✅ SOLVED Need help with the age of Indian Gill Net (lead) weight

[USNFLYR]

Need help with hand made (lead) item

I recently searched the shoreline of a small feeder stream that empties to the Columbia River. I found six to seven hand molded lead items that I believe were wrapped around nylon or natural rope at the base of a fishing net. These are not machine made, and I can see knife strikes on the outer surface showing the proof that these were handmade. The area I found them once had a large population of Native Americans and they were avid salmon hunters. On the metal detector, the signal mirrors those of large caliber CW era bullets and the lead resembles the same quality of lead used by the soldiers.

Has anyone on the forum found these? Can anyone give a more accurate accounting of the type of use and the age of these lead relics?



Thanks!

 

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[USNFLYR]

Maybe not Native American?

 

[DCMatt]

Anything other than context that makes you think these are Native American? Anybody could have made them...

 

[DizzyDigger]

I'd agree they're net weights, but no idea as to actual age. Could very
well be that they are modern.

FWIW, You'll want to be sure you aren't on one of the native reservations
that run along the Columbia. From what I've heard, they don't much
appreciate artifact hunters on their turf.

 

[USNFLYR]

For sure they were not picked up on reservation land. The Columbia had many non native commercial salmon fishing operations (companies) throughout the 1860-1960 time period. I am leaning toward them as a source.

 

[USNFLYR]

Thanks Matt. As Dizzy Digger stated, these could be modern. I no longer believe them to be a Native relic. I was posting them, hoping that someone from the forum had found one and would add to the conversation. I will keep researching....

 

[unclemac]

i have found a lot of those in the same area you found yours (Pacific county)...those are line weights...not uncommon at all

 

[USNFLYR]

Thanks Unclemac.... finally someone that confirmed it ....and whom actually found one....

Cased closed

 

[A2coins]

Awesome ID and find