Artifacts

[LeeB]

Anybody hunt arrowheads? The boy and his freind found these in the stream bed that comes out of the cave on my place.

[Ron Scott]

Nice find!

[Don P]

Those are neat  8)
I've found a few over the years. My favorite is kind of like the one on the upper right. I found it on the top of a mountain, I couldn't have stepped in any direction and been any higher. I've wondered what was on his mind as he sat there and laid it down.

Some years ago a friend and I got out of his truck at the lake. We were walking away from the truck when he quickly bent down behind me and picked up what must have been a stone knife. It was about 6" long and beautiful. I had a footprint on both sides of it  :'(  :D

Soo, tell us about this cave.

[LeeB]

The cave is pretty neat. I have only been just in the front part of it. Afraid I'll get me rotund butt hung up if I go too far in. One of the local fellows has told me he and a friend pulled an old skeliton out of it and it went to some museum in Missouri. Lots of pottery and other stuff to. I haven't really looked around too much. I did take a metal detector in but there is so much trace ores in  it I got readings every where I pointed. Supposedly the thing is about 5-6 miles long and there used to be another entrance that is now sealed off. The official name of it is Brown's cave. The is another smaller entrance to it on my place but much too small to get into. it has a smalll stream that runs out of it most of the time and goes back underground as soon as it exits the mouth. It can however turn to a rushing torrent with good rains. It also has these neat litttle bitty bats about as big as the end of your thumb that I've been told are called Arkansas bats, supposedly kinda rare. The first room is about 15 x 20ft and the second one I'm not sure about. never been brave enough to go very far into it.

[isawlogs]

They must of hunted with clubs around here , I aint ever found anything close to a carved rock of anykind  :-\    I would love to find some like those .  8) 8)

[Fla._Deadheader]

Them are tough to spot in Black Water.

  All we found were these. : :

 



 

[Tom]

What are they?

[WDH]

Anybody hunt arrowheads?

It was a passion in my younger days.  I got really got good at figuring out where they could be found.  My wife and I have found several thousand in all, more than 600 of them whole or only slightly damaged.  Some I have displayed in my home, although I need to display a lot more of them .



Here is a photo of a display above my fireplace mantle.  The large spearhead in the center is one of the finest we (my wife found it) have ever found. 

[Tom]

My neighbor found a long thin arrow head while tilling his garden about 15 years ago.  It was about 3 inches long and made of a gray colored igneous rock.  We figured that trade must have brought the thing here to Thomas swamp because we have no rock here. knives and arrowheads were made from oyster shell, or other sea creatures.  There were probably points from plants too.

We seem to always think that the indigenous natives were not very smart, lived in small family groups and had no yearn to travel.  In fact, there must have been great highways where trade was accomplished.  Smoked oysters to N. Carolina and arrowheads back to Florida.   Wouldn't it be great to see the roads and towns from before the Europeans discovered the place?

[Lanier_Lurker]

That top right one looks like it could be a Clovis point.  WDH, do you know?

[Lanier_Lurker]

I used to spend a good bit of time on some of the large plantations along the west bank of the Flint River in Lee County.  That area is a treasure trove for arrow and spear head hunters.

[LeeB]

Nice bowls Harold. I've been told there are pieces of potery in the cave although I haven't found any yet. I thought the stuff the boys found was interesting because they look to me to be from different time periods and they were all in one place. Anybody know enough about them to confirm or refute this? What about it WDH?
By the way, thousands huh.  . Did you find them all in one area or all around the country?

[Don P]

I don't know a whole lot but they do appear to be from a wide range of time and people. I don't think you're seeing a Clovis or Folsom, the spearpoint is large and the middle flute is very pronounced in the ones I've seen.

There has been a discovery down in eastern Virginia around the Nottaway river of some old points that are turning some of the Clovis theories around. They were found on IP land. I've planted and picked up a few points down there but they are down to a whole nuther layer apparently. The ones we got from there were in a stone that looked like compressed quartz sand. One estimate put the newly discovered ones at 15,000 to 17,000 years ago, well before the known Clovis culture. They are bifacial but unfluted. I've read one speculation that they might have come across the ice from France, the points match some over there.

You are right about trade Tom. Saltville not too far from here has been a favorite salt spot since mastadons and ground sloths wandered around. There have also been some neat artifacts found there. Seashell necklaces, points from all over out of rocks from all over and all through time. People got around and traded more than we think.

[WDH]

That top right one looks like it could be a Clovis point.  WDH, do you know?

If the artifacts were found together in situ, then it is unlikely that they are as old as the clovis culture because of the stemmed point on the lower left.  Stemmed points like that one date from the late Archaic Period to the Woodland Period which began about 5000 years ago and ended about 1500 years ago.  That is still plenty old though.  Most projectile points are older than people realize.  Also, in this late Archaic time period, the bow had not yet been developed, and the weapon of choice was the spear thrower or atlatl.  So these projectile points are small spearpoints or darts that were thrown with the use of the atlatl. 

[cheyenne]

The one top left could be a scrapeing or fleshing tool. If it were me i'd be in there day & nite but it's probley been pretty well picked over but you never know. Any markings on the walls. Happy hunting & be safe in there. Cheyenne

[crtreedude]

Pretty cool. I found a few when I was in the USA, but not many. While digging out a drainage system for grey water here, one of the workers found a piece of Mayan pottery (shaped like a tapir) and gave it to me. Pretty cool really.

