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December 4, 2008

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Native American Artifacts

NJ artifacts...

Re: NJ artifacts

5/9/2007 1:51:26 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hey Bob - I look at artifacts in 2 ways. One is the collector way and the other the archeological way. As a collector, I want to find great stuff in as perfect a condition as possible. I sometimes buy as a collector, and I only buy the best quality I can find and can afford. Looking at things in an archeological way, I'm interested in whatever was used by the people who lived where I hunt for artifacts. So I pick up stuff I would never buy or even take for free if someone offered. Then of course there is also the question of exactly how many buckets, boxes, baskets of rocks one needs or has room for. I'm just saying this in reguards to my implying you should pick up those crude tools. From a collectors viewpoint, they probably have no value and there is no reason to pick them up. Also wanted to mention I put up some pictures of quartz and chert pieces and also a box of jasper flakes. In person, the jasper is a beautiful golden brown but in the picture looks sort of greeen. Anyhow, hope things are going well Bob.

5/9/2007 4:47:00 PM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

I tend to look at things the same way jp. My main goal is to find those nice well worked artifacts, but I can appreciate the crude pieces too. When I first became interested in artifacts I kept every piece I found and have several five gallon buckets full of them. Like you said, how many of these pieces do you need and have room to store? I do keep several of these pieces each time I go out and as I find nicer ones I cull them. Even if I don't find anything great, I still have something to clean up and look at when I get home. Nice pics jp. You do have a beautiful collection. I still have trouble getting past those groved axes though. That reminds me, I was talking to a farmer over the weekend and mentioned grooved axes. He went into his house and came back out with a beauty. I guess his father found it years ago while picking stone. Things are good here jp, hope they are for you too.

5/10/2007 1:58:01 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hey Bob - That's great the farmer has a grooved axe. Pretty much certain if there's one, more are around. Hope there's a couple out there with your name on them Bob. I'm interested in hearing about the fossils in the field you mentioned in your other post. As Jax indicated, there are lots of great fossils in NY State. I'm hoping to get up to that 18 Mile Creek site myself sometime before too long. Times Scientific website also has some great trip pictures from there, as well as from many other locations in other states. What part of the state do you live in Bob?

5/11/2007 3:57:05 PM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hi jp. The fact that a grooved axe was found in the field I'm hunting does have my hopes up. I'm also anxious to check out the field with the fossils this weekend. The farmer that owns it doesn't have much interest in fossils, but said that I won't believe the amount of stuff laying right on top. I'm in the central part of NY. near Utica by the way. The 18 Mile Creek site looks interesting doesn't it?

5/11/2007 9:12:41 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Keep your eyes peeled Bob, you never know on one of those axes. One of these days. Yeah, the 18 Mile Creek site does sound real interesting. A few years back, I did a little fossil collecting in Schoharie County, alot of brachiapods and corals . Also went to see some fossilized trees in Gilboa. Tried a couple of fields for artifacts with no luck. Here in NJ we have some very good cretaceous fossil sites, similar (but not quite as varied) as those down in Texas that Jax is hunting. Let me know if you would like to head down this way sometime and check them out Bob. I put some more points up in the gallery also. Hope you have a productive weekend .

5/12/2007 5:48:16 PM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

You do have a beautiful collection jp, I hope to have something that nice someday. I cant get over all the different colors. Most of the artifacts that we find here are black shading to grey, with an odd brown piece showing up once in a while. I'd like to take a trip down that way jp. My father is in very poor health right now and I don't like to go to far from home, but It's something to think about in the future. I wouldn't be upset if you were to half bury one of those grooved axes, then kind of guide me in the right direction either.

5/14/2007 2:09:55 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hey Bob - It is great to be able to find points that have varying colors. But out of the sum total of points I've found, the vast majority are the same color( gray argillite). I've been very fortunate plus spent alot of time walking the fields to find the few colorful ones I have so far. But you know what Bob, you can only find what is there to be found. If the vast majority of the points up your way are made out of the same color material, nothing you can do except find what is there. Of course, there is another side to that equation, you can miss or not find what is there. Certain parts of the country had extremely colorful raw material for toolmaking. Florida and Washington/Oregon come immediately to mind, but lots of other areas as well. Translucent fossilized coral points from Florida and the various agates and other gem like materials used in the NorthWest are amazing to see. Anyhow Bob, I hear you loud and clear on the need to stay close to home because of your father's health. I did that for many years with my mother and also had four kids. I'm finally able to travel to some other states from time to time. Anyhow, I do think you will find more color varieties as you get out into different fields. Hope you had a good weekend.

5/16/2007 10:27:15 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Bob - Regarding an earlier discussion, archeologists are interested in anything and everything that can give information about past cultures. For collectors the most desirable artifacts have the best quality material and are in the most pristine condition. Certain point styles, mainly paleo, are extremely desirable, and generally in any artifact the bigger it is the better it is. Another factor in desirablitity is color. I mentioned Florida points to you and just put a frame of them up in the gallery. I've purchased these on trips to Florida over the past 6-8 years. I would like to show you a frame of beautiful points from the Northwest but i don't have any. The second point in BigRedmeg's Washington artifact post gives you an idea of those though. Anyhow, I think we could work something out on one of those grooved axes Bob. And I am curious if you went to the field with all the fossils over the weekend?

5/18/2007 4:51:16 PM

Bob S.

103 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hey Jp. Sorry to take so long in responding, I've been having a lot of problems with my PC. The Florida points you put up are awesome. Beautiful colors. As you said earlier, you can only find what is there and I'm perfectly happy finding the pieces and colors that I do. We managed to get out for a couple hours over the weekend and did fairly well with the artifacts, but didn't have time to check out the place with the fossils. I'm looking forward to it this weekend though. Have you been hunting?

5/18/2007 6:01:30 PM

76 posts

Re: NJ artifacts

Hey Bob - I recall saying to my son ( and it wasn't that many years ago), what do I need email for and really, what do I need a computer for. And now, if mine goes down, I'm lost and desperate to try and get the thing running again. Like how can I function without it. Anyhow, nice to hear from you. I'm interested in hearing about the field with the fossils whenever you get out there. Conditions are very good down here right now. As you know, a working field goes through a number of stages each year. Each stage, if followed by rain, brings the possibility that something new might come up. I went out Wed evening but there was alot of lightening so decided not to be silly. Did go out for a few hours last evening and found a few nice things. Looks like more rain is in store so will probably spend a fair amount of time looking this weekend. For me, more rain equals higher stream levels and less fossil hunting but more artifact hunting. It really is true, you can only find what is there. So, good to keep in mind your (and my) good fortune to have places to look. Alot of folks are not so fortunate. Hope you have a good weekend Bob.

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