Quartz is great!

[rockheadhunter421]

I found some rhyolite flake and broken tools. I found some quartz arrowheads too. One of them I consider a heartbreaker and the others are dinged up a lil bit. That Stanley does have a nice tip though and the other one has a tip ding. Finding different rhyolites is cool, but I always feel like quartz is much more significant. I see symbolism in quartz being used as a lithic source. Some consider quartz to have metaphysical and mystical properties (rock crystal being the supreme). For example, it symbolizes power, provides forms of healing and can be used in meditation. One must feel completely in harmony with it, to benefit from it, to receive its gifts. The history of mankind and the use of quartz is what I believe is the significance, and Native American's played a very important part of shaping and passing down this knowledge as we know it. Native Americans were the first ones to benefit from it for survival, to become in harmony with it and having peace with nature. Power is in the quartz, that evidence is an important part of the ancient past here in the Carolinas. Finding quartz makes a great hunt for me anytime!

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Here's two Morrow Mtns I found a few years ago. One from Yadkin Co., NC and the other is from Surry Co., NC (it is actually chalcedony). These are more beautiful examples of how great quartz is.

 

[intensecrasher]

Very nice. I found my first site in California yesterday (Sunday) and will post pictures tomorrow. Tons of quartz chips and 17 mortar bowls carved in granite!

 

[ncnurseryman]

Those are great looking points. We have tons of quartz around where I live but yet to find a quartz point although I know they are there. Good pics too!

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Quality quartz is hard to come by. It's my favorite to collect and it can be real time consuming just to find a whole artifact made from it. I always love to see collections that have some translucent materials. It doesn't matter what part of the U.S. it's from. Here's a sweet quartz point I found at an Archaic-Woodland site in Yadkin Co., NC.

 

[rock]

Nice looking quartz. I find it also even though there is a abundence of flint. Some of the old timers from my area say only the chiefs were allowed to have quartz points. I dont know if that is true or not, probably not.

 

[ncnurseryman]

I hunt a very small field in which is loaded with chert/rhyolite and quartz. I have found six or seven points there just no quartz ones. I have also brought home at least 15 pounds of flakes and source material. Found several quartz crystals too. They are fairly common.

 

[rockheadhunter421]

I hunt a very small field in which is loaded with chert/rhyolite and quartz. I have found six or seven points there just no quartz ones. I have also brought home at least 15 pounds of flakes and source material. Found several quartz crystals too. They are fairly common.

I like quartz crystal too. Yeah, there is a few chert sources in NC. I have found quarrying source materials too. Not everything I find is whole all the time so when I do discover materials I am thankful for what I get. What part of NC do you live?

 

[ncnurseryman]

Durham

 

[painterx7]

Nice finds quartz looks great haha

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Durham

You ever found any black rhyolite around there? I normally don't find much of that around here. I did find a Hardaway that was broke made of it one time here. The reason I ask is b/c I remember talking to a guy that showed me some pics of some black rhyolite cores he found in the Durham area.

 

[NC field hunter]

You ever found any black rhyolite around there? I normally don't find much of that around here. I did find a Hardaway that was broke made of it one time here. The reason I ask is b/c I remember talking to a guy that showed me some pics of some black rhyolite cores he found in the Durham area.

Most of the rhyolite around here is black. The patina is a greenish color. Most of my points are broken. At the break, you can see the black center.

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Most of the rhyolite around here is black. The patina is a greenish color. Most of my points are broken. At the break, you can see the black center.

Hmmm. I found a Kirk and a Hardaway made of the black rhyolite near Pilot Mtn. They had a reddish/brown patina and the black seemed to be faded and pale. Actually, the Kirk was in a lot better condition and the patina looked older than the Hardaway. Both are very thin. I know what your talking about though seeing the black center.

 

[SCrocks]

Nice looking finds and some nice quartz points!

 

[rockheadhunter421]

The quartz crystal Morrow Mtn. is one of the best or if not "the best" arrowhead I've ever found. IMO quartz crystal is a more highly sought after material than rhyolite in NC. It would be tough for me to let that one go.

 

[-=METAL=-]

Wow, I love the quartz point in the middle.. Quartz points are definitely beautiful, I'm always amazed at the variety of Native American tools, always makes you stop for a second and marvel at it.

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Wow, I love the quartz point in the middle.. Quartz points are definitely beautiful, I'm always amazed at the variety of Native American tools, always makes you stop for a second and marvel at it.

Thanks for looking Metal. I have more quartz in my collection but I consider a few of these pictured superior. I'm sure there is more better examples of quartz artifacts out there but these are the best that I have right now. Finding that quality quartz arrowhead, feels almost like an embrace of power. I'm not sure what power brought me to find it but it feels peaceful yet thrilling, breathtaking just to get the chance to pick one up from it's natural site. When I find these artifacts here in my local area, I like to relate to the culture that developed them. It's like trying to conceive that nature of the Native Americans who once lived here. The Cherokee calls this culture who lived in the Yadkin River valley the "Near the River Dwellers." Just as the water flows here there is a serenity yet powerful in the ways for survival and in the passing of knowledge to whom it may not be forgotten.

 

[rock]

The Cherokee was king of quartz. They were from up north and then migrated here to where I live at and were masters to making points from quartz seeing that is about the only hard lithic up north and most abundant. When they came to my area the history books say that they challenged the "Creek" Indians to a game for the rights to the land here in my area. The Creek Indians lost and then had to leave and the Cherokee took over. Bit of history for you.

 

[rockheadhunter421]

That is interesting. I wonder if they got along afterward? I was researching about Lancaster, SC (I'm basically scouting the surrounding counties and the Indian tribes also) and it is suppose to be like a meeting place (also a midway point between the mountains and the coast). Anyways, the Cheraw (Saura), Cherokee, Catawba and Waxhaw tribes were the main inhabitants. I saw nothing about the Creek tribe but it looks like they were not far away. I enjoy hearing something new about the Cherokee culture anyway and I wonder what was that challenge. I have ancestors that are Cherokee and Saura. I'm very distantly related to the Chief Donnaha of the Saura tribe from the 1700s but I have Cherokee ancestors more recent. I speculate that the Saura people are basically like the eastern most band of Cherokee. If you want to read about that in Wikipedia here are two links: Donnaha, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia / Cheraw people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia You will see in one of the links the name of a distant relative of mine too.

 

[GatorBoy]

Some of my quartz points.
These were gifts or trade items.
It's one of the worst materials to have to use but some of the guys who had to turned out some decent ones.
A couple photos of B.P.G. finding a point in North Carolina in here too.