How to determine age of artifacts?

[BrettCo124]

Hey all,

I know there won’t be any easy answer to this, but how can I determine the age of my finds? People seem to see a point and immediately know the time period. I’d like to start learning how to do that too.

Is there a few steps I can take to find out? I know one of the ways is to know which tribe was around the area I would be searching, but I still wonder how to identify and be 100 percent sure that it’s from that time period. Can I go strictly by shape? Is there a guide that I can keep on me that can tell me based on shape alone?

Thanks all.

 

[unclemac]

tribe won't help at all. what you want is a quick online web site that covers your area. try this site and follow where it leads you.

Projectile Point Identification Guide

 

[ptsofnc]

Find a chart for the points you find in your area such as this: The Chart

Archeologists have dated the points based on studies/evcavations they've done. e.g. finding a point at a certain depth along with being able to maybe carbon date charcoal, wood, bone, found at the same depth with the point. Points are most easily identified by the base of the points.

 

[Tnmountains]

We only recently named tribes when we came to America. Everything else is culture and time frame. You find that by specific point identification. Some sites are multi component meaning many cultures lived there over thousands of years. We usually build towns on Indian sites as a good site then is sometimes still good today. I have found many points in my downtown section of town before it was illegal to do so.

 

[rginn]

As much as some folks gripe about them, the archy's have done a lot of research that helps in point ID. It might not help to know what tribe lived in your area, but it does help to know if there was an historic, prehistoric, or paleo occupation in the area. And tribes always had names for themselves. Usually these translated to 'The People', THE People' or maybe 'THE PEOPLE'. Their neighbors would call them names that usually translated to 'The Enemy'. Tnmountains made a good point in relation to artifact hunting, once a good campsite, always a good campsite.

 

[unclemac]

As much as some folks gripe about them, the archy's have done a lot of research that helps in point ID. It might not help to know what tribe lived in your area, but it does help to know if there was an historic, prehistoric, or paleo occupation in the area. And tribes always had names for themselves. Usually these translated to 'The People', THE People' or maybe 'THE PEOPLE'. Their neighbors would call them names that usually translated to 'The Enemy'. Tnmountains made a good point in relation to artifact hunting, once a good campsite, always a good campsite.

so true, the world over

 

[georgia flatlander]

Hey all,

I know there won’t be any easy answer to this, but how can I determine the age of my finds? People seem to see a point and immediately know the time period. I’d like to start learning how to do that too.

Is there a few steps I can take to find out? I know one of the ways is to know which tribe was around the area I would be searching, but I still wonder how to identify and be 100 percent sure that it’s from that time period. Can I go strictly by shape? Is there a guide that I can keep on me that can tell me based on shape alone?

Thanks all.

Unclemac is right. Projectilepoints.net is a great resource. So is posting pictures on this site, because there are some very knowledgeable people who can at least steer you onto a path if they don't know the exact type.
I concur that a particular tribe means nothing, unless you are finding historic artifacts.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks all! I’ll be checking in to that site more often. Appreciate all of the recommended resources!

 

[Charl]

The guides suggested are great. If you are hunting in the Phily area, then you are hunting in the Northeast region. For an online Northeast region guide, Ritchie's New York typology is still a useful guide:

New York State Museum - Projectile Point Type Collection

And, although it is a New England specific guide, the very best in print typology that is useful throughout the Northeast is the recently published guide by my late friend and colleague, Jeff Boudreau:

https://www.shop.massarchaeology.org/product.sc?productId=51&categoryId=1

Pricey, but maybe not when you consider it is 176 pages with over 1200 life size hi res color photos and several essays aimed at point types and point traditions in the Northeast region. People from NY and New England have been raving about this new guide, for the photos alone.

 

[Tnmountains]

The guides suggested are great. If you are hunting in the Phily area, then you are hunting in the Northeast region. For an online Northeast region guide, Ritchie's New York typology is still a useful guide:

New York State Museum - Projectile Point Type Collection

And, although it is a New England specific guide, the very best in print typology that is useful throughout the Northeast is the recently published guide by my late friend and colleague, Jeff Boudreau:

https://www.shop.massarchaeology.org/product.sc?productId=51&categoryId=1

Pricey, but maybe not when you consider it is 176 pages with over 1200 life size hi res color photos and several essays aimed at point types and point traditions in the Northeast region. People from NY and New England have been raving about this new guide, for the photos alone.

You are so right on local specific guides from the ones who collected before us. Two states away from me are rarely much help when grouped together. Great advice.

 

[RTR]

Wanna be 100% sure how old something is ? This will come as close as possible.But... it will cost $600.
>> https://www.quora.com/Where-can-I-have-carbon-dating-done-and-how-much-does-it-cost

 

[BrettCo124]

All great info. Thanks very much. I’m definitely going to look in to one of those books.

Carbon dating sounds a little too expensive, lol.

 

[Charl]

All great info. Thanks very much. I’m definitely going to look in to one of those books.

Carbon dating sounds a little too expensive, lol.

You can't date something like a stone projectile point with C14 dating anyway. Best you could do is find the stone artifacts in a scientifically controlled excavation, with carbon remains found at the same level as the stone artifacts. C14 cannot directly date stone, only organic remains, such as the carbon remaining from a campfire...

 

[BrettCo124]

You can't date something like a stone projectile point with C14 dating anyway. Best you could do is find the stone artifacts in a scientifically controlled excavation, with carbon remains found at the same level as the stone artifacts. C14 cannot directly date stone, only organic remains, such as the carbon remaining from a campfire...

Very interesting. I’m just hoping to find something (I’m sure in one of the websites you just provided) saying something like “if it’s shaped like this, it’s late archaic. If it’s shaped like that, it’s early... etc....”