Gorget

[Treasure_Hunter]

Another one from my collection, found in Mid Missouri in the late 1990s. Been years since I have posted it here.

It is 3 3/4 inches by 2 1/2 inches by 5/8 inch

 

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[uniface]

Steatite ?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Steatite ?

Yes sir, steatite soapstone. It is a creek find.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Steatite is available in MO? Gary

 

[pepperj]

That's a real beauty find TH, love the toning on it. 1st class artifact, congrats.

 

[sandchip]

Exceptional!

 

[newnan man]

One of the nicest gorgets I've ever seen. I bet you were stoked when you found it.

 

[Tdog]

One of the nicest gorgets I've ever seen.

I agree and unusual too!

 

[Tpmetal]

WOW! that is one purdy artifact! Most museums don't have stuff of that quality!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Steatite is available in MO? Gary

Gary, not being a geologist or rock hound I could easily be wrong on the type of stone, I always assumed it was soapstone because of the way it carved and looked but I never had it examined by anyone and I have never tried to scratch it, if it isn't soapstone I stand corrected.

I can't even guess how many miles of creeks I walked, has to be in the hundreds over a 20 year period, they were spring fed creeks and streams and evidently had camp sites along them, being spring fed they didn't freeze solidly, my guess due to the amount of artifacts I found in them. One was my favorite as it seemed to produce more than the others. My best day I found 40 whole points after a heavy rain, I waited till the water receded and walk the creek/stream that produce points regularly that day. My hunting partner and I tried to find where the camp sites were a couple times but never did, it was hard due to the heavy brush and we were finding so many in the water we decided we were wasting our time.

The creeks and streams were fairly wide in a lot of places where the banks had fallen in from water erosion, I assume that was were the artifacts came from as the banks collapsed from the rain storms the artifacts fell in and washed down stream till they became stuck in the places I found them. I learned to look behind anything that blocked the flow of the current like behind trees branches, weeds, rocks, even at the bottom of tiny water falls. I found a small waterfall one day where water dropped maybe 18 inches and at the base of it was a hole formed by erosion, I pulled multiple points out of it, it was a feeder creek to a stream and was spring fed. It was in a small creek that I found the largest piece of petrified wood I had ever found.

Most of my areas I hunted were between 10 and 20 miles from Missouri river, and a few were along the Missouri river when I could get permission. I also hunted along the Mississippi river in east St Louis area as I worked in St louis, lived in Columbia Mo so hunts during the week would be in St Louis area. I also hunted areas between St Louis and Columbia, stopping on my way home from St louis.



Beer bottle is for size reference.

 

[southfork]

What a great artifact nice find

 

[T.C.]

Steatite is available in MO? Gary

Could have been traded or raided...not unusual.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Could have been traded or raided...not unusual.

Who knows and I could be wrong on stone type. Site this came from is about 15 miles from Missouri river as the crow flies.

 

[Relicgrubber]

Nice Find for sure T.H.! Looks like Steatite examples I have seen but Im no expert. Could also be polished solidified sandstone

 

[newnan man]

Great story on your creek hunting. As a kid I never thought to look in creeks. When I moved back to Florida I met people & all they did was snorkel springs. I caught on to that real quick. We would love to see more of your finds.