Trash pit or campsite?

[E59]

Good morning! The ground may be covered in snow but I'm already itchin to go look through the fields! Someone on one of these threads mentioned that most jars come from dug up trash pits. In the fields along the Des Moines I have these favorite places that I thought were campsites but maybe they're trashpits. I go to several areas that span about 200 feet that are chock full of flint pieces. I haven't found any exellent artifacts around these since the flood of 1993 so now I'm wondering are these trashpits? Should I be digging instead of waiting for the plow each year?

 

[bean man]

Hi Sara. Sounds like a work station. Any way, good luck this year, neighbor.

bm

 

[undertaker]

I agree with bean man. Sounds like it could be a work station. Trash pits Ive found usually have some type of ash, fire crack rock, and some have been littered with bone fragments, nut shells and seashells. Ive found more of my points near or in a work station area than I have in trash pits.

 

[Atlantis0077]

Agreed,

Here are some photos of artifacts retrieved from a midden or trash pit. Occasionally you find points, but they are the exception. More often its broken pottery, bone and shell fragments. Notice how the bones have been broken lengthwise for removal of the marrow. The deer jawbones shown were often used as corn shellers among other things. Campsites do often have a trashpit or midden component....spread a wide net and you might find more.

Atlantis

 

[bean man]

Hey Atlantis, the bone in the middle of the bottom pic, sure is odd.

bm

 

[Atlantis0077]

Hey Beanman,

Most all the larger bones from this particular site are deer. You also find wolf, squirrel, rabbit, turtle, and other animals. I find quite a lot of shell, large boney fish parts, and catfish spines....they seem to survive the ravages of time best. Ancient shell is very fragile, but when you hit it in the soil it gives a burst of color..silver white blue and red when you hit it. I also find that ancient mussels and clams were far larger than the ones that you find today.

Atlantis

 

[newnan man]

I found a spot in Ohio full of black Coshocton flint chips everywhere. I searched that place hard for 3 seasons or so and never found even a broken point. I could have filled 4 or more buckets with the chips. Funny thing is that type of flint was not from the area so it was brought in, knapped and the finished stuff taken away. I figured I could find at least a broken one.

 

[E59]

Those are beautiful Atlantis! I've never paid attention to bone and maybe I've never looked closely at the stones to check if they are pottery. I've always felt that these were work stations and from what little I've read I assume that these stations were probably somewhat away from a camp because it would hurt to step on the flint. I could be wrong, I just read alot of Jean Auel and it makes sense to me.

So how did the rest of you find a trashpit? I'm sure there's got to be one around one of my favorite worksites.

 

[flip]

Don't give up on those work stations. Everything in this showcase except the top shelf came from a small thirty foot diameter work station.

 

[TreasureTales]

My collection of Indian artifacts is quite small relative to what I've seen here on TNet. So I am not an expert by any means, please keep that in mind as you read further in this post.

When I'm wandering around in central Nevada and Northern California, I find workstations full of chips and occassionally a broken point. These workstations are often on a low hill or rise close to a water source. I've learned that moving from the workstation--downhill and within about 100 yards from it--I'll find some points and knives. I think the workstations of desert tribes were used as field reloading sites. IOW, they made their points while awaiting the arrival of the game, and then moved from the workstation to hunt the game. How far will a primitive bow shoot a primitive arrow and still be lethal? Not more that 30 yards I suspect. My asumption is baed on the distance between the water holes and the workstations--about 30 yards--and knowing that the majority of my finds are within that radius from the elevated workstations. Western tribes were nomadic and in the arid range of the Northern Paiutes, moving often was vital to sustaining their livelihood.