Nice Piece - Flint Bird / Thunderbird

[GOHUNT]

I bought this piece that was suppose to have been found here in Greene County. It's really nice, but I just hope it is legitamite, not modern made. How can I tell for sure. It does have some dirt/sand in some of the crevices as seen best in the pic showing the bottom of the bird. I guess a clever counterfieter would think to do that too. It's just over 6" from tip to tip. I've got no real reason to think it's a fake other than the fact that I didn't have to pay too much for it. Does it look authentic to y'all?

 

[Cuttin Caller]

It looks very nice.

 

[RUGER]

Hard to tell by pics but that is a nice piece.

 

[Deer Boy]

Hope you didn't pay to much for it! Never seen one yet that was authentic. But, if you like it, it's very nice, just don't mix with you authentic stuff will bring down their value.

 

[tbam]

looks nice, but looks modern made to me...

 

[GOHUNT]

What about this piece "looks modern made"? What is there that stands out to make it look modern? Is it too nice of a piece? I've seen some really nice indian knapping work. Is the knapping pattern wrong??? I'm no expert, but I've handled the piece and can't tell for sure. Obviously by my original post I was suspicious, but not as sure as y'all sound. Is it just a "to good to be true" piece?

 

[phildidit]

The first reason to doubt the piece is you were not the finder.

 

[Chris Tripp]

Not to be a kill joy, but here is my answer on the subject... Never in any archeological dig has a thunderbird been found, it has been found made in pottery as patterns but no flint. Now looking at the piece of flint you have, I see no patination, rock patinates as it ages, there is a major lack of patina that suggests strongly it is modern made.

 

[GOHUNT]

Hey, I don't have any problems believing it is modern. I just wanted to know how to tell. At least some of you say the indians didn't make them this nice. So, is that to say that modern day knappers are better, more accomplished knappers than the indians were?

 

[Chris Tripp]

Hey, I don't have any problems believing it is modern. I just wanted to know how to tell. At least some of you say the indians didn't make them this nice. So, is that to say that modern day knappers are better, more accomplished knappers than the indians were?

I don't agree that modern day knappers are better than the native american prehistoric pieces. I have some pieces in my collection that are truly breath taken and were found by me. Indians did not make flint thunderbirds, like flint fishhooks that will appear at times on the market are fakes.

 

[Chris Tripp]

Stovepipe, evidence has shown that most of the tribes had a select few amongst them that made thier tools... now the gathering of quality lithic material involved everyone.

 

[Cuttin Caller]

I don't think that the woman had a place in any part of it aside from maybe collecting materials.

Thank God that was a long time ago. lol

 

[Blue5]

cool piece!