finding agatized coral.

[beartail]

howdy yall. I was just wondering how hard is to find agatized coral in Florida? I would some day like to go there and pick e up some. I think its so beautyfull.it looks like its hard to spall so you can heat treat it but im Shure it can be done.is it anywhere in fla or only certain areas?

[Tracker0721]

I know of some(super duper rare for my area) in Wa. Whole mountain top is covered but it's a no collecting private property see and leave spot. I'd like to knap some someday. Any of you beach guys got an answer? I'd make the trip.

[mullet]

I know of three different areas to get it in Florida. All three require some work. two of the places are under water.

[Outbackbob48]

I just get mine out of Mullet's bucket when he's flittin around BS with everyone at the classic Bob

[mullet]

LOL!

[vinemaplebows]

I know of some(super duper rare for my area) in Wa. Whole mountain top is covered but it's a no collecting private property see and leave spot. I'd like to knap some someday. Any of you beach guys got an answer? I'd make the trip.

I would love to know about where this spot is, as I have never heard of coral in Wa. Seems to me if it is there, it should be close by in other places, or washed down creeks rivers?

[JoJoDapyro]

There is some in Utah as well. Noting of any real size, but it's here, on public land.

[AncientTech]

Hello Beartail,

There is agatized coral about a day's drive from where I live, near Tulum, Mexico.  It is in central Belize.

Here is a photo of a point made by Marty Rueter, from material that I sent back in 2012:

 







Here are a few pieces in my hand, under the sunlight:









Here is a large heavy spall after removal:











Here is a large heavy nodule that happens to be hollow inside:



I still have three large nodules of this stuff.  The nodules are roughly watermelon size.  And, since I do not usually heat treat stone, I have only spalled some of it.  The stone would need to be heat treated, in order to be worked, effectively.  Otherwise, the grain is on the blocky side.   

Anyway, I could put some spalls, chunks, and flakes of this stuff, in the sale section, for a donation, plus shipping.  Right now, I am working with the director of the local Dos Ojos museum.  They are in the process of doing recovery work, of materials that were trapped in underwater river systems, at the end of the Ice Age.  This includes the recovery of very early human skeletons.  We need to take cave divers to unexplored dive sites, and have them lay exploratory lines, while keeping an eye out for Ice Age campfires that are now submerged, etc.  If a fire hearth with charcoal is found in an underwater cave site, the charcoal can be carbon dated, to test its antiquity.  So, if people wanted to make a donation, I could send the agatized coral, so long as shipping is covered.  If you think you might be interested, I can put it in the sale section. 

Here is my friend, Geronimo Aviles, who is the co-director of the local Dos Ojos Museum:



Here is inside and outside the museum:






























News Articles featuring the museum:










     

[turbo]

Wow Ben, that Marty is something. Did he heat treat the rock you sent to make that awesome Clovis? I would like some if you end up putting it up. Keep us updated on the underwater site. Very cool.

[AncientTech]

Hello Turbo,

Yes, Marty heat treated it.  He also recommended that I heat treat it.  But, I am trying to tackle raw cherts.  So, I don't bother heat treating any rock, since I am working with really high power operations.

However, agatized coral needs thermal alteration, in my opinion.  Also, chalcedonies, jaspers, and agates, should be heat treated as well, if they are not susceptible to normal flaking methods that produce conchoidal fractures.  So, this stuff needs to "melted" a bit with heat.

Anyway, Turbo, since you are the first to ask, I will let you have "pick of the litter".  I will post three or four batches in the "sale" area, for you.  After you decide what you want, I can check on the shipping.  And, then I will be able to send it off.

By the way, I live about a mile from where the Hombre del Templo remains were found.  The river systems used to be dry caves, during the Ice Age.  And, in some cases, people fell down into the chasms, that can be found in the ground of the Yucatan.  After the Ice Age ended, the sea level rose, and flooded all of the caves with water.  Today, there are thousands of miles of caves here, that used to be open air, but now are filled with water.  And, whenever signs of human habitation are found, it means, that the people were there, during the Ice Age.   

[turbo]

Hello Turbo,

Yes, Marty heat treated it.  He also recommended that I heat treat it.  But, I am trying to tackle raw cherts.  So, I don't bother heat treating any rock, since I am working with really high power operations.

However, agatized coral needs thermal alteration, in my opinion.  Also, chalcedonies, jaspers, and agates, should be heat treated as well, if they are not susceptible to normal flaking methods that produce conchoidal fractures.  So, this stuff needs to "melted" a bit with heat.

Anyway, Turbo, since you are the first to ask, I will let you have "pick of the litter".  I will post three or four batches in the "sale" area, for you.  After you decide what you want, I can check on the shipping.  And, then I will be able to send it off.

By the way, I live about a mile from where the Hombre del Templo remains were found.  The river systems used to be dry caves, during the Ice Age.  And, in some cases, people fell down into the chasms, that can be found in the ground of the Yucatan.  After the Ice Age ended, the sea level rose, and flooded all of the caves with water.  Today, there are thousands of miles of caves here, that used to be open air, but now are filled with water.  And, whenever signs of human habitation are found, it means, that the people were there, during the Ice Age.   

Sounds great, I mostly work raw rock myself but am always game to get material from other countries. Very cool on the sites near you, underwater archaeology is the key to finding the missing puzzle pieces for the First American mystery.

[AncientTech]

Turbo,

Here is a video clip I shot from the "Hombre del Templo" site.  The site is actually underground, at the bottom of a deep pit of water.  At the same site, is a small Mayan structure, that is built on a mound.  And, there is an entrance under the mound, with something like a descending stairway.  This video does not show the entrance into the water under the mound.  But, it does show the structure and the other cenote, where one of the oldest skeletons in the Western Hemisphere was found.  This site is less than a mile from my house. 

https://youtu.be/UxBio3K2IMU

Also, here is one crude point made from raw agatized coral.

[AncientTech]

Turbo,

I apologize.  I could not get to the post office, to get the shipping prices, before they closed.  I will try again tomorrow, after I go to Cancun.

This is a pretty amazing thread.  We have agatized coral, a Marty Rueter point, a video of Mayan ruins, a video of one of the oldest early man sites in the western hemisphere, agatized coral for donation, submerged cave exploration, etc. 

By the way, people from the museum attended the PaleoAmerican Odyssey conference, and presented some findings.  In the absence of human habitation, during the archaic, it appears that certain species survived, in this area, past the end of the Ice Age, whereas the same species became extinct in most other areas.  I think that the paleollama may be one such example that persisted past the end o f the Ice Age, in the Yucatan.         

[JoJoDapyro]

i would also be interested. Let me know on shipping cost as well!

[AncientTech]

howdy yall. I was just wondering how hard is to find agatized coral in Florida? I would some day like to go there and pick e up some. I think its so beautyfull.it looks like its hard to spall so you can heat treat it but im Shure it can be done.is it anywhere in fla or only certain areas?

Hello Beartail,

In Belize, agatized coral can be found in part of the CBZ (chert bearing zone).  I believe it is found in the northern portion of the CBZ.  As for where it is found in Florida, I have no idea.

This stuff is really hard to spall.  It would need thermal alteration for further work, in most cases.