When we first saw these rocks, we couldn't understand why most all of them were fractured. Sometimes the fractured pieces were together, though most times we would only find part of a nodule. The weather here is such that it very rarely freezes. Even when it does, chert is not porous enough to entrain water which can freeze and then cause fractures. Many of these rock chips also contained multiple fracture sites, not just a single break. We also found numerous pieces such as the ones in the photograph you linked, as well as a few arrowheads and identifiable tools such as the "Guadalupe biface".
We also found that most other parcels in the region had no chert on them. Our conclusion: We happen to own a quarry site where the natives of thousands of years ago mined and fabricated their flint tools!
HEY CIV!!??!! I thought dodo birds were extinct???
***We happen to own a quarry site where the natives of thousands of years ago mined and fabricated their flint tools! ***
Now the FEDs will move in and kick you off so they can “protect” the site as they don’t want anyone picking up an Indian “artfact”.
I have found the same thing around here with obsidian. An area with nodules will sometimes have tons of flakes and chips but almost no nodules. The injuns would rough out their tools and take them instead of packing the whole nodule around.
Definitely sounds like it, pretty neat as well. The manufacturing techniques of the stone age weren’t going to make a perfect tool each time, and since it’s stone, those factory seconds are going to be around for a long time. :’)
Are there any rock paintings or rock art in that area?