# Point and petrified wood from Southern Saskatchewan



## 2bbshot (Nov 9, 2017)

Went on a hunting trip to Canada for ducks andd geese and was lucky enough to find a broken point and a piece of petrified wood. Worldwide I see fresh plowed dirt gotta look.


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## Nicodemus (Nov 9, 2017)

Nice finds. That`s an interesting point. I`d love to see the base of it.


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## 2bbshot (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks Nic me too. Found it on top of a big rise about 100 yards from this old church. Also killed a sage grouse first for this Ga boy and it was a really cool birds tasty too.


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## dtala (Nov 10, 2017)

I see a flute ending on this side. Does the other side have one also?


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## 2bbshot (Nov 10, 2017)

Yes has that vertical flute both sides


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## dtala (Nov 10, 2017)

thank you


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## Katalee (Nov 10, 2017)

Looks Paleo with a broken base.


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## 2bbshot (Nov 11, 2017)

Katalee said:


> Looks Paleo with a broken base.


  That would make it my oldest ever..Anyone else thinking Paleo? That's exciting


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## 2bbshot (Nov 11, 2017)

dtala said:


> thank you



Any idea what that flute is about? Odd to me


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## dtala (Nov 11, 2017)

2bbshot said:


> Any idea what that flute is about? Odd to me



flutes, esp on both sides, are usually only found on very old point types, such as Paleo era. This is 12,000 to about 10,000 BC. Lots of debate on why those folks hit a flake up the side of the point to make that deep flute. Most of the flutes are not very long but some, as in a Cumberland, go all the way up the point. 

My guess is that it is for a thinner point at the hafting end, easier to attach to a shaft.


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## JustUs4All (Nov 11, 2017)

I don't knap so please pardon the inexperience.  Wouldn't making those flutes put the maker in danger of destroying a nearly finished pretty good point?


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## Nicodemus (Nov 11, 2017)

JustUs4All said:


> I don't knap so please pardon the inexperience.  Wouldn't making those flutes put the maker in danger of destroying a nearly finished pretty good point?





Fluting points was only done by the Paleo people of the last Ice Age. The purpose of fluting was aid in thinning the hafting area where the point meets the foreshaft or shaft of the spear. It also helps to stabilize the point in the haft to keep it from slipping or turning on impact with the animal. If the point slips on contact, good penetration is not achieved and can result in game not being taken. In  the case of Columbian and woolly mammoths, mastodons, Taylor`s bison, and other assorted megafauna that fluted points were sometimes used on, penetration into vital areas was critical. 

Clovis, Cumberland, Folsum, are the hallmark fluted points, along with some types that are sometimes fluted, like some Dalton`s, Simpson`s, Cowhouse Slough, and a few others. Since striking a percussion blow at the base of a nearly finished point is a hazardous undertaking with the chance of breakage, you run some risks, but that`s how these points are made. And they worked.


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## 2bbshot (Nov 12, 2017)

I sincerely appreciate the info gentlemen! Made my day. I know its broken on both ends but still very cool to me. A band and a broken Paleo point is a successful trip in my book.


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## Katalee (Nov 12, 2017)

Whether it is broken or not. Anything Paleo in nice. Just think how long it was laying there waiting for you to pick it up.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 13, 2017)

JustUs4All said:


> I don't knap so please pardon the inexperience.  Wouldn't making those flutes put the maker in danger of destroying a nearly finished pretty good point?



Yes, very much so. I have a pile of points that I have broken during the fluting process. They broke a lot of them the same way.


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## Nicodemus (Nov 13, 2017)

Here`s the standard ABO method of making a Clovis point.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=53822&highlight=clovis


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## JustUs4All (Nov 14, 2017)

Thank you for linking to that thread.  I had never seen it.  Very impressive.


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## atlashunter (Nov 16, 2017)

You might find this interesting.

http://www.thesas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Chapter3_Saskatchewan_History_And_Cultural_Chronology.pdf


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## 2bbshot (Nov 17, 2017)

atlashunter said:


> You might find this interesting.
> 
> http://www.thesas.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Chapter3_Saskatchewan_History_And_Cultural_Chronology.pdf



Thank you much that was awesome info!


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