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Wed, 4 Nov 1998 11:16:41 -0800 |
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Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc. |
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John P. Guilfoyle wrote:
>
> Steve Boxley wrote:
>
> >Here at our site in Poquoson we have found one well used jasper
> >gunflint. It is out of plowzone context so is not dateable. Our site is
> >mostly 17th and 18th century, but we do have one Revolutionary War
> >button (82nd Regiment of Foot that interned at Yorktown).
>
> Local gunflint manufacture in North America (either by Aboriginals or
> Europeans), particularly using
> cherts and other native lithics, is something I've been interested in for
> quite some time, so if you'll allow me a
> few questions...
>
> Are you sure it's a gunflint rather than a scraper? What method of
> manufacture / reduction was used to shape
> and sharpen it? Is it some sort of heavily retouched flake? Sorry for the
> barrage of questions -- I'm just curious.
>
> Cheers,
>
> John Guilfoyle
> Archaeologist, Parks Canada
Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you, your e-mail was with a
bunch of non-related stuff. It looks almost like a thumbnail scraper,
but the very worn (percussion stikes) edges and many small metal bits in
the edges say it was well used as a gunflint. It is rounded on one end
but square on the other. It is typical gunflint size. It is not well
made, and the top and bottom faces are worn fairly smooth, I am assuming
from being gripped in leather or lead in the gun cock. It appears to be
a typical spall-type manufactured gunflint, with some secondary
reworking. Hope this is what you were looking for. Again, my apologies
for the late reply.
--
Steve Boxley, Ja.T., M.N.
The Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc.
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