New member - Amazing find/Lots of questions

[blazerdog]

Hello -

Glad I came across this site. About me: I'm an electrician in No. California. Best job I ever had was as a Gold prospecting guide for 2 summers in the Sierra Nevada foothill. Lately, I split my time between the Sacramento Valley and some family owned property in Lake County, CA (about 60 miles west of Sacramento). A seasonal creek borders the property for about 700 feet. Last years heavy rains washed out about 700 square feet along the bank (also taking along with it 3 - 125 lb. steel beams from an old shed. I should mention that grade level to creek averages about 15 feet straight down. Knowing the beams where rusty and contained lead paint, I figured I had better remove them before they contaminated the creek. The closest access to the creek is about 300 ft. up from where the beams fell in (grade is only 8 ft. above creek here). So, I cut steps in so Sierra (my Golden Retriever) and I could get down. On my first trip down to the beams, I noticed what looked like a obsidian spear head sticking out of the bank about 3 ft. up. Thinking how cool that was, I looked around to see if I could find anything else. Not seeing anything, I headed down to the beams to try and figure out how to get them out and up the 15 ft. wall on my own. Over the course of days and trips, on my last trip down, a round black object caught my eye. Turned out be another worked piece of obsidian (it was only 3 ft. from where I found the first one). Thinking that my original theory about an ancient hunter losing his spear may be wrong, I started looking more closely at the bank. Not seeing anything, I decided to sit down and admire my new find. As I was getting up, I had a different view of the bank and noticed an obsidian point protruding from the bank. When I dug it out, I found another behind it. That was 2 weeks ago. Over the course of the next 4 days, my discoveries (1,156 pieces) kept coming with no end in sight. To have found these from grade level, I would have had to dig down 10 ft.. Still a little overwhelmed, and have many questions.

 

[Obsessive]

Thats absolutely amazing! Here I thought this story was going to be about gold, but it's better! Nice finds, keep digging.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Looks like you may have found a place where they were knapping the tips? We find places like that here on the surface but you have more mud so probably why it's buried.

 

[against the wind]

Congrats on your finds and Welcome to the forum from Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania

 

[crustygem]

Welcome, from another northern cali rockhound, (crescent City) what a great find! Congrats!

 

[WaterScoop]

Congratulations on your finds.

Welcome to our forum.
Glad you’re here!

 

[1320]

You have a couple of nice pieces there, good job. Unfortunately, the majority of your finds appear to be just rocks.

 

[pepperj]

You've recovered some really nice pieces, but some look like just natural occurring stones. Close up of the large collection would help ID if they have been worked.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Great discovery! I would carefully excavate that area. It may be a spot where they lived for a serious period of time. Might be other artifacts buried there. Possibly a buried cave entrance.
Jim

 

[dognose]

Lots of rocks yes, but a very nice start to collecting. Check out the native american forums

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Awesome finds! Thank you for sharing!

 

[blazerdog]

Hi. Thanks for your interest. I will get some close ups of some of the rocks. It looks like they were worked. In many that don’t appear to be finished, you can see clear lines scratched into the stone where the artist was going to chip away next. And on some,. you can make out what the finished piece would look like because they have many scratch lines on therm. Except for a few that were in the creek, the rest came out of the side of the creek bank with the obsidian. It’s not an old riverbed. Everything just seems to be suspended in the dirt. I’m heading back up there today. No cell or internet service there. Be back down in a few days with more pictures and will see what else. Thanks again.

 

[arrow86]

Some nice finds in there like others said you should post this in the Native American forum you could probably get some info on how old the artifacts are and types.

 

[Rookster]

That's A lot of looking down. Great finds.

 

[blazerdog]

thank you all for your comments and warm welcome. Been up at the site for last 7 days, just got back down to the valley. Dug out about 180 more obsidian pieces and little over 300 rock tools and art. Still blown away about this whole experience. Didn't know about the native American forum , or most of the other ones. WHAT A GREAT SITE. Will definitely post, Hopefully later this evening.