Archaic Toolkit Cache

[1320]

My brother and I continued our dig at the monster shelter Sunday/Monday and FINALLY hit paydirt, finding an assortment of archaic tools tucked away under a rock ledge! Five of the tools came up in one sifter load! Our next sifter revealed 2 more tools. At that point, I hurried home to get the camera to document what else might come from the hole but we only managed one more blade from the cache upon my return.

The tools came from about the five foot level. We were into a small about of debitage and trying to get down to the 5 1/2 level when I hit rock. So I moved out about a foot from the shelter wall and hit a soft spot. I was trying to locate the edge of the wall and work downward as we've had very good luck finding artifacts right against the wall. I went after the soft spot and as I leveraged the shovel up and out, I hit rock again, parallel to the shelter wall. Essentially, I had a crevice about 8 inches wide that I could dig. The first shovel fulls revealed nothing and as I continued to dig, I discovered that I could reach back underneath the rock about 12 inches and that's where the cache was located. 8 artifacts in all, from one spot...just unbelievable for my brother and I. This by far is our best dig to date.

I took the cache to a local "expert" to get his opinion and he thinks that the white blade might be gem quality. I'm not sure what that means but I must agree, it is one nice point. As pictured, a short piece of petrified wood came up with the artifacts. Is it possible that this piece of wood was a handle or shaft? I wasn't sure but I kept it as part of the cache just in case

 

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[1320]

I fear a huge amount of significant archaeological information is being lost through this sifting for relics. Collecting tilled fields is one thing, but a stratified shelter like this one should be reported to the professionals, and then reserved for professional excavation.

I can say that an untouched shelter with Early Archaic material would be of enormous importance in my state (Pennsylvania).

artorius

The top two feet of this shelter has been previously dug and because of little to no over hang, the shelter stays wet year round. Except for lithics, the record is long gone. The archy's seek much more data than just lithics these days. To be honest, I'm not sure what else there is to learn as so many shelters in this area have been professionally dug.

Please don't get me wrong, I appreciate your point of view as I used to think the same. Part of me still does.

 

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[1320]

Wow...great finds man. You are into some killer early archaic horizon. Fanfreakingtastic stuff.

Thanks 37, I'm glad that we share the same passion. Fanfreakingtastic just about says it all

 

[1320]

Awesome points! Perfectly preserved after all those years! Love the scrapers too, and your site picture! What state are you in?
Caroline

Thanks Caroline, this location is East Central Kentucky. Finding a duckbill and thumbnail together was a thrill! I really admire them.

 

[1320]

1320!! as close as i can tell gem means as close to perfect as possable to get sound okey to you, great finds .. Terry

Thanks Terry. Tom Davis lives but a few miles from my place, I'm thinking about taking the white blade to him from a proper "G" appraisal.

 

[Flint-seeker]

I have nominated these finds for the banner, as well. Finds like this just don't come along every day and we need to see more lithics on the banner!

Congrats on so many amazing finds all in one cache, that would make my year!

Cheers!

Shane

 

[1320]

Thank you Shane.

 

[Felinepeachy]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Congratulations on making the banner. It is well deserved!!

 

[Jonzer]

Congratulations on the banner.
Well deserved sir.

 

[Troyounce]

Awesome Finds! I believe in preserving too but like everyone else said... Who's going to see it in a box! Keep us informed of more finds!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Congrats on the banner!

Great tool kit

 

[marinedad]

thanks for sharing these fine artifacts.

 

[jgas]

Now thats a totally different kind of digging than I do in privies, but I am up for that too. Congrats on some great points.... jgas

 

[DigginThePast]

Wow! Thats a lot of digging, but totally worth it.

Congrats on the Banner and a bigger congrats on some stellar finds!

 

[Deepdiger60]

Pure history beautiful points congrats on the banner Jim

 

[SOHIO]

[mod]This was completely off topic. Perhaps you can start another thread regarding laws. [/mod]

 

[RIcoinhunter]

Great finds!!.You guys did alot of hard work to recover these artifacts.

 

[trikikiwi]

Congratulations on achieving the Banner

Thank You for sharing your finds with all of us.
They are spectacular.

Cheers, Mike

 

[naturegirl]

BIG Congratulations on such an exciting find! And on the banner, they look great up there. It's fun to hunt alone, but it's nice when someone is there right at the moment of a find too, share my congrats to your brother

 

[Michaelangelo]

Absolutely awesome!! Congrats on the Banner as well. Those are simply amazing pieces and many thanks for posting for us all to see.
Just curious how you picked this particular spot to dig? Sure paid off in spades.

 

[Charmin]

Wonderful pictures, 1320! Beautiful shelter and finds!!
Congrats on the BANNER!!!