New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

steelheadwill · May 22, 2011

New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Hello Everyone,
I lived near this mill site for a few years, got back there to do an quick investigation search, (45 minutes)
all that remains are the tumbled down stone walls that held the water back.
It operated in the 17th & 18th century.
In the sand around the walls I found a 1600s buckle & plain pewter button,
brass flat button, 2 old copper/brass fasteners,
a dimpled copper button? :icon_scratch:

thingy,
some modern coins, and what I believe is an early gas valve, (due to small size and plugged end)
Walking back to the truck, I spotted my first point

among the rocks leading out of the cove (there are several very similar ones found in the area at the local historical society, I know nothing about them, this one is 38mm in length.
can anyone apply a type or approximate date to this? :help:

also the second of these odd .5 inch hollow copper spheres with thin clay coating, Anyone seen these before :dontknow:

Decent finds for a quicky, the site is well known & probably mostly cleaned out,
though I don't believe a site is ever completely hunted out.
Thanks for looking & HH :icon_sunny:

RIcoinhunter · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & some Oldies

Nice digs!!

romeo-1 · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & some Oldies

Wow!!! That's a great hunt! The buckle is OLD...probably late 1600s. The point is a real beauty! Quartz is a difficult material to knap. I am not an expert but based on style I would date that point to the middle archaic period...so maybe 5000 years old...

MaineRelic · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & 1600s buckle

Love that buckle ! it's an oldie for sure . That point is spectacular . In all my years bottle digging and now M Ding I have yet to find one . Nice find Herbie :icon_sunny:

MaineRelic

steelheadwill · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & some Oldies

romeo-1 said:
Wow!!! That's a great hunt! The buckle is OLD...probably late 1600s. The point is a real beauty! Quartz is a difficult material to knap. I am not an expert but based on style I would date that point to the middle archaic period...so maybe 5000 years old...

Whoaa

Thanks Romeo1! I had no idea the point could be that old.
I assume the difficulty in knapping this stone is why it does not display any of the usual half moon knapping marks on the edges.
when I picked it up I thought it could be modern and made by grinding.
It was in plain sight among pebbles between the larger stones that surround the inland
cove
I don't believe any of the ones I saw at the historic society were of this stone (well, white stone anyway, just of similar shape and size)
This news has my heart beating wildly, Oldest find yet! :hello2:

Thanks again! :notworthy:

steelheadwill · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & 1600s buckle

MaineRelic said:
Love that buckle ! it's an oldie for sure . That point is spectacular . In all my years bottle digging and now M Ding I have yet to find one . Nice find Herbie MaineRelic

Thanks MaineRelic!
I've been seeing found points since I discovered T-net, & wondered if I would ever find one, as I make many surface eyeball finds.
Well, the time has come. I'm super pleased with this.
Best Digs to All!

Weberman · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, a Plumbing Fixture HaHa & 1600s buckle

Morning Herbie! :hello:

Fantastic finds yesterday!
Love to shoe buckle and that point is spectacular!

The brass gas value will be worth some money as scrap too! :laughing7:

I wonder if the "smoothing effect" on the point was caused by being in a river for thousands of years with the polishing action against other stones? :icon_scratch:

Take care buddy,
Dave

My computers in the shop again so I'm having to use my "backup avatar".

birdman · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

To have that stuff out my door would be a dream! Awesome hunt!

Iron Patch · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

You gotta be in an old area to find a buckle like that! :headbang:

TN_MD · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

great shoe buckle and that point is Awesome! The brass gas value is a great find also.

Karl

gwdigger · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

wow man. the buckle and the arrow head are BAD A$$.

:headbang:

ModernMiner · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Herbie,
Great job on that old buckle and arrowhead. :hello2:

You never stop. :thumbsup:

-Doug-

Bill D. (VA) · May 22, 2011

Very nice buckle and point

For dating colonial buckles, there is a great site at the link below. Click on "Buckles through the Ages", then scroll down to parts 7 thru 10. Each part has a section with text and drawings. You can match up your buckle with the pics shown in the drawings section, then date it in the text section. This is a really great resource that has helped me to date many of my early buckles. I didn't see a perfect match for yours, but you should still be able to date it pretty close based on its similarity to others. My guess would be mid-to-late 1600s. Again, nice find!

http://www.netmarshall.co.uk/buckletitlepage.htm

Bramblefind · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

awesome Herbie :icon_thumleft:

That point is so beautiful

excellent OLD buckle. :headbang:

romeo-1 · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Quartz is difficult to knap because it can be so brittle. Yeah, I guarantee that this is your oldest find yet. Closest that I've found in my book is a Pike point...which is early to middle Archaic.

treasurepirate1 · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

i really like your finds, i din;t know much about points but all i know it that is a really nice one with a great shape too it

testing123 · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Herbie, your finds always amaze me! It's awesome that you are breaking into the 1600s! That point is a stunner too!!

CrazySlasher · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

That's a fantastic quartz point :headbang:

g-olden years · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Hunted out? You've just proved to us for all time that no site's ever hunted out! WOW!!! If these finds were in southern New Hampshire or southern Vermont, maybe one of my ancestors wore that shoe buckle, lol. They were some of the earliest European settlers of Keene, NH (formerly Upper Ashuelot, NH) and my dad was the first in his family to head south. Daddy liked being warm. Andi

Steve in PA · May 22, 2011

Re: New Colonial Mill Site Yields, Archaic Quartz Point & 1600s buckle

Nice finds Herbie! I love the early colonial buckle and the quartz point is extremely well made considering the material.