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October 6, 2008

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Artifacts

Native American Artifacts

NJ artifacts...

Re: NJ artifacts

4/27/2007 12:49:42 AM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

There really isn't a lot plowed here yet jp, but we have found a few nice pieces. Things that were either brought up by the frost, or just missed last year. My favorite so far is what I believe to be an awl. I've found several parts and pieces over the past few years, but this is the first whole (perfect one) I've found. When I get a new digi cam I'd like to get your opinion of it. How about you? Have you been out hunting?

4/27/2007 2:19:54 AM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

I've been out three or four times with very little to show for it. A couple of argillite points and some colonial pipe stems. Do you ever find pipe stems? I've found alot over the years, also broken bowls but never whole ones. I've found a few native made pipe stems and one beautiful fragment of a native made pipe bowl. Anyhow, be happy to take a look at the awl when you get your new camera. I have a few drills I'll take a picture of and you can see how they compare with your awl.

4/27/2007 5:15:56 AM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

I misspoke myself when I said I had found an awl jp, I should have said drill, or reamer as some call them.I have never found a pipe. You would think that the colonial pipes would be more common here than they seem to be. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places. A stone pipe is another thing I would love to find. Laying right next to that grooved axe by the way. A couple points and some pipe stems sounds pretty good to me.

4/27/2007 1:40:58 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Mostly the elongated tools that come to a sharp or fairly sharp point are called drills or reamers, but some of them undoubtably functioned like an awl so I think that is a fine term. An awl would be used to push a hole through something. I would imagine there would be a great many uses in a native encampment for a tool like that. You figure there must have been an incredible amount of animal skins that needed to have holes poked in them for clothing and shelter. I can state, based on the evidence of artifacts I have found, that the area I hunt was occupied from early Archaic times through the contact period. Evidence for contact period occupation is a cigar box full of colonial era pipe stems. Plus 3 copper thimbles, metal buttons, coins (the earliest being 1666). So if you are not finding pipe stems (which are very distinctive and easy to find by the way, becasuse they are light colored) it means the sites you are hunting are pre contact. NY State is noted for it's native made stone and pottery pipes. I've seen some incredible pipes from up your way Bob. So, it is very likely that one of these days you will find one or a fragment of one. And of course, it will undoubtably be laying right next to a grooved axe!

4/28/2007 1:34:20 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Bob - I added some pictures of drills, colonial pipes, and native made pipes this morning. Let me know if the piece you found is similar. Lots of rain yesterday, good day for artifact hunting.

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