Found in either Wabash or Edwards County, Illinois--my bet is for Wabash County as it's along the Wabash Rivre where Mississippian era peoples had their rivers-edge villages (and fields)--now why it has a blackened look of a creek find I can't answer -it came from a local estate, wasn't labeled. The auctioneer knew the family, provided what provenance I could record. The piece is Illinois Mill Creek Chert, the 'standard' for Mississippian Spades and other 'diggers' (notched hoes), 1/16" under 8" in length, 3&11/16" width, and max thickness of 1&5/16".The use polish, the heavy, heavy 'glaze' from all those hours of chopping corn in a sandy river soil, they show on both ends of the spade--the piece may have been hafted by a tie-on in the center so that either end could be used for hoeing cornfields. Fine piece that shows great patina--it's lifetime guaranteed authentic in every detail. The history I collected will go with the piece (as always, provenance matters. Shipping is included by Priority Mail. I welcome checks or M.O>s but please note I do not use paypal--Roy A.