Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Obsidian V chert

The small rock on the table is black chert, at the Cuttings in Garberville. It was from Stealhead creek in Alderpoint.
Piece of obsidian about 8"X10" found at the cutting in Garberville. The piece originally came from "Glass Mountain" in oregon.
The following is an obsidian arrowhead like you can buy over the internet for about $1.25.



This is the "arrowhead" that Cousin Oregon just found on a plowed field on the Yakima Indian Reservation. I'm thinking that he just couldn't wait for me to get curious enough to go to his Facebook page to look at it. Okay Oregon you got me.. Ha Ha.
It's really a modern blow-gun dart the kids use to shoot birds. The birds usually fly away with the dart in them to drop off in a field somewhere.

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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    I was just out back talking to the kid that is plowing out there and I found a near perfect arrowhead with part of the shaft still attached. I took a picture of it and posted it on my fb page. I would put it here but don't know how.

    Oregon

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  2. Ernie BranscombFebruary 23, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    This is a post that I was working on a year or so ago and I just looked it back up. I didn't know that I accidentally posted it. Now that it's up, I'm going to leave it here. The arrowhead looks pretty rudimentary, like it was made in a hurry just to kill something to eat. I've been there myself a few times.

    Oregon
    You live on a frikin' Indian reservation. you got expect a few arrowheads.

    I just had a gentleman email me about arrowheads and this is how I accidentally posted this, I asked him for permission to post his letter... we'll see.

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    Hey Ernie, you should check the one out I found. It will amaze you..

    Oregon

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  4. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    Maybe I should have got a better angle when I took that photo. I held it in my hand and it is an arrow not a dart.

    Oregon

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  5. Ernie BranscombFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    Okay! It's an arrow. It must be broken in two.

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  6. BenFebruary 24, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Here's my hit on the pics... for what it's worth. The arrowhead is recent, made for sale by an enterprising person. I have one that is nearly identical. I believe "Glass Mountain' is in California up by the Modoc Lava Beds. Tom Keter says we are about the dividing line between Glass Mountain obsidian and Clear Lake obsidian. The age of obsidian can be determined by examining microscopic erosion of pits in the glass, or so I'm told, I have no idea how it's done. An obsidian knife found around here is probably ceremonial as obsidian had to come some distance and was pretty rare. Chert worked fine for arrowheads.

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  7. Robin ShelleyFebruary 25, 2011 at 6:46 AM

    I've heard of the Glass Buttes in eastern OR, I think.

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  8. AnonymousJune 30, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    I was just down in your area from Oregon looking for chert. Tried to find a road cut mentioned in roadside geology of california about 30 miles east of arcata. Lots of construction. I only found a small rock of tan chert. I wish I had gone a little further down to alderpoint area and looked for a site mentioned in gem trails of northrn california. I am a knapper and want to try something other than obsidian.

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