81360--7.25" Mill Creek Chert Illinois Spade

Wish there was a more reasonably priced alternative, but Priority Mail $14 is the shipping cost on this 7&1/4" by 3&7/8" wide Mississippian Culture Spade--a BIG chunk of flint from a S.W. Illinois collection. At its thickest it measures slightly over 1". You can feel some use polish on the bit, but not heavy--chopping is sandy soils for a considerable period would have given the Mill Creek Chert a heavy gloss, otherwise. The top isn't broken, the Mississippian period user ((1250--1400 era) made the blade as long as required, excess flint was deliberately knapped away, then polished/ smoothed over. I keep thinking/ hoping there is old 'finders provenance' written on the one side, but nothing is legible--I've seen a number of examples of Spades where kids, over time, added their initials--maybe something will catch your eye, certainly a piece this large was found long before chisel plows ripped up most surface-found artifacts.. Great patina, period. I welcome checks or money orders, but do not use paypal-type services--Roy A.