I love old stuff, old technology - I guess that works well since I am getting old...  :D

[Faron]

I made a joking post a week or two back on the political thread about this.  My grandkids and I  learned about the ancient use of the atlatl, a spear throwing tool.  I learned a few things I didn't know.  These guys say most arrowheads are actually atlatl points, and that the Indians only began to use the bow 1000 to 2000 years ago. True arrowheads are really pretty small.  The guys doing the demostrations also made arrowheads out of chert.  In about 10 minutes he made an arrowhead that was as good as many I have found.




I used to find a few arrowheads where we kept hogs.  After a hard rain they would show up on the bare ground.

[LeeB]

We are going to a flint knapping affair in Willard MO. It will be the 26 - 28th of Sept., but I would imagine we'll only go one day. Should be interesting to say the least and a good chance to spend a little father/son time.

[WDH]

If you know what is good for you (veiled threat ;D), then you better take some pics :D.

[LeeB]

You wood have to come over this way to carry out any punishment for no pics. Long journey, however if it will get you out this way, I might just forget the camera. :D :D

[Radar67]

Danny, swing by on the way up. I'll watch your back.  ;) :D :D

[WDH]

With this double threat, you better shape up and take those pics, Mr. Lee ;D.

This thread inspires me to take some artifact pics and post them (when I get back home).  I will have to exercise discretion, since artifacts are a passion of mine.

[cheyenne]

wdh; I also am an avid collector. CHEYENNE

[Blake22]

I look for points everday. I can't even work after a hard rain and sometimes when I'm real busy I look at night. One of the best points I have I found at night. I don't know how many whole ones I have , maybe 350-400 and 1000 broken ones. This is the only cheap, safe hobby I've ever had.

[WDH]

Blake, I guess we will have to post some pics ;D.

[Blake22]

I gave up on posting pics a long time ago. I can rebuild chainsaw carbs, fix printing presses, trailer lights, sharpen a saw with a file, operate an excavator, knuckleboom loader, shoot a running deer, water ski, weld, pat my head & rub my stomach. I'm 44 years old and I still have 20/20 vision but posting pics is waaay over my head. Oh and before everyone tries to help (DANG) thanks but I ain't gonna listen. Want to help, come on over, I'll re-line your string trimmer while you re-size these DANG pics. ;D

[LeeB]

Well, no pics of the flint knapping gig. We didn't get to make it up there. Maybe next year. Seems the boy had other things he would rather do than hang out with dad for the day. >:(

[Banjo picker]

I gave up on posting pics a long time ago.


Well Blake I guess I'll have to join you in this boat...I was going to change my profile pict...and upload a picture of a point my son found...it is really nice...but after 2 hours of trying...We gave up,,(wife & I)  But I would accept help, if it is in SIMPLE terms and step by step...She finally got the profile picture here then it said the avatar was too large....Tim

[Radar67]

Here is a good tutorial on how to post pictures on the forum.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,23851.0.html

[Tom]

The difference in posted pictures and profile pictures is just the pixels.  On pictures for posts you are allowed better than 400 pixels for either height and width.

But, for profile pictures, the limit is about 110 pixels.  There just isn't enough room over there on the side of the page for a big picture.

[thecfarm]

It looks like a lot at first to down size pictures,but it's not.I learned right on here how to do it.Seems like I got stuck on something right in front of me.Someone will gladly help you out the way they did me.

[Mooseherder]

Must confess something that works for me. ;D
I always e-mail the picture to myself first.  It asks me if I want to make it smaller.  I click yes. ;D
Open the picture in e-mail and click save as to save in my Pictures .
Then I open the xat program, select and insert the pic to be resized.  The picture is already at 640x 480.  Resizing from that point is a breeze.  Works for me. ;)

Here is a picture of a friends Arrowhead Collection. 





This is His wife's Pottery shard collection.  She was worked hard at getting all of these herself at different dig sites.

[WDH]

Wow, a kirk corner notched just southwest of the big celt in the center.  Also, an old old side notched point just to the east of the celt.  Better than 9000 years old I bet.  Beautiful frame.

I love pottery, and that is a fine pottery display.

[Mooseherder]

I wish I knew more about his pieces.  There are more somewhere.  She has more Pottery Pieces on this stand I made for her.  It was meant to be a plant stand with 6 mutant legs so it wouldn't tip from the weight but she found a better use for it. :D

[Banjo picker]

check this out....

[WDH]

That is an old one!  Kirk corner notched.  Circa 6000 - 7000 B.C. or about 8000 to 9000 year old.  A beautiful piece of antiquity.  That one is a centerpiece for sure.

[Banjo picker]

I tried to post that pic. many times....could not get it to go....Jeff sent me some info...and to be honest I still don't know i did it....just checked the posts and there it was...Thanks Jeff, Radiar,& others that I read info on.....#2 son was driving me around as I was spraying some thissel in the pasture...with a spray gun...he spots that point laying about half uncovered on a hill side,, I thought "its broke" but it wasn't....  I been looking for over 40 years and don't have anything that good...He's got and eye for em...might try another pic...since that one went....He found a drill where he is building his house...broke half into....both pieces laying there...He run over it with the dozer...but wouldn't have found it otherwise...Tim

[Don K]

Yep, heavy equipment does a number on them but most of the time that is the only way they get back to the surface.

Don

[Wildflower]

Banjo picker  I posted your picture for you. ;D
Jeff and I found some arrow heads when we went and visited Bro. Noble a few years back.  I will have to find them so I can post a picture of them. They sure are fun to look for. ;D

[WildDog]

Those arrow heads are something else, 9000yrs old thats incredible. I am glad we don't get any down-under I wouldn't get any work done, its bad enough having saphires in our creek, forever walking around looking at the ground.

[Banjo picker]

Thanks wildflower I was still scratching my head trying to figure out how i had done it.. :D :D  Tim