Rainy day points

[tonykidd]

We had a really good morning hunt after the deluge yesterday and last night. My wife and I found some nice points and tools, including a heartbreaker of a Dalton with a broken tip. We won't have many more days like this with summer coming on, so we're thankful for the cool weather!

View attachment 1447835
View attachment 1447836
View attachment 1447837
View attachment 1447838
View attachment 1447839

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[arrow86]

Wow ... Nice finds that's an awesome day there's some real killers in there

 

[tnmudman]

Nice stuff that last one at the bottom is wicked looking how about some more closeups of some others

 

[tonykidd]

Nice stuff that last one at the bottom is wicked looking how about some more closeups of some others

View attachment 1447865
View attachment 1447866
View attachment 1447867
View attachment 1447868

 

[coosakid]

Always great finds... You got any tips on how to find a good campsite??
I could use em!!

Sent from my A571VL using Tapatalk

 

[tonykidd]

Always great finds... You got any tips on how to find a good campsite??
I could use em!!

Sent from my A571VL using Tapatalk

I can get pretty long-winded on this topic, so bear with me! Typically, we look for a few things: a good water source-or where one may have been thousands of years ago, semi-flat ground that is in close proximity and easily defensible, and where a latrine or easily accessible waste disposal area may be (typically downwind, so have an idea of prevailing winds). It's a fun exercise to try and determine the location and layout of an encampment or village, and it makes the hunt much more interesting than just picking up artifacts. We try and catalog or map what we find in an area, and also which way they are oriented in case there may be a ceremonial component. It's a little more time consuming but we try to be diligent.
Indians had many of the same problems we have today, although on a different scale that we can barely comprehend. Thirsty? Turn on a faucet. Hungry? Open the refrigerator. Hot? Turn on the air conditioner or get some ice. Cold? That's some common ground we still share. Both of us have a type of shelter we can go in that is designed to battle the cold. Although we have access to gas or oil for fuel, wood is still very common. That's about the point where the similarity ends, however. We only need the fuel supply when it's cold or for convenience. They needed it all day, every day, 24/7 and 365. It has been estimated that an Indian family conservatively used one-third of a 10" diameter tree per day, every day. That's assuming normal winters and a perpetual cook fire. Today, the normal practice for a timber company is to plant and maintain 300-400 pine trees per acre. If a clan of 50 Indian families were to follow the previously mentioned formula for tree consumption and had modern tree populations, simple math shows that wouldn't take long to seriously thin out an area-and the tree density was nowhere near what it is today. So, in my opinion they would rotate campsites in a certain pattern, use them for a few years then move to the next one. They would return when the resources were back to peak levels, both game and fuel supply.
Anyway, that's basically how we do it, and we've been very fortunate. If you're finding a lot of points or artifacts that you feel weren't lost or discarded, start looking!

 

[coosakid]

I can get pretty long-winded on this topic, so bear with me! Typically, we look for a few things: a good water source-or where one may have been thousands of years ago, semi-flat ground that is in close proximity and easily defensible, and where a latrine or easily accessible waste disposal area may be (typically downwind, so have an idea of prevailing winds). It's a fun exercise to try and determine the location and layout of an encampment or village, and it makes the hunt much more interesting than just picking up artifacts. We try and catalog or map what we find in an area, and also which way they are oriented in case there may be a ceremonial component. It's a little more time consuming but we try to be diligent.
Indians had many of the same problems we have today, although on a different scale that we can barely comprehend. Thirsty? Turn on a faucet. Hungry? Open the refrigerator. Hot? Turn on the air conditioner or get some ice. Cold? That's some common ground we still share. Both of us have a type of shelter we can go in that is designed to battle the cold. Although we have access to gas or oil for fuel, wood is still very common. That's about the point where the similarity ends, however. We only need the fuel supply when it's cold or for convenience. They needed it all day, every day, 24/7 and 365. It has been estimated that an Indian family conservatively used one-third of a 10" diameter tree per day, every day. That's assuming normal winters and a perpetual cook fire. Today, the normal practice for a timber company is to plant and maintain 300-400 pine trees per acre. If a clan of 50 Indian families were to follow the previously mentioned formula for tree consumption and had modern tree populations, simple math shows that wouldn't take long to seriously thin out an area-and the tree density was nowhere near what it is today. So, in my opinion they would rotate campsites in a certain pattern, use them for a few years then move to the next one. They would return when the resources were back to peak levels, both game and fuel supply.
Anyway, that's basically how we do it, and we've been very fortunate. If you're finding a lot of points or artifacts that you feel weren't lost or discarded, start looking!

