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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:28 pm

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:45 pm

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:32 pm

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War Arrow · Post by **War Arrow** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:11 am

Charlie - I know this might sound a bit reckless, and also I'm not quite sure what it might prove, but some of those flints look pretty sharp. So are they sharp? Have you tried cutting anything?
I'm sure I read somewhere that this sort of material tends to keep its razor edge over time, because it will only wear down through breaking or splintering further - although you'll know better than me whether that's true.

Reading that back:

Have you tried cutting anything?

I guess you can probably see why I'm a sodding postman (mailman for US readers) and not a real archaeologist.

Post by **Minimalist** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:20 am

I can assure that I have knicked myself plenty when changing a flint in my guns...they are definitely sharp.

As to retaining that sharpness, well....a flint will last an average of 10-15 shots before needing to be changed. However, when the flint strikes the steel "frizzen" it scratches the steel (this is what causes the spark) which would indicate that flint is fairly high up on the hardness scale.

Roberto · Post by **Roberto** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:56 am

Flint and chert are actually rather brittle for drilling holes into limestone.
But if you have plenty of it, a renewable resource which seems apparant at this site, I guess anything is possible. Then again, maybe they used some type of iron or smelted tool to drill the hole. How deep is the vent hole?

All this flint in one area was enough in itself to attract early man to the area. And I presume this is all a fluvial deposit. Most likely Pleistocene deposit within a creek bed that was easily accesible. If you got good lithic, early man was some where very close by.

You need some geomorphology work. I have a friend here who works for NASA who has access to the sleds that you can drag across the surface,
ground penetrating radar that produces a nice stratigraphic profile. He's an archeologist too. He's used this equipment several times for for the park service at different mound complexes. It saves a lot of digging, and gives you a nice vertical profile. When I return from my yearly sea duty in March, if your interested I'll corner him and bring the equipment your way.
Anything to help if I can. I think you really have an interesting site going on. Archeology is going through some rapid changes these days. It has a lot to do with all the technology that is beginning to come available to the layman working out in the field. In the past, we just never thought to dig deeper beneath what was sterile. Now with such sites like the Topper site, people are beginning to see the light. Pushing Prehistory further back here in the North America than what most people are willing to except right now.

Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:25 am

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:00 pm

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:05 pm

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Roberto · Post by **Roberto** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:14 pm

Muy Bien, Amigo! Come March, I'll touch base with you and we'll get together. I know if I drive, he'll come with no problem. I'll be seeing my friend again this Saturday and turn him onto your web site, and this forum so he can spark up an interest in what's going on. These furnaces have me totally fascinated. It would be a pleasure to visit your site. In the mean time I'll look into the geology of your area some more. If I did not have to go out to sea, I would come over earlier whiles it's still cool. I bet all this recent rain is really tearing that place up.
Now ... with all due respects, I know your just a good ole' boy from Texas .... but don't insult me by refering to me as being from MISSOURI.... I'm just a humble southern boy from South MISSISSIPPI. Raised on grits! But I took an interest in Souteastern archaeology a long time ago. So as one southernern to another, I'm fascinated and would like to learn a bit more about this Pre-Clovis Smelting technology. And hopefully produce some geological information that may be helpful for you to learn more about the site as well. The only thing that is going to win your credentials for this site is going to be stratigraphy. Archaeologist and Geologist like to look at those "wall profiles." ... don't know what it is, just more "dirty" pictures I guess!

CHEERS...

Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:55 am

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:37 pm

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Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 9:47 am

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Post by **Minimalist** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 9:55 am

Looks like a cotter pin.

Charlie Hatchett · Post by **Charlie Hatchett** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 11:24 am

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