Working a dig in Turkey last summer, a local farmer showed me how to spot worked flint by feeling for the 'greasy' texture. Changed my whole survey method.

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Honestly, I was always taught to rely on my eyes for that sort of thing, looking for the right shine or shape. Reading this makes me reconsider. I spent a whole season in Wales once, just scanning the ground, and I bet I walked right over pieces because they were dirty. That greasy feel would cut through the mud. It's a smart way to use another sense.

nathanburns12d ago

Yeah, the whole "walking right over pieces" thing is real. I had the same problem in a plowed field in France. Picking up every vaguely flint-colored rock got old fast. Learning to run my thumb over the surface saved my back and my patience.