Metal Can Weirdness

Bagman13 · Dec 31, 2010

Hello Everyone......I would like to wish you all the best in 2011!
:icon_scratch:

But I do have a question that hopefully someone can help answer: If you are working on a possible camp site and happen to find an arrowhead 8 inches deep in the ground--how could you explain finding a 1/3 of a rusty old canister at 2 ft in the ground and practially within a 10 inch radius of each other? Shouldn't you at least be able to tell if someone had been there before you many years ago? Or would there be a chance that somehow, some strange natural reason could cause this?

Th3rty7 · Dec 31, 2010

I'd say it was buried there by man or if it was found by a lake or river the constant erosion may be the culprit. JMO

catherine1 · Dec 31, 2010

Could be the result of plowing. But if the ground has never been plowed. I would take a metal detector and check the hole where you found the can. However, I have found metal pieces at the same depth of my artifact finds. I really don't know how they got there either, as the ground had not been plowed.

Bagman13 · Dec 31, 2010

catherine1 said:
Could be the result of plowing. But if the ground has never been plowed. I would take a metal detector and check the hole where you found the can. However, I have found metal pieces at the same depth of my artifact finds. I really don't know how they got there either, as the ground had not been plowed.

Thanks....so you've found metal with your un-plowed artifacts....that makes me feel better :icon_thumright:

joshuaream · Jan 3, 2011

Depending on how you dig, you can often see disturbed layers in dirt.

Most collectors dig down, and then colapse the wall in front of them (digging vertical.) It's the fastest way to get through a site and a great way to dig points, but it doesn't let you see changes as easily because you go through several layers at once and nothing remains. The throw dirt goes behind you and with moderate effort you can continue the hole and back fill behind you as you go.

Archaeologists did down at set measurements (0.5 inches, 2 inches, 5 inches, etc. depending on the site) across an area (horizontal digging.) They only remove individual layers at a time which leaves a cleaner wall to see layers and you can see disturbances in the individual layers much easier. You can also see filled in wooden post holes, tent stake holes, trash pits, etc. It's a better way to dig if you have all the time in the world, and an unlimited supply of volunteers and students to do the hard work.

My guess is that somehow a can got buried, or the site isn't as virgin as you suspect.

coteau · Jan 3, 2011

Some burrowing animal could have put it there. Animal burrowing, soil freeze-thaw, soil shrink-swell, and numerous other things can move objects deeper underground or closer to the surface. Something large like a can would probably have been put there by an animal (as long as it could fit down its hole). Also, a burrow could have collapsed resulting in the overlying objects to be deposited deeper underground. Or, a large animal could have stepped on it when the ground was muddy and pushed it deeper into the ground. I could think of a thousand other reasons but I'll stop now.... :dontknow:

Bagman13 · Jan 4, 2011

I appreciate everyone's comments. It's got to be something like that.....It's the strangest thing....I don't see any signs of a previous dig or even different colored layers of dirt/stratificiation. I've found an arrowhead and animal bones at 8 inches; and a can remnant at about a foot; and charcoal and small animal bones even deeper. There's got to be some explanation. This area is in a very secluded place and there is no way that the dirt could have been plowed, and if it was dug, I have a feeling that a hole would still be there, or at least a slight depression in the ground. There was one hole dug, from many years ago, about 10 ft. from this spot, but it was never filled in, and very obvious.

uniface · Jan 6, 2011

It used to be not uncommon for responsible campers who brought in cans (baked beans, beer, whatever) to bury their trash rather than leave it littering the place they camped.

Lone Star · Jan 6, 2011

First of all its a known fact that 85% of the indians drank Shlitz. If it isn't an old shlitz can chances are a camper left it.
I've found some old cans in close proximity to a some ancient buffalo bones once. I figured the same thing. Lone Star

Bagman13 · Jan 7, 2011

Lone Star said:
First of all its a known fact that 85% of the indians drank Shlitz. If it isn't an old shlitz can chances are a camper left it.
I've found some old cans in close proximity to a some ancient buffalo bones once. I figured the same thing. Lone Star