trade bead, flintrock and brass

[flintlock]

While digging yesterday, eyeballed a couple dark (English) flint rocks, a blue fauceted trade bead and a couple pieces from a pipe stem. Also found piece to an Indian trade bracelet with designs and couple pieces to trade rings. Thanks for looking!

 

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[Lucas]

Definitely some nice stuff! The blue beads are commonly called "Russian blues" although they are from Venice, just like most trade beads. They come in about 1820. Flints yup English. The bracelet is from the French Era. What that says is that your site was occupied for at least 50 years, more or less.

 

[flintlock]

Lucas, your just a tad bit over on site occupancy according to records but still a good guess. Got a question for ya...are English vs. French flints a regional issue or a preference issue? Seems I find only dark English ones and never the milky yellow French flints.

 

[Lucas]

Well, where definitely matters for dating by artifact type... but faceted blues of that type are "Late."

Gunflints... French flints, also where matters. Canada and upper Midwest, not after 1760, BUT they start showing up again at military sites in the U.S. by 1832, meaning the government was buying from France. Mississippi Valley is a whole other story, the French were in there later. SE you probably won't see French flints.

Since you mention, here are my flints. 11 French heeled flints, one English heeled flint, and a French and a English prismatic flint.

 

[flintlock]

Super nice flints!!! I got one last question...when you say, " the bracelet is from the French era" what time frame are we talking?

 

[Lucas]

Quimby's Middle Historic Period. More or less 1700 to 1760.

 

[flintlock]

Hmmm...interesting! Thanks Lucas!