. What about ground sloths, short nosed bears, saber cats or dire wolves?
If this old world last a few thousand years someone is going to be very confused in my area LOL. I had a cousin who could make arrowheads. As a prank my dad and I found a large 250 - 300 pound Quartz rock and delivered it to his front porch while he was at work. Within a few months he made some real great points from it. The three of us used to go out hunting arrowheads together. I still have my dads collection.
I've watched arrow heads being knapped. I tried it myself, and accomplished nothing but dinged and nicked fingers. I'd have had to be a forager rather than a hunter, I think.
Fetish?
;’)
“...high-quality flint,...” Thank you for reminding me. I use Ronson brand although there are others. I meant to refill my Zippo and I had forgotten ‘til flint was mentioned in the article and comments.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. The lamp is lit.
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