Ohio History Journal

122   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

points, which were sold originally for as little as twenty-five cents

apiece, jumped decidedly in price; some were reported to have

brought as much as fifty dollars.

Evidence seems to indicate that the first specimens sold were

small, relatively simple, and all made from local material from the

Peoria, Oklahoma, quarries. As has been mentioned the first

points also sold for a low price. The later points were larger,

more complex, of a wide variety of flint, and much higher in

price.

In the fall of 1936 the Oklahoma State Archaeological So-

ciety became interested in the supposed find and members were

taken to the site by Tussinger and Robertson. At this time a

partial re-examination of the mound was undertaken and several

eccentric points were found, but it could not be definitely ascer-

tained that the artifacts were in situ. In 1937 the site was com-

pletely excavated by the University of Oklahoma, Department of

Anthropology, and six additional eccentrics were found. Projec-

tile points and scrapers of recent Plains type were also present in

the mound and "while the disturbed nature of the site made a

definite conclusion impossible, it seemed likely that the Plains

material underlaid the original level of the eccentrics."1

It is interesting and somewhat confusing to note that a single

eccentric point of fine workmanship and striking similarity to

those from the Tussinger cache was found by the University of

Oklahoma field party while screening a pot-hunter's dump at the

Spiro Mound on the Arkansas River in Le Flore County, Okla-

homa, 150 miles south of the Delaware County find. To add to

the confusion a collector from Fort Smith, Arkansas, claims to

have found eleven such eccentrics accompanying a double burial

in the Spiro Mound prior to the complete excavation by the

University of Oklahoma. Two ear-spools and a stone pipe were

also said to have been with the burials. While it is difficult to

imagine how these twelve points arrived at Spiro, it is more diffi-

cult to imagine that only twelve were buried in the great Temple

Mound while 3,500 or more were apparently buried intrusively in

an almost imperceptible mound far to the north.

With this recounting of the circumstances connected with

ELLIS: OKLAHOMA ECCENTRIC FLINTS           123

the discovery of the eccentric cache, attention is turned to the

Laboratory investigation of the actual specimens. Through Dr.

Clements over two hundred of the eccentrics from the large col-

lection of Alfred Reed, Jr., were placed at the disposal of the

Laboratory. In addition the collections of Fred Ulrich of Galena,

Kansas, and others were superficially examined. Over a thousand

eccentrics were handled and an additional fifteen hundred scruti-

nized by means of photographs.

The two hundred representative specimens selected from the

Reed collection were subjected to a detailed analysis, mega-

scopically, microscopically, and chemically. In the study the fol-

lowing factors were taken into consideration: the typological rela-

tionship of the specimens to known aboriginal patterns; their

similarity in flaking to a comparative series of artifacts of estab-

lished antiquity; and the evidence of patination or discoloration

attributable to age.

The Oklahoma flints do not conform to any known pattern

within the area of their occurrence. In fact, the only suggestion

of an analogy inheres in the eccentric flint and obsidian objects

from Central America reported by Thomas W. F. Gann,³ T. A.

Joyce,⁵ J. Alden Mason,⁶ and others.⁴  The Central American

specimens have been found in large quantities in the southern part

of the Maya lowland region on sites of the Old Empire. They

usually occur in pottery vessels buried beneath stele, altars, and

the floors of temples. Through the courtesy of the University

Museum, Philadelphia, the Laboratory was afforded the oppor-

tunity of examining a number of flint eccentrics from Piedras

Negras, Guatemala. Most of the Guatamalan flints were very

heavily patinated with a crust of tripolite covering the entire

specimen. The shape varies greatly and does not seem to follow

any set pattern and, on the average, they appear to be larger than

the Oklahoma eccentrics. As to pattern, the Oklahoma flints

(Plate II.), with some exceptions, represent modifications of the

typical pointed-oval and lanceolate blades and projectile points,

the majority being bilaterally symmetrical. The Oklahoma speci-

mens which do not conform to the general type may represent

124   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

those accidentally broken in the process of manufacture, thus

necessitating a modification of the form originally intended.

On the whole, on the basis of conformity to pattern, the

Oklahoma specimens suggest present-day ingenuity rather than

primitive conception and execution. It must be obvious to all who

are interested in archaeological frauds that, aside from actual

copying, the perpetrator usually betrays himself by exaggeration

and by failure to grasp the simplicity and restraint of the primi-

tive artisan.

The second consideration was the similarity in flaking of the

Oklahoma eccentrics to a comparative series of known aboriginal

artifacts. Aside from the intricate notching, the chipping ap-

proximates in quality that of the average artifact of established

antiquity. While the craftsman was skilled in removing minute

chips from very thin edges without breaking the specimens, he

was not faced with the necessity of removing long regular flakes

across the face of the points. By the use of aboriginal blades,

the difficult task of preliminary thinning and shaping also was

avoided.

Minute scale-like flakes loosely adhering to the surface were

observed on 96.9% of the artifacts examined. These scales of

flint are typical of freshly chipped blades, but ordinary handling,

use or cache burial removes most or all of these tiny fragments.

As a check, a comparison was made with several documented

caches of typical Ohio flint blades. This study showed that while

such scale-like flakes were present on the Ohio artifacts the fre-

quency of their occurrence was extremely small. This fact tends

to indicate that the Oklahoma eccentric points are of recent man-

ufacture.

