Have you EVER found Native American artifacts in MI?

[Diggit]

I was wondering. I haven't really gotten into N.A. hunting til just recently, I know that some of the best places to hunt are stream banks and beds, and plowed fields after a rain. And I KNOW that there was a lot of native activity in MI....I know "what" to look for, but maybe I am just looking in the wrong places?

My question is; Have you ever found and scrapers, axe heads, points, tools, etc in MI? And if so, what rough (I don't want anybody to give away their honey holes here) area of the state you found them in?

Thanks, I'm trying to not get disappointed.

 

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[brctom1]

Above are some that were found around the tri-state area (In, Mi & Oh.) by my Great Uncle.
I have found some too, but it has been many years, and it was only because a good friend was kind enough to take me to some of his honey holes.
He has a collection that has MANY museum quality pieces that he has amassed over 35 + years in this area.
I am in Branch county.

Tom

 

[Diggit]

Man, that's a nice collection, Tom! More than enough to keep me "motivated" :-)

 

[Michigan Badger]

Every year hundreds of "Copper Culture" relics are dug in the western U.P. (Keweenaw (KEE-wuh-naw) Peninsula) area.

Take care though, much of this stuff is dug illegally on state lands or is stolen from property owners. And too there are the Native American lands which will get you into more trouble than you'll ever care to experience.

 

[brctom1]

Thanks !
I didn't find any of the ones pictured, those are just a few of my Uncles finds (from many years ago).
I also have a cigar box of broken stuff too.
I'll ask that friend of mine how he goes about determining where to look, and where not, and pass it on so you can hopefully narrow your places down...

Here is a link to old county maps for michigan that might help till get the other info for you.

Michigan Antique Maps and Historical Atlases - Historic Map Works

Hope it helps you !

Tom

 

[MD 12/46]

Your post is timely for me because i am also interested in hunting points. Been watching the utube videos on arrowhead hunting, that will get you pumped up.
I did once find a cache, i think, of 3 points @ a site that i was scouting for privys to be dug. I must go back there and find the spot again!

 

[ryaan21]

I found a 3000-5000 year old copper celt from the old copper complex. I found it in escanaba michigan, 16-18 inches deep, sold to museum.

 

[jbubbles]

I was wondering. I haven't really gotten into N.A. hunting til just recently, I know that some of the best places to hunt are stream banks and beds, and plowed fields after a rain. And I KNOW that there was a lot of native activity in MI....I know "what" to look for, but maybe I am just looking in the wrong places?

My question is; Have you ever found and scrapers, axe heads, points, tools, etc in MI? And if so, what rough (I don't want anybody to give away their honey holes here) area of the state you found them in?

Thanks, I'm trying to not get disappointed.[/QUOTE i am fascinated with arrow heads i actually dig for them every year in my backyard and have found one, but continue to search and have a total of 4. if you ask me i search lakes and swamp areas and for some reason like digging i think these three ways are helpful in finding arrow heads

 

[lostmichigan]

heck yeah theres artifacts in mi

The ground in mi is littered with stone artifacts. Most are mound builder era. Archaic and woodland. What area are you in? If you can find a river bank with some soil layering, the artifacts are usually stuck between the second and 3rd. That is if you live in the basin. If you're on the east side near the saginaw bay or detroit just find a park or somewhere with construction. You don't have to be in the up to find copper, gold,silver,and even iron artifacts.
These ancient cultures used stone for currency and trade. You can find rocks EVERYWHERE with smal carvings of animal human faces landscapes.... if you can find mounds near water you can find artifacts and human bones being eroded away.
To find artifacts in michigan, just look down and adjust your eyes, because the style does not look like familiar indian stuff. Arrowheads are rare. Because these were not hunter gatherers. They were farmers. And herders.
There were huge civilizations that lived along the icesheet where herds of animals congregated.
Anyway, good luck. Michigan is a marvelous place with many mysteries.

