Rock Shelter Artifacts

[1320]

I was able to spend the better part of the last four days exploring a very nice cave like shelter. The shelter is about 50 feet deep, 30 feet wide and approx 6 feet tall. The floor is extremely rocky and the sand only about 5 inches deep so I was very surprised at the number and quality of the artifacts. By far, this is the hardest dig I've experienced but well worth the effort. The photo of the shelter was taken from the back wall looking out.

The different styles/types of points is a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure if the photos will show it well but the tooth (bear?) has been drilled down through the top and two small holes are drilled into the sides, perhaps it was a necklace?

One point in particular (bifuracate?) I cannot ID, any help in that regard would be greatly appreciated. It is 1 3/4" long and very thin. One ear was broken but it was reworked.

[all_atv]

Wow real neat stuff! The "tooth" may actualy be the tip of an antler, drilled to accept an arrow shaft and the sides to tie it on.

[iowa trout]

Wowzers nice haul 1320 congrats the last piece is very intresting .

[archer66]

Great stuff.....I absolutely love seeing cave and shelter finds.

[ohioaxeman]

I'd have to say WOW too...

[musky44]

those are some awsome finds. thanks for sharing. ive had a nice rock shelter in mind, but i keep putting it off, your finds get me pretty excited!

[Felinepeachy]

YOWZA!!!

That cave is awesome, the finds are amazing and the pics are great!!!!!

[Hutch in PA]

Amazing! Are there any signs of previous excavation? Very well done.

[olroy70]

In Southern NM, there are very few arrowheads, but a lot of pottery.
The theory was, they used antlers and turkey spurs for points.........

Very nice finds!!!!!!!!!

[1320]

Wow real neat stuff! The "tooth" may actualy be the tip of an antler, drilled to accept an arrow shaft and the sides to tie it on.

Interesting....hadn't thought of that. I've looked at many photos today of both bear incisors and antler tips...I'm still wondering. It favors a black bear lower incisor but I cannot rule out an antler. Thanks for offering a different opinion!

[1320]

those are some awsome finds. thanks for sharing. ive had a nice rock shelter in mind, but i keep putting it off, your finds get me pretty excited!

Why don't you let me explore it for you Musky?!

[1320]

Amazing! Are there any signs of previous excavation? Very well done.

Yes Hutch, the front portion (entrance) appears to have been previously dug. In the photo of the shelter, you can see a 2.5' pile of dirt that runs the length of the entrance. On the right side of the pile, you can see a tree that is growing on top of the mound, looks to be about a 20-25 year old tree (just a guess). The portion of the shelter where these artifacts were found, had not been touched and I can only speculate why the previous work wasn't completed.....thank goodness! Indeed it is back breaking work to excavate rocky shelters and I can understand why someone would walk away from it.

[1320]

Hutch, I just thought of something, I guess it is possible that the mound of dirt in front of the shelter might have fallen from the top of the cliff....I might have to take a few samples from the mound just to make sure. If that's the case, it's likely there will be more artifacts to be found if I'm willing to remove several tons of wet sand!

[Treasure Hounds]

Just beautiful! Congrats! Your 4th picture, bottom row, orange point, looks like a leaf with veins. Love them all.
Are you in the Appalachians?
Caroline

[mad.co.walker]

nice finds and where you located

[GPAZ]

Nice finds! You could be digging up cool stuff for years. I was looking at the way that the bears tooth/antler looks to be coned on the inside and had a thought. Could the piece of antler "or bears tooth" have been the socket piece of an atlatle that the notch on the back of the spear rested on?

[1320]

Just beautiful! Congrats! Your 4th picture, bottom row, orange point, looks like a leaf with veins. Love them all.
Are you in the Appalachians?
Caroline

That point does look like a leaf Caroline, good observation! Yes, I'm in the Appalachian "foothills", Central Kentucky.....

[1320]

nice finds and where you located

Thanks mad...this shelter is located in Central Kentucky.

[1320]

Nice finds! You could be digging up cool stuff for years. I was looking at the way that the bears tooth/antler looks to be coned on the inside and had a thought. Could the piece of antler "or bears tooth" have been the socket piece of an atlatle that the notch on the back of the spear rested on?

Indeed it has been "coned" and yes it very well could have been the socket piece, why didn't I think of that?! Good call.

[Molly.]

Excellent.