Stone Age New York

          This beautiful set of four balanced Clovis artifacts demonstrates the incredible knowledge of physics combined with masonry possessed by Paleo stone tool makers. Each artifact in this  collection is a stone tool that is based on a particular typology style and is engineered so well that it balances on a flat surface. These tools were made by stone masons living in western British Columbia some 13,000 years ago. Similar tools are found as far away as New York State. The single shoulder fluted point shown in picture 2 is from the Genesee River Valley in New York. The presence of two artifacts of similar typology shows that stone tool makers shared the same knowledge of tool construction despite being separated by thousands of miles geographically as long ago as Paleo Indian times. The discovery of the same artifact type on opposite sides of the continent demonstrates that Clovis people with similar typology knowledge were established across the North American continent by 13,000 years ago.

          Photo 1: A group of balanced paleo Indian artifacts from western British Columbia.

          Photo 2: Fluted Single Shoulder Hammerstone from western New York.

          Photo 3: Flaking scar of artifact removed from base of Hammerstone forming flute at the base of the artifact. Similar flaking scars are found on other artifacts of Clovis manufacture.