GIGANTIC obsidian artifact

Jare · Jul 22, 2019

This wasn’t found by me, but given to me from the collection of someone who passed away. I don’t know much about it, but i assume it was a spearhead because it’s massive. It looks obsidian to me, and it’s very heavy. Could anyone tell me an approximate date? Or if it’s native American or maybe even earlier? Either way it’s a great artifact. Thanks for looking.

matmit · Jul 22, 2019

WOW, that is massive!
I would say Native American spear point, but I am no expert on those...

Ice Scratcher · Jul 22, 2019

I'm not an expert by any means..

But that looks pretty freshly knapped, like in the last few hundred years.. I could be entirely wrong too..

It's awesome either way, and a treasure..

<°)))>{

ncplumber · Jul 23, 2019

I like that plaque that it's sitting on. I can be @ Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock in about 15 minutes.

Jare · Jul 23, 2019

ncplumber said:
I like that plaque that it's sitting on. I can be @ Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock in about 15 minutes.

Thanks. I believe it’s from a gift shop or something from when i visited NC a few years back.

graybeard · Jul 24, 2019

Looks like it is modern knapping not something old.

Foragist · Jul 24, 2019

[OPINION] Hard to say. An estimated date range could be given, based on shape, style, size, etc. if it was found in the wild. Without knowing where it originated from, that date range could extend right up to current times. Possible axe type tool, possible ceremonial,(too big to be a projectile point) possible modern souvenir. It would make a great centerpiece for an arrowhead/artifact collection!

tomme boy · Jul 25, 2019

Get it under a microscope and see if you can see any type of copper flecks or smears. Copper is what most of the people that make these use. If it is Native it will not have and copper on it. But they can still be faked rather easy. What you really need to look for are the minerals that have etched onto it from sitting in the dirt for a 100 or more years.

It looks more like a pre form to me.

Jare · Jul 25, 2019

tomme boy said:
Get it under a microscope and see if you can see any type of copper flecks or smears. Copper is what most of the people that make these use. If it is Native it will not have and copper on it. But they can still be faked rather easy. What you really need to look for are the minerals that have etched onto it from sitting in the dirt for a 100 or more years.

It looks more like a pre form to me.

Thanks! I’ll look closely at it ASAP. Sorry, but what’s a pre form? Thanks again

graybeard · Jul 25, 2019

tomme boy said:
Get it under a microscope and see if you can see any type of copper flecks or smears. Copper is what most of the people that make these use. If it is Native it will not have and copper on it. But they can still be faked rather easy. What you really need to look for are the minerals that have etched onto it from sitting in the dirt for a 100 or more years.

It looks more like a pre form to me.

The thing that takes away it being a pre-form is the notching is done as the last stage of making the point in most cases. As wide as the notch is on that point it could be notched with an antler. That could have been knapped using antler or a stone, and still be modern.

DougF · Jul 25, 2019

I know very little about arrowheads, but isn't this too wide for a spear point? If I have the size right, it looks more like someone decided to make an oversize arrow point. I would vote for a modern-made tourist piece. The proportions just look off.

ToySoldier · Jul 25, 2019

DougF said:
I know very little about arrowheads, but isn't this too wide for a spear point? If I have the size right, it looks more like someone decided to make an oversize arrow point. I would vote for a modern-made tourist piece. The proportions just look off.

I'm no expert either, but I thought exactly the same thing. It should be narrower like a spear point and not a huge arrowhead.

There are a few search results of people finding large obsidian points and they're not only shaped like a spear point, they are also worth a fortune.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/obsidian-spear-point/

Texaspast · Jul 26, 2019

The thing about obsidian is that it is harder to tell what is 'old' and what isn't. Flint or chert can age in the ground and become oxidized or stained, although I have a couple of gray flint projectile points that I know are old that are not oxidized or stained. Obsidian, being volcanic glass, doesn't oxidize or stain (at least the pieces I've seen haven't). I agree with the above posters who said this looks too thick to be a projectile. It could be a 'blank' (same thing as a pre-form), but I wouldn't think those would be notched. A blank was a roughed-out tool or projectile point that was intended to be 'finished' at a later date in whatever final shape the end user wanted. I don't remember any of these having the notching done, though.

GIGANTIC obsidian artifact

Jare

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matmit

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