Copper Spear Point Found

[Fingerlakes119]

I have not posted much lately but this find seemed worthy. I was metal detecting and found this copper spear point. It looks to be an actual native american artifact. I found it near one of the finger lakes in upstate NY. Anyone have any info on these?

Thanks Fingerlakes119

 

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[GopherDaGold]

No idea but it's super cool and bound to get some attention here!

 

[travis.gore.79]

Sorry no help from me. However that is a really cool find.

 

[Tpmetal]

wow if thats what it is you got one hell of a piece of history, finger lakes native american copper culture is a great find. I would say even banner worthy for a big honker like that. I've been detecting near the finger lakes area many times and this is like a dream find I fantasize about.

 

[Tpmetal]

So your likely to find the most info associated with the great lakes copper culture which the finger lakes are kind of included in(ontario region). Looks to me for sure what it is, but I am no expert. This is one of those things that is a proper museum specimen in my opinion. Again super jealous.

 

[arrow86]

Interesting haven’t seen any with that type of bottom .... any chance of more pics ? Is that with the dirt cleaned off it or did it clean up more than the pic ?

 

[Hawks88]

Fantastic find. Congrats

 

[Fingerlakes119]

I will take some photos and post later. I have not cleaned it, so it dirt covered

 

[Fingerlakes119]

Thanks. I've always been looking for stone points, but I have not found any. Then randomly I find a copper spear head.

 

[sandchip]

Frig, that's killer!

 

[Tnmountains]

You need to lightly wash and clean with a tooth brush and get all the dirt of and post another picture. That could be one heck of a find that many seek and few ever find.
Cleaning won't hurt this artifact that has been in the ground a long time. Wether it is trade or copper culture.

 

[captain redbeard]

WOW that is pretty incredible, I wondered if people found copper artifacts in these neck of the woods.

 

[flinthunter]

Copper usually patinas green. Lead usually patinas white. Maybe the color of your picture is off but on my screen it is white and looks like lead. Either way, nice find.

 

[Fingerlakes119]

I brushed away some of the dirt with a toothbrush last night. and its definitely copper, I did see some green and brown color under the caked dirt I removed. Also the conductivity and ferrous numbers on my Etrac indicated copper not lead. I am not so eager to clean this artifact. As with most metal detecting finds the worse thing you can do is to clean them. I'm considering donating this to a local museum. They can have it professionally cleaned if they wish.

Fingerlakes119

 

[Rookster]

I like that.Congrats

 

[flyadive]

I agree, don’t clean it! Congratulations!
I’m a bit surprised that there hasn’t been someone around who could verifying it !
Does it look the same on the reverse?

 

[tamrock]

Awesome find. Rather mystical imo.

 

[Charl]

If it is Old Copper culture, then it is a banner find, IMHO. It would not be the most common design, after all. Even the more common styles of Old Copper culture points, when in exceptional condition, can be banner worthy. I should think the Finger Lakes are pretty east of the core area for the Old Copper culture, but certainly objects from that culture could have arrived in that area via trade.

 

[Riverbum]

Fingerlakes119
From the history I've read concerning metal arrowheads found in the USA, the Western part had lots of them . Native Americans woulds find barrel staves hoops scattered along the trails going west in the 1800's and fashion arrowheads from those. Hard to find since those Barrel staves ( or other iron pieces) have long since corroded. Still, some do show up in folks private collections. I'd love to find one but alas, no luck after 50 + yrs. of collecting.

 

[Tpmetal]

If it is Old Copper culture, then it is a banner find, IMHO. It would not be the most common design, after all. Even the more common styles of Old Copper culture points, when in exceptional condition, can be banner worthy. I should think the Finger Lakes are pretty east of the core area for the Old Copper culture, but certainly objects from that culture could have arrived in that area via trade.

Finger lakes are included in the ontario region of the "great lakes copper culture". You are right that it is probably the south eastern edge of that area where this stuff is more commonly found.