The Big Elkos Keep on Coming!

oldmxrat

Silver Member
Oct 25, 2020
4,910
16,436
Reno Nevada summers, Las Vegas winters
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 400, Nokta Simplex+, Nokta Legend, Nokta Accupoint
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Finally got a cool day forecasted so I headed out to the dez for an artifact hunt. Went to an area I've done well at in the past. The first thing I see when I get out of the vehicle is a stark white thing about 25 feet away. As I approach it I'm just blown away how bright white it is, and it's looking like a good point! I carefully removed it from the cement-like playa surface. A beautiful white chert Elko!

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About 2 feet away I can see olivella shell beads scattered about. It took some effort to break up the crust and remove them without breaking them. Underneath a broken piece of crust I spied a small abalone flat bead, so I carefully brushed the dirt around to see if there were more. Sure enough, plus an abalone pendant that was in four pieces!
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After looking around that area for a bit, and finding a couple little points, I moved on to another spot a short distance away. I wasn't having much luck there, and there were fresh footprints everywhere. I was thinking about giving up on that spot, but then I remember my grandfather always telling me "don't worry about what other people did, look harder and find what they missed". So I slowed down and looked harder still. This thing just looked like dull black rock, but I thought I detected some knapping, so I went to it. Holy smokes! I couldn't believe this thing was hiding in plain sight like that.
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I pieced the pendant back together as best I could, it was kind of flaking away in different layers, but I'm very happy to have saved it! Also strange was finding that piece of calcite on the camp.
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What a killer day!!!
Thanks for looking!
 

Last edited:
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Lenrac2

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2021
2,761
6,386
Illinois
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Denise-Nokta Legend/Garrett Apex Nox600
Bob-AT Max/ Nox800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Epic day! Congrats!!
 

GoDeep

Bronze Member
Nov 12, 2016
2,120
4,515
Detector(s) used
Whites, Garrett, Minelab
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It's amazing what one can still find out in the desert!
 

Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,860
21,407
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Congrats on some great looking artifacts. That White Elko is a killer point.
 

Ia.FurTrade

Bronze Member
Aug 9, 2008
1,891
1,233
Southeast Iowa
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well done as usual! Glad you were able to save the pendant!!

Iowa Dale
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
36,991
136,863
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
What a contrast between the two, both are equally great looking. Congrats.
Nice saves on the rest.
 

Sandcrab

Full Member
Jun 14, 2021
103
73
Oceanside CA
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, Coiltek 10x5 and 15, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
WTG! Awesome finds.
 

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