The evidence also shows that the Oklahoma flints were re-

chipped from aboriginal blades. 94.8%  of the specimens ex-

amined showed an old blade surface (Plate II, Figs. 12-13.); the

remaining 5.2% had been completely re-chipped so that it was im-

possible to tell with certainty that they were made from old blades.

The fact that Tussinger, who is not an archaeological collector, has

ELLIS: OKLAHOMA ECCENTRIC FLINTS              125

been purchasing aboriginal flint blades in Illinois and Arkansas,??

makes the presence of old blade surfaces particularly significant.9

The third consideration is the evidence of patination or dis-

coloration attributable to age. There are several factors to be

considered in this category which furnish damaging evidence to

the supposition that the specimens are prehistoric. Most signifi-

cant, perhaps, is the fact that in most instances extreme edges or

margins, where evidences of recent chipping would be most ob-

vious, have been treated with a dark substance utterly distinct

from  anything pertaining to accredited specimens.  (Plate II,

Figs. 14-15.). The rapid loss of color with the application of a

Bunsen flame and the partial dissolution in an acetone solvent leads

to the conclusion that the material is organic, probably a glue,

resin, or similar substance. Owing to the relatively small quanti-

ties of this substance, precise chemical determinations are beyond

the means of the Laboratory at the present time. In view of the

admitted skill of the fabricators it is surprising that so obvious a

blunder should have been made.

In direct contrast to the discoloration mentioned above is

the fact that there is an utter absence of the natural stain or dis-

coloration within the minute fractures and beneath the flake stubs

resulting from the re-chipping. Such stain or discoloration, its

intensity depending on the type of soil in which the specimens

have reposed, is characteristic of all old flint specimens. There

are no patinated areas on the Oklahoma artifacts except on the

previously mentioned old blade surfaces.

During the course of this study an attempt was made to

check up on the total number of eccentric points in the possession

of collectors with the idea of comparing this figure with the num-

ber supposed to have been found in the original cache. Approxi-

mately three thousand points were located, distributed in private

collections from Concord, California, to Newark, New Jersey.

This figure does not include those points which still may be in

Tussinger's hands.   Since eccentric points have been sold to

tourists for the past nine or more years it is reasonable to as-

sume that several hundred are in the hands of small collectors

?? Notes in possession of the Lithic Laboratory.

126    OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

and dealers. With these facts in mind the opinion might be

ventured that further search would reveal more specimens in the

hands of collectors than were reported for the original cache.

In this connection it may be noted that certain dealers in Kansas

have been making eccentrics and Mr. Robertson took occasion

to show the author two "faked" eccentrics which he claimed to

have purchased from a dealer in Arkansas. Robertson, at this

time, pointed out that the so-called "fakes" showed fresh chip-

ping along the edges and did not have the dark stain "from age"

along the margins of the points. However, it is not likely that

any great numbers are being derived from other sources and

it is difficult to believe that the intricate notching of the Tussinger

specimens could be readily duplicated by other fabricators.

In summary the evidence brought out in this paper may be

briefly reviewed: The eccentric points do not conform to any

known pattern; the flaking, aside from the intricate notching, is

not exceptional; and loosely adhering flakes as well as the absence

of stain ordinarily found under flake stubs indicate a recent origin.

In view of the evidence presented and the very questionable cir-

cumstances surrounding the find, the Lithic Laboratory con-

cludes that the so-called "eccentric flints" of Oklahoma are of

modern manufacture, re-chipped from blades of aboriginal origin,

and intentionally discolored with some substance to give the

edges an appearance of antiquity.

Bibliography

1 Clements, Forrest E., and Reed, Alfred, "'Eccentric' Flints of Okla-

homa." American Antiquity (Menasha, Wis., 1935- ), V (1939), 27-30,

1 plate.

2 Davis, Watson, ed., "Maya-like Relics Have Been Found in Okla-

homa Mounds."   Science News Letter (Washington, 1921- ), XXXIV

(1938), 243-4.

3 Gann, Thomas W. F., "The Maya Indians of Southern Yucatan and

Northern British Honduras."            U. S. Bureau of American Ethnology,

Bulletin (Washington, 1887-            ), no. 64 (1918), 99-103, plate 15, figs. 38,

40-50.

4 Heye, George G., "Eccentric Chipped Objects from British Hon-

duras." Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, Indian Notes

(New York, 1924-   ), II (1925), 99-102.

ELLIS: OKLAHOMA ECCENTRIC FLINTS                   127

5 Joyce, T. A., "The 'Eccentric Flints' of Central America." Royal

Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Journal (London,

1871-   ), LXII (1932), xvii-xxvi, 8 plates.

6 Mason, J. Alden, "Preserving Ancient America's Finest Sculptures."

National Geographic Magazine (Washington, 1889-    ), LXVIII (1935),

542.

7 Reeder, Pearl, ed., "Delicate Flint Implements." Hobbies; the Maga-

zine for Collectors (Chicago, 1931-  ), XLI, no. 1 (1936), 102.

8 Reeder, Pearl, ed., "Oklahoma Notes."  Hobbies; the Magazine for

Collectors, XLI, no. 11 (1937), 99.

9 Reeder, Pearl, ed., "Fancy Spears May Be Fakes." Hobbies; the

Magazine for Collectors, XLI, no. 12 (1937), 101.