I appreciate all that.... Pretty deep thinking. I always wondered why there were multiple campsites in an area, but that makes sense about using the resources and moving on.... One more question for you..... I got a spot that im almost 100% ,certain is a campsite on a couple of small knobs that are hid in behind the tallest point in the area.... Flakes and broke pieces everywhere..... If I do decide to try digging how could I narrow down where to start... And I do appreciate your advice

Sent from my A571VL using Tapatalk

 

[tonykidd]

I appreciate all that.... Pretty deep thinking. I always wondered why there were multiple campsites in an area, but that makes sense about using the resources and moving on.... One more question for you..... I got a spot that im almost 100% ,certain is a campsite on a couple of small knobs that are hid in behind the tallest point in the area.... Flakes and broke pieces everywhere..... If I do decide to try digging how could I narrow down where to start... And I do appreciate your advice

Sent from my A571VL using Tapatalk

Well, for starters we've never found many points or artifacts in areas where we find chips and shards. Our opinion is that these are "quarry" or manufacturing areas that were set up away from the camp, just like you'd set it up away from your house to keep the clutter in a designated spot. Besides, if there was a piece of flint left over that was usable, they would use it! At the current site we are digging, the "quarry" area is approximately 60-70 yards away and furthest from the water source. The camp site is very close to where the ground begins sloping to the water, in this case an old spring head which is now nearly dry. The site I'm describing has points which are aged from about 5,000 to 1300 years BP, so Archaic into Woodland. The Early Archaic site we are currently hunting has the same characteristics, but is located on a flat saddle between a small creek and another nearly dry spring head. Both sides slope away and it's only about 50 yards wide, so it's much easier to determine where the site is located (it's hard to set up a camp on a slope). I've also found clay to be a good buffer because the artifacts won't normally penetrate into the clay layer, and as the soil erodes they are either on or close to the clay surface. We will normally walk off about a 50 yard square when we have an idea about a location, and dig a test pit at each corner. Ideally, each pit is 5' square and 4' deep if we don't hit hard clay. We then dig another in the middle. In sites less than 4500 years old, there will usually be pottery shards. If it was a settlement, it will be very abundant. Older than that, there won't be any pottery so it takes a little more patience and leg work. If you feel certain of a location, you may need to dig more test pits. Also, make sure you sift! My wife found 3 whole points yesterday in piles of dirt I had pulled out of a bank and was certain were clean.
None of these methods are foolproof, but they afford a good chance of finding something. It's backbreaking initially, but once the hard work is done, the rest is gravy. Good luck and keep me posted!
Also, we have found an implement called a "wiggle pick" that a friend sent from Missouri that is great for slicing into dirt banks.

 

[coosakid]

Alright man thanks for all your advice.... You sound like you know what your talking about.... I've never dug for anything might try soon though.... Gonna definitely take a good look at the landscape and try to take it all in.. I appreciate your time and advice!

Sent from my A571VL using Tapatalk

 

[Ici]

My uncle who was the head archaeologist for many native american sites for the military in the eastern US always looked for tools, fire rocks nutting stones etc.

 

[tonykidd]

My uncle who was the head archaeologist for many native american sites for the military in the eastern US always looked for tools, fire rocks nutting stones etc.

Agreed. We get really excited about "nutting" stones, but have never found any fire rocks. Natural stone is rare in our area, so when we find a stone of any kind it's significant.