Dating wood

[ncuke]

Hi folks,

A while back, my daughter found a nice arrowhead in the back yard, which was dated by someone at the state to early woodland period. I was putting in a playground and had to excavate about a 20' x 30' patch to grade it, and kept a close eye out for other artifacts. The soil is mostly red clay, which can be hard to date from what I understand. Well, not far from where I found the point I found this odd piece of wood that is very rectangular on a cross section. The outer sides are black and looked aged, and the ends appear to have been broken. I was digging with a shovel, so may have broken it - not sure - was just surface hunting after a ton of rain that fell over a few days.

Any ideas on dating something like this that may have been buried in clay? Of course my imagination tends to run wild (like part of an old bow), so would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks! Attached is a pick of the arrowhead I found next to it too.

 

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[The Grim Reaper]

First, the Point looks to me to be an early Archaic type and not Woodland which would make it a few thousand years older.

Second, the wood is probably not very old at all since it would have deteriorated by now if it was. Some wood objects have been found in Mounds that are very old, but they are always surrounded by Copper which helps preserve them. There has also been some wooden items found in dry caves out west. I doubt a piece of wood in moist red clay would survive very long.

 

[ncuke]

Thanks Reaper. Yeah I was thinking the same way about the wood... I was sent a reference sheet on the point - as a Potts and pretty much looks like it exactly. Although some folks on another site stated that they thought it was older as you did. The picture i attached does make it seem wider than it really is. Here is another pic.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

It looks like typical Early Archaic Dart Point to me. Is there any grinding or smoothness along the concave area or notching around the base?

 

[GatorBoy]

Nice point.. I also want to mention the substantial amount of wonderfully preserved wooden artifacts found in some bog environments in Florida and in the tannic dark river bottoms.



Woodpecker on cypress from they Key Marko site.

Pottery paddle from central Florida bog.







Are you in the Carolina's?

 

[ncuke]

Yep, in NC

 

[ncnurseryman]

Nice find. There are a hand full of us north cackalacky folks on here.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm with reaper and whoever else thought it was older.
It looks alot like a Hardaway Dalton to me.. does it feel smooth on the edges of the concave portion?







That's a beautiful quartz point.

 

[GatorBoy]

Seems if its not ground it could also be a Yadkin eared doing a good impersonation of an early archaic point.

 

[monsterrack]

Looks to be a Dalton to me, just a guess. It is a very good find

 

[timekiller]

Thanks Reaper. Yeah I was thinking the same way about the wood... I was sent a reference sheet on the point - as a Potts and pretty much looks like it exactly. Although some folks on another site stated that they thought it was older as you did. The picture i attached does make it seem wider than it really is. Here is another pic.

Putting names to points can sometimes be tuff,I agree to it being something in the 3000 yr old range myself.I've got quite a few along the lines of these.I'd say it's a waratan myself, which is very close to the potts & some yadkins.It's nice all the same if you like it for what it is,complete, N/A,& at least 1,000 to 3,000 yrs old.
Take Care,
Welcome to the site,
a cackalacky folk myself,
Pete,

Waratan

 

[ncuke]

Here is the sheet I have on it... But they do look similar to yours