My Past Gorget Find

[CreekSide]

I found this one a year ago in August. I was the best find for that year. It has a little damage on one end not missing much maybe an inch. I know another guy who found one that has a duck drawing on his. I can’t find anything on mine, no tally marks just plain. This is an Adena Gorget and was a creek find. I just happened to be walking in the water with the sun at 12.00 and spotted the hole in about a foot of water. When I pulled it out it was covered with brown algae. I took it home and let it dry out then brushed the algae off and then washed it. Idk if Jay remembers me posting it on FB or not. But here you go, my one and only I’ve ever found. I’m still proud of it.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[scruggs]

Very nice Gorget! Good find!

 

[GaRebel1861]

Very nice!!

 

[DizzyDigger]

It's cool, but what is a "gorget"?

 

[antmike915]

👍

 

[pepperj]

Very nice save.

 

[WannaDig3687]

It's cool, but what is a "gorget"?

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing. Off to the internet. Lol

 

[dognose]

an very nice expanded center gorget
nice find.
congratulations

 

[WannaDig3687]

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing. Off to the internet. Lol

Quoted from https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/inside-the-collections-hocu-2691.htm


Adena slate quadriconcave gorget from the William Davis Mound, Franklin County, Ohio.
ohiomemory.org

Terminology​

In this article, we have been calling them “copper plates” as a neutral term, like William C. Mills had been since 1922. However, these are most commonly called “breastplates”, and also “gorgets”, and “plaques”. Why does it matter what they are called? As with many archeological terms, the problem is that they imply a function for which they may or may not have been used. These copper breastplates are only occasionally found near the breast of any burial; more commonly, they are found near the head or near the hips. This term also separates them from other objects they may have been akin to, such as gorgets. The term, “gorget” implies function as an item worn around a person’s neck, which is likely wrong in most cases. But “gorget” as an archaeological term also refers also to a class of artifacts including modified human bone, shell, or slate gorgets that may be related in function to these copper plates, even if none of them were worn around a person’s neck. The generally quadriconcave form (four concave sides) of the Hopewell copper plates, along with the position of the holes for some attachment harkens back to the form of Adena quadriconcave slate gorgets (above left) and slate gorgets in general that extend from the Late Archaic (4500 years ago) to the Late Woodland (1500 years ago).

 

[WannaDig3687]

I found this one a year ago in August. I was the best find for that year. It has a little damage on one end not missing much maybe an inch. I know another guy who found one that has a duck drawing on his. I can’t find anything on mine, no tally marks just plain. This is an Adena Gorget and was a creek find. I just happened to be walking in the water with the sun at 12.00 and spotted the hole in about a foot of water. When I pulled it out it was covered with brown algae. I took it home and let it dry out then brushed the algae off and then washed it. Idk if Jay remembers me posting it on FB or not. But here you go, my one and only I’ve ever found. I’m still proud of it.

Pretty cool!

 

[scruggs]

It's cool, but what is a "gorget"?

Gorgets were made by the indians from a variety of materials such as shell, steatite, bone and stone. They were used in many ways such as personal adornment, a status symbol and or pendants around the neck similar to a necklace.

 

[newnan man]

Nice find!

 

[CreekSide]

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing. Off to the internet. Lol

Nice of you to post what it is, thanks
But some believe they were worn in the hair also. By the size of the one I found it very well could have been worn like a hair piece. Seeing it was found in a creek that has strong flow different times of the year it would be considered (out of context) which means there would be no way of knowing where it came from. I’ve never seen any signs of burials but it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I can say there was once a big campsite close to where I found this piece. I have found 100s of artifacts at that property. I no longer have permission there because the property has been sold for homes.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I think 2 holes gorgets were belt buckles.

 

[CreekSide]

I think 2 holes gorgets were belt buckles.

Mine would be the perfect size for a buckle

 

[Tnmountains]

To even find one now days is rare. I have one whole soap stone one a broken slate one and the head of a popeye bird stone. And that is a lot of years of looking.
Nice find!

 

[Older The Better]

I like it, still no hard stone finds for me around here, I did see an axe that came out of the river a while back, so it’s potentially here. I’d be proud of a piece like that whole or not.

 

[fishstick]

KILLER find!!!!!!! Not many get to experience the THRILLLLLLLL of finding one!!!

 

[CreekSide]

KILLER find!!!!!!! Not many get to experience the THRILLLLLLLL of finding one!!!

Thanks, one more off the bucket list. Now I just need to find a Fluted Cumberland 😃

 

[ToddsPoint]

Thanks, one more off the bucket list. Now I just need to find a Fluted Cumberland 😃

You need to hunt along the TN River to find those. Way more rare than Clovis.