Color:  Maynes Creek chert is a homogenous opaque and comes in a variety of colors including; very pale gray to light gray, and green.  It is commonly mottled and may be speckled or has well abundant preserved fossils.  

Texture:

Luster: Dull

Silica Fabrics / Fossils:

Patina: Cream color

Heat Treatment:  Heat treatment brings out colors of pinks and maroons.  The luster increases to satin to glossy.

Knapping:  Poor to fair in natural state, becoming more a higher flaking quality with heat treatment.

Note:  Green, Gray, and Fossiliferous are rarely seen outside the source area.  Cream and Speckled are the most abundant varieties. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution Comments:

Maynes Creek Chert is associated with the Maynes Creek Limestone formation, Kinderhook Group of Iowa.  Primary outcroppings occur in north central Iowa along the Iowa River and its tributaries and west of Lake MacBride in Tama, Marshall, Hardin, and Grundy counties, Iowa.  Other outcroppings occur along Maynes Creek