Native American Artifacts

[Nine Banger]

Heres a cache blade from Florida.

Chert is rare in SC but looks cool. Referencing the knife.

Vertebra is from coastal SC. Pulled it out because Im curious: do western dudes get fossils like we do east of Mississippi?

Where I live now on the coast we get lots of mammal bones and shark stuff. When I was kid in Ohio it was all trilobites and limestone fossils. Everything rots here and the soil is ocean bottom so we don't get many artifacts until you go inland. I have a pottery shard around here somewhere.

 

[Nine Banger]

Coastal SC

 

[Dab65]

Harmless nostalgia on the surface, but this is a bad idea in practice. Digging up or hoarding artifacts especially from public lands is often illegal, destroys context for real archaeology, and strips cultural heritage. Report legit finds to professionals instead of treating them like cool grandpa trinkets. Preserve the actual history, don't loot it.

 

[Dab65]

Harmless nostalgia on the surface, but this is a bad idea in practice. Digging up or hoarding artifacts especially from public lands is often illegal, destroys context for real archaeology, and strips cultural heritage. Report legit finds to professionals instead of treating them like cool grandpa trinkets. Preserve the actual history, don't loot it.

 

[Slickhill]

Sure, report those finds to the real experts. So they can come dig up your place and declare it an archeological site of significance to limit what you can do on your own property. But don’t worry all those cool artifacts they dig up will be safely stashed away in the store room of a university somewhere away from the light of day forever so that no normal person can ever see or enjoy them.

Seen it happen. Know the farm owners who had to stop plowing one of their fields indefinitely. No thanks

 

[2531usmc]

Sure, report those finds to the real experts. So they can come dig up your place and declare it an archeological site of significance to limit what you can do on your own property. But don’t worry all those cool artifacts they dig up will be safely stashed away in the store room of a university somewhere away from the light of day forever so that no normal person can ever see or enjoy them.

Seen it happen. Know the farm owners who had to stop plowing one of their fields indefinitely. No thanks

And the landowner has absolutely no say…..

 

[SCHUNTER73]

From the SC side of the Savannah River basin near Estill, SC.

 

[OsoMountain]

Harmless nostalgia on the surface, but this is a bad idea in practice. Digging up or hoarding artifacts especially from public lands is often illegal, destroys context for real archaeology, and strips cultural heritage. Report legit finds to professionals instead of treating them like cool grandpa trinkets. Preserve the actual history, don't loot it.

I agree with you. There needs to be cooperation with amateurs and professionals to further what information we have. But I will say that I see nothing wrong with surface finds, and private property owners giving permission for amateurs to look for artifacts. As I said, cooperation and communication is vital.

 

[OsoMountain]

Sure, report those finds to the real experts. So they can come dig up your place and declare it an archeological site of significance to limit what you can do on your own property. But don’t worry all those cool artifacts they dig up will be safely stashed away in the store room of a university somewhere away from the light of day forever so that no normal person can ever see or enjoy them.

Seen it happen. Know the farm owners who had to stop plowing one of their fields indefinitely. No thanks

Where should priceless artifacts be stored while studying their place within history? My local university has a MASSIVE storeroom full of antiquities under lock and key. All you have to do is call and arrange a private tour. They were totally cool about it and very welcoming.

It’s easy for all of us to fall into believing tropes and assumptions. But if we work together, we can find and preserve our history as a people.

 

[Nine Banger]

If they could see us now, marveling over their "spent brass".

 

[Slickhill]

Where should priceless artifacts be stored while studying their place within history? My local university has a MASSIVE storeroom full of antiquities under lock and key. All you have to do is call and arrange a private tour. They were totally cool about it and very welcoming.

It’s easy for all of us to fall into believing tropes and assumptions. But if we work together, we can find and preserve our history as a people.

I am skeptical that someone up at the university is tirelessly studying the run of the mill points and stone tools that are liable to be dug up at your average field site. But they will still happily come and take them off your property if you make it known to the wrong people that there is a site on your place.

I’m not advocating digging burial mounds. I knew guys who helped dig Spiro mound and it was criminal what went on down there. But picking up points after a rain or after plowing is akin to picking up a lost pocketknife, tin can, or spoon. No reason for “them” whoever they may be to get involved and tell you more of what you can or can’t do on your private property, unless you just want them to.

 

[OsoMountain]

I am skeptical that someone up at the university is tirelessly studying the run of the mill points and stone tools that are liable to be dug up at your average field site. But they will still happily come and take them off your property if you make it known to the wrong people that there is a site on your place.

I’m not advocating digging burial mounds. I knew guys who helped dig Spiro mound and it was criminal what went on down there. But picking up points after a rain or after plowing is akin to picking up a lost pocketknife, tin can, or spoon. No reason for “them” whoever they may be to get involved and tell you more of what you can or can’t do on your private property, unless you just want them to.

Ok. You’re definitely entitled to your opinion.