 

[RSDiggs]

We live on the banks of Duck Creek in Ionia County and have found some points. They don't look like what you expect an arrowhead to look like though. They're similar to what stone age, northern european points look like. We found them by accident, after we had an area excavated for a pool (about 18" deep.) The kids were playing on the dirt hill that was left over and they keep finding evidence of a previous culture. I keep planning to make a sifter and see what I can find. I talked to someone from the local historical society and my property was a landing for the creek until the mid 1800s (the creek is fairly large and feeds the Coldwater River.) The points we found look different because they were for fishing.

We've also found a ton of artifacts at my dad's property on the Muskegon River. Axe heads, grinding stones, SO much stuff. We gave most of it back to the local tribe but we've found literally hundreds of items there.

 

[redly846]

I just found this a couple weekend's ago, in southern MI.
I am taking it to the U of M archeologly dept. to help tell me more about the piece.

 

[daemon1971]

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=895704"/>
I just found this a couple weekend's ago, in southern MI.
I am taking it to the U of M archeologly dept. to help tell me more about the piece.

Cool find , and welcome to TNET from romulus

 

[megnpat]

pretty much private land is the only place to hunt michigan has a law that states any indian artifacts found on any governmental land is to be turned in or face felony charges so be careful out there and good luck

 

[flakebiter]

Here is a cache from Michigan. I have it on ebay right now.

 

[Dave24]

Wondering if anyone has ever stumbled across this style of indian tool? looks like it might be an axe head or some king of hide scraper? It's about 5" by 3". My dad found it while digging footings for an addition in Ingham County about 20 years ago....

 

[mk4125]

We have found quite a bit of copper- knife blades, hooks, etc. and live in the lower peninsula- Northwest corner. One example attached.

 

[JohnS]

Once long ago in 1962....

I was wondering. I haven't really gotten into N.A. hunting til just recently, I know that some of the best places to hunt are stream banks and beds, and plowed fields after a rain. And I KNOW that there was a lot of native activity in MI....I know "what" to look for, but maybe I am just looking in the wrong places?

My question is; Have you ever found and scrapers, axe heads, points, tools, etc in MI? And if so, what rough (I don't want anybody to give away their honey holes here) area of the state you found them in?

Thanks, I'm trying to not get disappointed.

"When I was 8, in 1962, I was sitting in my front yard near Detroit in Farmington Hills, MI next at 27701 12 Mile Road (and Herndon Drive). I saw a stone sitting on the grass within reach and picked it up to toss it into 12 Mile Road. It fell out of my hand and I picked it up to toss it again but noticed something. I realized right then it was an arrowhead and it had for some reason been sitting exposed in my front yard. I have no idea how it came to be above ground, and I don't have any other facts about it, but would welcome any comments or insights anyone has. It is the only thing I ever found. I have not lived in MI since 1973. Here is a double-sided image of it"

 

[Mifarmer]

As a kid I spent a lot of time outdoors, mother always told me and my brothers to play outside.
While rabbit hunting with my brother he stopped in the middle of a plowed field and picked up the best looking arrow head I have ever seen, it was razor sharp jet black and had a beautiful shine to it, unfortunately he lost it the same day.
A couple years later my cousin and I were digging in the lake shore in battle creek ( Beatle lake) and when I brought my hand out of the water I had an arrow head in my hand. Still have it too. Flash forward to last year while digging a fire pit next to a giant white oak in the woods I had one pop out with the loose dirt, the people I bought my house from (was owned by the same family since 1837) said the Indians would raid the house and they had a hidden room in the house to hide kids and valuables. They also said the had a giant box full of arrow heads they found in the field always after a fresh plow.
Kyle-

 

[Brentallica]

Found in my yard down about 10-12" while pulling deep nails out of the ground

 

[humpy101]

I am from WI and I have found 2 copper culture peices this year. 1 spear and 1 arrow head.