Info on Indian artifacts from Grayson County / southwest Virginia

[redbeardrelics]

A couple years ago for my 50th birthday, my father gave me this frame of artifacts that he found as a kid. These are from where he grew up near the small town of Rugby in southwestern Virginia. I am familiar with some of the typology, that I assume is consistent to the typology of what I collect here on the Delmarva peninsula. I am not familiar though with the lithics. I would be interested in learning anything about these points from anyone familiar with that locale. A lot of the points are made from the light grey chert / (chalcedony?), such as the large Decatur point on the middle right hand side under the bird talons. Does this material have a recognized name? I was alos wondering if the black flint items are Kanahwa (sp?) chert, does it occur in this area. I am also curious what you what call the grey side notched point, which is seen in the middle block of points, upper right hand corner. are these referred to as Big Sandy's ,or Otter Creeks, or something else in SW Virginia. Looking forward to any info I can find from someone with knowledge of artifacts from this area.

 

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[Flex68]

Unfortunately, I can't answer many of your questions....but when I saw Grayson County and Rugby, I had to respond!
(I am originally from there!!)

The rarer and harder-to-find items that you have pictured are the quartz (especially the clear ones) and the red flint items. This is from information provided to me when I was just a kid by a lifelong resident of Grassy Creek, Ray Blevins, who had hunted for many years and amassed an amazing collection.
I personally never found a red one, and only a couple of white quartz...no clears. He had a handful of each, which was a tiny percentage of his overall finds.

Looking forward to hearing others comments/answers to your questions. That is a very nice collection!

 

[redbeardrelics]

Hello there FLEX68, thanks for your reply. My Dad was born and raised on Shippy's Branch. Vaught is my last name, and I am also closely related to the Gaultney clan from the same vicinity. I have visited that area several times, and it is certainly beautiful country, a great place to grow up in I am sure. My Dad told me most of these artifacts were found on the same farm (Micheals I think, or maybe Mitchell?). He said most of the boys he grew up with surface collected to some degree there, and the owner of the farm had by far the best stuff.

 

[theviking]

Wow, great gift! Everything from archaic to woodland with a few tools to go along. Virginia has almost 20 different named cherts, mostly black and grey, several of these are found in southwest Virginia.It can be difficult to tell them apart. Most folks around here do call the black stuff Kanawha, even though we are nowhere near the Kanawha Valley. The red and tan Jasper's are also typical of western VA. I would call the grey side notched a Big Sandy, but I am no expert. Thanks for the view of some nice VA artifacts. Also, welcome to T-net.

 

[GatorBoy]

The blueish material looks a lot like the blue hornstone found in Kentucky.
Great bunch of artifacts.
The two greenish colored stemmed points including the one upside down in between them look like rayholite.

 

[monsterrack]

Welcome to Tnet That is a great collection and something I would hold dear to my heart since it came from your dad.

 

[Flex68]

Hello there FLEX68, thanks for your reply. My Dad was born and raised on Shippy's Branch. Vaught is my last name, and I am also closely related to the Gaultney clan from the same vicinity. I have visited that area several times, and it is certainly beautiful country, a great place to grow up in I am sure. My Dad told me most of these artifacts were found on the same farm (Micheals I think, or maybe Mitchell?). He said most of the boys he grew up with surface collected to some degree there, and the owner of the farm had by far the best stuff.

I am definitely familiar with Shippey's Branch....your folks came from the Mt. Rogers side of Rugby, while I was raised on the Grassy Creek side.
I knew the Roten's who had a large farm either on or near Shippey's.
I can't say that I recall the name of the farm you mention, but I have been moved away for 20+ years, now.
Wish my dad was still living, as I have no doubt that he would know of it.

 

[dlos]

Cool stuff and a great way to acquire them all! I see quartz, rhyolite there. The rest I am not familiar with but do see some of the black and gray from time to time in Central NC.

 

[rock]

Nice gift! he did a good job with the frame.

 

[redbeardrelics]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the welcomes and the info. HH

 

[Totsuwa]

The last three on image 2 are "Appalachian/Savannah River" points (They just stuck out to me)... You have some really nice points here!

 

[katdancing]

Beautiful Collection. Thank you for the pic! Kat

 

[Get-the-point]

You have a nice assemblage there. From Early Archaic to Woodland. The bifurcated points are Lecroy, but you do have one Kanahwa bi-furcate. You have Palmer points, Kirk points Stemmed and notched. You have Savannah River points the outside two are Rhyollite and the center one Purple Argillite. The Decatur point could possibly be a either that or a Perkiomen point. There are Levanna and Madison triangles. You have Brewerton Corner notch and Eared points and a possible Beaver lake point. You are also correct on the Big Sandy forms being Otter Creek. Nice frame of artifacts......................GTP

 

[redbeardrelics]

Thanks GTP, which one do you think might be a possible Beaver Lake, I am not familiar with that type? The one I had identified as a Decatur has the classic burin flakes on the base, leading me to call it that. also which one do you see as a Kanahwa bifurcate / thank s again.

You have a nice assemblage there. From Early Archaic to Woodland. The bifurcated points are Lecroy, but you do have one Kanahwa bi-furcate. You have Palmer points, Kirk points Stemmed and notched. You have Savannah River points the outside two are Rhyollite and the center one Purple Argillite. The Decatur point could possibly be a either that or a Perkiomen point. There are Levanna and Madison triangles. You have Brewerton Corner notch and Eared points and a possible Beaver lake point. You are also correct on the Big Sandy forms being Otter Creek. Nice frame of artifacts......................GTP

 

[painterx7]

Nice points my friend great gift !!!!

 

[BurntBear]

Thanks for the link!