Santa Cruz CA

[CHUDs]

My good buddy pulled this out of the ground next to his driveway while doing some work today. I only got one picture before my camera died but I will get more. Definite continuous native occupation for almost 10,000 years in this area...but the material is not from here. He says that it may have fallen out of someone's car years ago just as easily as it being a broken point lost while hunting just up the creek from his spot. I'm certainly no expert and he doesn't hunt for artifacts, he just saw this on his property. Seems pretty awesome to me. I've never seen anything like it. This piece is about 3" long. Thanks for the input.

 

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[Mark Todd]

Cool, looks like obsidian in your picture, I bet you could cut some pretty tough grizzle with that, nice find. Don't know enough about your area to give any more specific information I'm sure someone else on here will know

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Pomo Indians (Lake County) exclusively used obsidian to make points. They also traded with the coastal Indians.

Just a thought.

 

[CHUDs]

It's definitely obsidian. I've only found that material here as chips and flakes. It's cool, but out of place.

 

[jamus peek]

It's definitely obsidian. I've only found that material here as chips and flakes. It's cool, but out of place.

Hi Chud Napa is the closest source for obsidian that i know about. Obsidian was a major trade item.

 

[joshuaream]

It's definitely obsidian. I've only found that material here as chips and flakes. It's cool, but out of place.

Interesting, I would have figured it to be a little more common there. I've got an old frame of points and artifacts from Contra Costa County that are basically Stockton notch points and broken Stockton curve that came from shell mounds that were leveled. Almost everything is obsidian & shell, and one piece of Monterrey chert.

 

[jamus peek]

Interesting, I would have figured it to be a little more common there. I've got an old frame of points and artifacts from Contra Costa County that are basically Stockton notch points and broken Stockton curve that came from shell mounds that were leveled. Almost everything is obsidian & shell, and one piece of Monterrey chert.

Napa county is not far from Contra Costa County. Obsidian is a rare find where Chud is. Also we refer to shellmounds here as earthmounds. There were over 500 earthmounds discovered along the bay in the late 1800 s and early 1900 s. I personally no one of the archeologists who excavated several. Also i have seen some very unique artifacts from these excavations at San Jose State university. Nothing like what i have seen online. Stone implements here are very geometrically shaped.

 

[joshuaream]

Also we refer to shellmounds here as earthmounds. There were over 500 earthmounds discovered along the bay in the late 1800 s and early 1900 s.

My comment was simply that I thought it would have been more common in his area, I certainly don't doubt him that it isn't common. It's interesting to me how materials moved around. In some areas they'd march material 1000+ miles, but in another area 100 miles means the difference between seeing it or not seeing it.

Everything that I have ever read about the San Francisco bay mounds calls them Shell Mounds not Earthen Mounds.

 

[CHUDs]

Franciscan and Monterey cherts are the most common material here. The shell mounds had obsidian in them and it is occasionally found but my experience with it in the coastal zone is limited to flakes. I've always heard them called shell mounds and there are an incredible amount of shells coming out of them but I've never been to any of the San Jose museums to see the excavated artifacts. I should make the trip over the hill to check it out!

 

[jamus peek]

My comment was simply that I thought it would have been more common in his area, I certainly don't doubt him that it isn't common. It's interesting to me how materials moved around. In some areas they'd march material 1000+ miles, but in another area 100 miles means the difference between seeing it or not seeing it.

Everything that I have ever read about the San Francisco bay mounds calls them Shell Mounds not Earthen Mounds.

Yeah i hear you. I reffered to them as shellmounds as well until I was told they are reffered to as earthmounds because some lack the shells. I am not sure when Archies here stopped calling them shellmounds. Just thought i would pass on what i have been told. The Muwekma Tribe's literature refers to them as earth mounds as well.