Copper Point

[Deftone]

HI all! Been out in the field scouting for new spots. Just looking for places where a sod house or a dugout would have been. After about an hour of hiking I came across some broken glass and a few pieces of crocks. So I started swinging. After about 15 minutes of diggin square nails I nailed my very 1st injun. An 1890! My oldest coin to boot.

Well, after doing the happy dance for a while I continued for about another hour noticing I wandered quite a way's from my newly found spot weaving in n out of the sage brush. On my way back I got a nice signal. About six inches down this point popped out from the side of the hole. From the size of it it took me a little bit to realize what I had found. Anyway's it has me pumped up and I thought that I would share this with yall! Thx for looking and HH!

 

[Burdie]

A friend hunting with me found a serrated edged arrow that was done on both sides. I would give my eye teeth for it.

Burdie

 

[jewelerguy]

sweet! I've found a few stone points here in my part of Oklahoma, but never one of copper or any other metal unless it was modern

 

[Deftone]

Re: Copper Point ( New Stuff)

Went out to the spot where I found the point.. Found some cut copper stuff! Spent a few hours with only 2 signals. These 2.

 

[High Plains Digger]

I am definitely rethinking the Indians and metal work thing. Your 2 pieces of copper seem to lock it in. You said there were only 2 targets, so I assume there was no iron in the area?

 

[kuger]

Wow!!I didnt say ye,or nay,on the Indians making there own because I have never seen anywhere that they did or didnt?I know I used a chisel,and hammer to make them when I did.I have never heard of them being made from Copper though?They just seem like they would be way too soft!!!

 

[High Plains Digger]

Kuger---I have still been wondering about copper, also. Also, they had to have and carry around an anvil, at least a smaller one. Unless, with your experience, you think there is a rock that would hold up under a hammer and a chisel? I guess I still have some questions, but have to accept the evidence, no matter how and who may interpret it. I asked if he had any iron targets in case we might have had a travelling blacksmith.

The good thing about copper is that it came in large size nuggets from Mich. so it could be traded for and formed by the indians. This looks like it was manufactored, but ok. Not everyone needed to start from scratch. Iron, obviously, is different story.

 

[kuger]

Kuger---I have still been wondering about copper, also. Also, they had to have and carry around an anvil, at least a smaller one. Unless, with your experience, you think there is a rock that would hold up under a hammer and a chisel? I guess I still have some questions, but have to accept the evidence, no matter how and who may interpret it. I asked if he had any iron targets in case we might have had a travelling blacksmith.

The good thing about copper is that it came in large size nuggets from Mich. so it could be traded for and formed by the indians. This looks like it was manufactored, but ok. Not everyone needed to start from scratch. Iron, obviously, is different story.

Thats a great question,I never tried a rock.I never heard of them making them themselves either though??I have never heard of the Plains Indians doing any trading East of the Misiss. either...which is where the raw copper would have had to originate?

 

[Brian C.]

Here are my two early copper spear points, they are hammered, they came from the lake Superior area. I found them in south western Ontario, the site was high up from the river. There was a big burn mound that was in the center of the field. I found several stone points in the same location, but today the site has been turned into a gravel pit. HH

 

[kuger]

I could understand that Brian,but West of the Big RiverCopper artifacts,especially arrow-lance heads are rare

 

[High Plains Digger]

I don't know where there are copper nuggets in the west, but there could be. And hammered points I can understand. A couple of good smooth boulders and no problem. But the subject point required hammer and chisel. And something to chisel on. At that point, whether the copper is a smashed nugget or a manufactured plate, probably doesn't matter.

 

[g-olden years]

I have no knowledge about arrowhead history, but I've made enamelled jewelry using thin sheet copper. If I wanted to use thin sheet copper to make a usable arrowhead without modern tools, there's three steps: first, heat the sheet copper in fire to soften it; second, when cooled, use a rock "chisel" or hard wood "chisel" to cut out an arrowhead shape in the softened copper sheet; third, harden the soft copper arrowhead by repeatedly pounding it with stones because working copper hardens it. In my opinion, early people without metal tools could have made hard copper points. HH Andi

 

[Deftone]

I find it kinda strange only finding these two copper pieces. About 30 yards away is when I start to find iron trash like wire and square nails. I mainly focused on hunting near where I dug the point. It kinda looks like they were cut with dull snips or something. Leaving pieces of the cut with a smashed look. The pacman looking one is 8 1/2 in around. Hey thx for sharing brian.

 

[kuger]

I would like to see any copper knives,spear points or arrowheads attributed to any tribe west of the Missis.River

 

[High Plains Digger]

Can you mic the thickness of the arrowhead so we know what gauge of copper they were working with? Then, if one or both of the scrap pieces are then same, that goes a looooooong way.

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Re: Copper Point ( New Stuff)

Went out to the spot where I found the point.. Found some cut copper stuff! Spent a few hours with only 2 signals. These 2.

Are you sure the point and piece's are copper? They are usually brass. ( a little harder than copper) & many times made from discarded kettles.

 

[AGBlex]

Indian heads have to be one of my favorite coins!

 

[Mr Tuff]

sweet point!!!!! MR TUFF

 

[PRAIRIEWOLF]

You might consider weighing the point versus the weight of a large cent .

 

[Deftone]

The point may very well be brass. I did a little test to se if it would bend and it doesn't budge. I bet it is brass now. I put it next to the other pieces and it's a hair more in thickness. The other stuff seems to be copper its soft and bends real easy. Could have been tossed there by the folks that had lived near by. I set it on the scale and it came in at 3.0 g. Thanks for the input and replies. HH

 

[IAsoldier]

Sweet find