More Harps...

[Swartzie]

Found a couple more Jews harps today. The one is bent up pretty good. This makes six all together from the same site. Anyone know why there would be so many in one site? Lots of trade silver found on the same site as well.

-Swartzie

 

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[Steve0]

Nice finds been watching your post. Thats alot of jews harps from one site. Watch out for the iron ones also.
There is probley lots more silver there. I had a site that only had 3 jews harps, lots of tinklers and probley over 400 pieces of small silver and a few bigger ones, hunted this spot like 3 years with others. You almost have to dig every signal as the small pieces do not give much of a signal when down 8 inches. When you got it hunted out go over it again and again
Happy Hunting

 

[Swartzie]

Nice finds been watching your post. Thats alot of jews harps from one site. Watch out for the iron ones also.
There is probley lots more silver there. I had a site that only had 3 jews harps, lots of tinklers and probley over 400 pieces of small silver and a few bigger ones, hunted this spot like 3 years with others. You almost have to dig every signal as the small pieces do not give much of a signal when down 8 inches. When you got it hunted out go over it again and again
Happy Hunting

I imagine I'll be working this site at least another year. There's a lot of ground to cover. I hunt in all metal and dig every signal. You almost have to use all metal because some of this stuff is so small that disc mode would not pick it up.

-Swartzie

 

[Steve0]

trade

I see you got some trade siver and some brass. Are you finding lots of iron or lots of nails in the area. How many beads you found? And any small brass cut off, which would lead to brass tinklers and maybe brass or copper pots.
Just seems from the post that you mostly got hews harps and some silver.
Were the harps found in one area or scattered over big area? Some of the times I have seen this stuff scattered all over and sometimes its like it was lost or left in one spot.
Happy Hunting

 

[Swartzie]

Re: trade

I see you got some trade siver and some brass. Are you finding lots of iron or lots of nails in the area. How many beads you found? And any small brass cut off, which would lead to brass tinklers and maybe brass or copper pots.
Just seems from the post that you mostly got hews harps and some silver.
Were the harps found in one area or scattered over big area? Some of the times I have seen this stuff scattered all over and sometimes its like it was lost or left in one spot.
Happy Hunting

All my finds out there have been like in a 70 ft diameter area. The harps have been scattered about in this area. I have found a couple brass fragments. I don't know if they are kettle fragments or not. No beads. Have found lots of small iron pieces.

-Swartzie

 

[Cleetus]

Maybe the jews harps were a common trade item, Indians and Pioneers alike, probably liked them. When you had a little extra cash, you stocked up on things that could easily be traded. Blankets, copper, knifes, axe blades, etc.

 

[Lloydd]

Swartzie
I have been drooling over your nice finds for some time now, you have a nice spot. I have found a few trade items but none recently. I live near a Tuscarora Reservation and some of the items may have been associated with their presence. About 30 years ago I heard an old Chief of the tribe give a talk about their history and saw many artifacts that he had collected while detecting the old cabin sites which had been burned by the British during the War of 1812. He had found many harps as you have and he explained that they were given, by the British ,to the women of the tribe to keep them quiet, occupied and out of the way as the men of the tribe assembled for meetings with the British officers. Heard it from the "horses mouth" so to speak, not sure how he knew that to be true though! Good hunting and more pictures please!! Lloyd

 

[Swartzie]

Swartzie
I have been drooling over your nice finds for some time now, you have a nice spot. I have found a few trade items but none recently. I live near a Tuscarora Reservation and some of the items may have been associated with their presence. About 30 years ago I heard an old Chief of the tribe give a talk about their history and saw many artifacts that he had collected while detecting the old cabin sites which had been burned by the British during the War of 1812. He had found many harps as you have and he explained that they were given, by the British ,to the women of the tribe to keep them quiet, occupied and out of the way as the men of the tribe assembled for meetings with the British officers. Heard it from the "horses mouth" so to speak, not sure how he knew that to be true though! Good hunting and more pictures please!! Lloyd

Thanks for the story Lloyd. It does kind of make sense when you think about it. They were given the harps to occupy their time for awhile. Then set them aside when they get bored with them. Hmmm. Interesting.

Hoping for more finds. The site is soon to see construction. Markers for a silt fence run right through the middle of the site. Not sure what they have planned. The site is on corps of engineers property.

-Swartzie

 

[Rege-PA]

The harps are very interesting but I`m wondering if they were used for other purposes besides music. Judging from some of the bent examples they could have been used as clamps, similar to clothes pins for hides and furs or any other purpose where a light clamp was needed.