Native American artifacts on land

[Pripyat]

I just purchased this land around two years ago, I just bottom plowed a portion and am finding a plethora of artifacts. There is one section, a 10 yard radius, where we've found half a dozen arrow heads, hundreds of flint flakes, multiple hammer stones, and a bunch of pottery shards. I'm in Patrick, South Carolina, in the sandhills. There is literally NO metal in this section of land. I went over it thoroughly on the highest sensitivity of my detector and found absolutely no steel or iron.

Can anyone comment on any of these items? Literally, the only thing I know, is that the arrowheads are made from chert? I don't know where the chert would have come from. I have no idea how to date the pottery, either. I am fairly certain the round stones are "hammer stones" for flintknapping but beyond that, I'm not sure if I'm looking at a bunch of random rocks or if any of them have any significant historical value. My son (7 years old) is freaking out, he has literally found more arrowheads than anyone else. He is now obsessed with native americans and was able to convince me to start learning to flintknap. Flintknapping supplies come in early next week. Any knowledge at all about any of the items I have here would make his day (or week). Thanks in advance!

Sorry it is so dim - Here is some chert?


More chert?


Pottery


Hammerstone?


Arrowheads, some incomplete


Misc rocks 1 of 2


Misc rocks 2 of 2


Lastly, the latest native american enthusiast, my son (with his two arrowheads he found in a 10 minute span).



Gallery with more pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/68VvosyX5M4XX3Pu9

 

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[Quartzite Keith]

A lot of that looks like flakes/debitage. Is there a stone source there, or nearby?

One big value of learning knapping is that you will become an expert in debitage since that is mostly what you end up making! Since you are on an archaeological site, do be very careful with all your chips and what-not. You may want to go as far as to collect all of it on a tarp and put it in with the household trash going to the landfill. If you keep it onsite, put all in one well known pile and mix in a handful of pennys every so often.

The holes in the hammer stones are from natural voids in the rock, not man made and serve no function.

 

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[Pripyat]

You may want to go as far as to collect all of it on a tarp and put it in with the household trash going to the landfill. If you keep it onsite, put all in one well known pile and mix in a handful of pennys every so often.

Huh?

 

[Pripyat]

 

[Quartzite Keith]

Huh?

All of the waste flakes and other debitage generated by your knapping. So when someone in the future finds artifacts on your land there is no question if it is old or new.

 

[Pripyat]

Ok, thanks for clarifying - I was so confused.

 

[H.P.]

Priceless, memories..

 

[Garscale]

I am the screening expert. I have pretty much worked thru every stage of excavating from brush and trowel to skid steer and power screen. I very recently helped a member build a screen that would work perfect for you. You already gave the sweet spot dialed in. Ill see if I can find his post.

 

[Garscale]

Check out... DIY screen shaker stand... Thread by txag. I bumped it to the top.

 

[CaptEsteban]

Is there a creek on your property ? I like to hunt & sift in the creeks, if possible. I use a smaller screen, maybe 18" square. I have swim " Noodle " pieces attached to the sides with wire ties. One eye bolt in the frame where I attach a short piece of rope & tie off the other end loosely around my leg. This lets me work, dig hands free, til I want to sift. I have been doing this for many years.

 

[Pripyat]

YESSSSS


[Edit] I'm such a moron.. I was excited to find it, didn't even think about my son. He was so upset, he only found 4 small pieces of flint... Wish I could go back in time and throw it back down for him to stumble upon. Sigh.

I guess I need to build my screen so I can get some good stuff to plant for him later.. lol.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

YESSSSS
View attachment 1857733

[Edit] I'm such a moron.. I was excited to find it, didn't even think about my son. He was so upset, he only found 4 small pieces of flint... Wish I could go back in time and throw it back down for him to stumble upon. Sigh.

I guess I need to build my screen so I can get some good stuff to plant for him later.. lol.

Like to hear some thoughts on that one. Careful not to drop it. That's a real possibility - trust me.
Pretend like it's thousands of years old! Don't just hand it to someone..they will drop it.

Per your son not finding the daily winner..from the sounds of it, there will be more to find.
You probably will not have to "plant anything". Kids have better eyes and are closer to the ground.

I understand what you felt.

I hope your find gives him some hope and pumps his ambition up to search a little harder next hunt knowing what is possible. Maybe with some help, he will find the next big one.

Might as well get used to it now, because someone else will always hook more fish or a bigger fish.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Gently wash it, then take pictures of both sides.
You will get more input as far as what you found.

 

[Pripyat]

More and higher quality pics in this gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NQV2P95v81Y83TZXA









I spoke with the neighbor at the property line earlier. He said that my land was the outskirts of the village, that the village itself was on the next field over (on his property). He said he has around 250 points that he has collected off the property over the years. He was set out to buy the land I'm on to search but it wasn't offered to him (we bought directly from the owner due to family connections).

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I'm wondering if that is a preform or just crudely made because of the nature of the material?

 

[Pripyat]

It's weird, the "unfinished" side works really well for the piece. If you closed your eyes and felt it in your hand, it doesnt seem unfinished (to my untrained eye, well - hand). When I was taking the pictures I realized how rough the one side looks but my thought was that they used that flat Edge to minimize strikes that could potentially, in my experience, break the piece in half LOL.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

They were very skilled at working stone and while it resembles the shape of a point, I don't think you have a finished point there. I'm a complete novice at these things, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Pripyat]

I don't think you have a finished point there.

My son will be so happy to hear this if that's the case!

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

My son will be so happy to hear this if that's the case!

Don't take my word on that! It's still cool and the story behind it may be more interesting...
Usually don't hear crickets around here when something new is posted. Give it some time.

Another good photo to include is one looking at the base, that shows the thickness or profile of the piece.

I'm reading that the notches used to haft it to a shaft of some sort were usually added at the later stages of the process.

 

[Pripyat]

I've got some ideas about a sifter.. trying to work out the logistics now. I plowed a much larger area, found a couple things while I was plowing.

This seems too perfectly rounded to be natural.



Non native (to the hill) stone


Is this modern or something old? I've only found this one piece. Reminds me of some fancy modern brick.



Lastly, side profile of the mystery item:

 

[Tdog]

pic1 - water worn rock
pic2 - water worn rock (quartz)
pic3 - piece of a dark colored brick
pics 4 & 5 - some type of point

That point looks like it's made of the same material as your previous, unfinished point.