Could this be Indian?

[Thebigd81]

Found this in an old farm field in the area where an Indian village was along a creek. It's not iron I'm thinking either copper or brass. It rang up 37-39 on the nox.
Thanks in advance!

 

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[Tdog]

So many cases where it doesn't pan out like that.

 

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[Tnmountains]

No? I figured, if it is an Indian item, it would be better at a place like a historical society so others might get to see it than kept in my hands where only I will see it.

Your heart is in the right place but historically things donated are stored lost or stolen that is unless it is a perfect unknown example.Trust me they have plenty already in drawers. Better to get it authenticated and if you do not want it sell it or display it. Neat find if it is copper culture/

 

[Garscale]

No? I figured, if it is an Indian item, it would be better at a place like a historical society so others might get to see it than kept in my hands where only I will see it.

Many of us have indian artifacts. Look at Joshuareams recent posts with the Cumberland fragments and the amazing Clovis from Kentucky. He shares and we all enjoy and learn. Look at Unifaces posts. They dont get a lot of replies but there is something to be learned from every one of those core struck tools.

I have a large collection. It has been used by academics in at least 7 publications.

One of the greatest collections ever was donated and a lot of it ended up being poured in concrete when a new building was erected.

You are doing the right thing showing them, getting it authenticated and documented. Please keep ownership of it so you can continue to share.

 

[unclemac]

....and they will be potentially eventually sold off in the future to generate funds or free up space or the museum closes, merges, moves.... your donation will never be seen let alone studied by anyone. Museums etc. are interested THESE days in documented digs of documented sites, cataloged so that some future grad student can access the info and use examples for a supposition. They are not really interested in random artifacts picked up out of context.

if you have ever been in the back room of a museum, you would know what I mean.

 

[newnan man]

Noooo!!! Listen to everyone, they are right. Loan it if you must with a receipt that states how it is used and when you get it back.

 

[Thebigd81]

UPDATE
Took the item to a local archeologist and her 2 associates. She dated it to 5000BC (maybe older). Said finding a copper celt in my area is extremely rare

Thanks for the help all!

 

[Garscale]

UPDATE
Took the item to a local archeologist and her 2 associates. She dated it to 5000BC (maybe older). Said finding a copper celt in my area is extremely rare

Thanks for the help all!

Oh heck yeah! It is a rare a likely quite valuable artifact.

 

[Tdog]

UPDATE
Took the item to a local archeologist and her 2 associates. She dated it to 5000BC (maybe older). Said finding a copper celt in my area is extremely rare

Thanks for the help all!

Keep it Big D. You won't regret it.

 

[GoDeep]

Like others said, if they want to display it, just lend it for a period of time, that way you still own it and others can enjoy it and you can take it back. It's a common way of doing things at many museums.

 

[uniface]

Make sure you get a notarized acknowledgement that you own it, they're borrowing it, time limit, etc. etc. that is legally watertight beforehand. Too many "He donated it" horror stories already. Even then they can keep you in court for years trying to get it back.

 

[Thebigd81]

Before I went down I informed the lady I'm keeping it for the time being but she still wanted me to bring it by... After 2 hours as I was leaving she said PLEASE DONT SELL IT! I'd never sell it this thing is priceless IMO

 

[uniface]

https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/print/Article/2380

The Low Tablet is an engraved sandstone slab that is 4.8 inches long, 3.3 inches wide, and .35 inches thick. It is attributed to the Adena culture and dates to circa 200 B.C. The design, consisting of two human faces with stylized birds on each side, is divided into two sections with the lower section being the mirror image of the upper section. The backside of the tablet has a series of grooves that were likely created by a person sharpening bone tools on the slab.


Only 13 Adena tablets—used as stamps to imprint the clothing or body—have been found in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. The Low Tablet is the best example depicting human faces.


A West Virginia boy, Edward Low, found the tablet in 1942 when he was playing in his neighborhood in north Parkersburg. He uncovered two stones while digging a hole in a sandy mound. One stone was the Low Tablet and the other was a plain tablet with grooves on one side. He kept the stones and took them to school occasionally. Years later, his children took the stones to school for “show and tell."


In May 1971, Low took the tablet to the Ohio Historical Society where he learned that the tablet was from the Adena era. Low agreed to allow the historical society to display the tablet. Since then, ownership of the tablet has been in conflict. In 2007 Low decided to give the tablet to the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History in Parkersburg. When he went to retrieve the tablet, he was told that it belonged to the society. Low filed a lawsuit to retrieve the tablet, but he died before the trial. His wife carried on with the lawsuit and lost the case. The case is being appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Feb. 24, 2012 headline: Widow loses suit to regain Native American artifact from Ohio Historical Society

Early Marietta: The Low Tablet, a valuable Adena artifact
[2014] Robert Converse, editor of Ohio Archaeologist, appraised the tablet at Mr. Low's request and valued it at a minumum of $25,000. It could bring up to $250,000 if auctioned on the international market, he said. "It's irreplaceable."

 

[Thebigd81]

Seeing stuff like that makes me sick. That probably would have been me if I didn't get advice from people on these forums

 

[Garscale]

Seeing stuff like that makes me sick. That probably would have been me if I didn't get advice from people on these forums

In this age, rare artifacts can be shared and studied while you retain ownership. Some of my items items hff ave been 3d scanned and printed by universities. Now they have an exact copy to study while I have the origional.

 

[Tpmetal]

but is it copper or brass?

Copper, he had some archies identify it as a great lakes region copper culture!

 

[uniface]

Its value is mostly in its archaeological significance re the area where it was found, and, of course, its personal importance value. In dollar terms, some, but not nearly as much as seems to be imagined.

FWIW

 

[Garscale]

Its value is mostly in its archaeological significance re the area where it was found, and, of course, its personal importance value. In dollar terms, some, but not nearly as much as seems to be imagined.

FWIW

If I found it, it would be valuable. As a matter of fact I'm not sure anyone could afford it .

 

[unclemac]

word

 

[pepperj]

What a really nice piece you recovered and showing it off. Congrats on the recovery and the decision on keeping the piece after showing it to them.

Read the comments that many stated and oh they all ring true at the simple fact that it would be a drawer fill, and eventually misplaced.

I happen to strike up a conversation with a business owner of a large kayak/canoe sales place, when buying mine. He shared the pics of many of his creek-river frontage finds from his home along the St Lawerence River.

Amazing what was recovered over the decades of things like the whole clay pipes, one stone pipe, and many Meerschaum examples.
The arrowheads, and other related indigenous items were numerous in the photos of the collection.
I asked if there was any chance that I could see them when he has time off over the winter months off?

He said they loaned the collection to the local museum years before, and when they inquired in obtaining it back-it had vanished.
Denial on all levels, to it must been lost in the big move.....you get the picture.
At least the photos are just a small bitter/sweet memory of what was another case of I have/had this piece.

 

[unclemac]

that story makes me sad and mad...the hell you say!