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Finding arrowheads


huntfor

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I read the VERY informative topic on "what's in your geocache bag" and a metal detector was one of the items.

 

That led me to think I could possibly find arrowheads. I've always been attracted to Native American Everything and I want to FIND arrowheads. I know where to buy them. That's no fun.

 

Unfortunately, I also found out that in our state park we're not allowed to use metal detectors. :D (I posted the SC state park guidelines in a separate thread)

 

Any suggestions, especially for SC or GA?

 

Has anyone found an arrowhead while geocaching? Where? Send photos, please!

 

Note: absolute newbie! (no kidding!) :D

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What suggestions are you looking for? If the park regulations say no metal detectors, don't use it in the park. Anyway, the metal detector I have are the wand types used for detecting nails in lumber, not the more serious type. Useful in a few instances, I'd say right now it costs me about $7 per cache find :D

 

It's not terribly sensitive, maybe a security wand type would be better.

 

I've never found any arrowheads, or even tried to look for them (except in the gift shop). Aren't they usually stone? Anyway, found this site for you:

 

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/garren/Arrowhe...alDetecting.htm

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We get pretty excited when we find old license plates.

 

I had a friend who had every state but Oregon, weirdly enough. Should have told him to "will" them to me. Sometimes, I've seen them at flea markets. The more "weathered", the better!

 

I think my favorite is Wyoming - the bucking bronco:

 

Wyoming License Plates - pictures of various styles

 

Hope using tinyurl.com wasn't a no-no but:

 

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What suggestions are you looking for? If the park regulations say no metal detectors, don't use it in the park. Anyway, the metal detector I have are the wand types used for detecting nails in lumber, not the more serious type. Useful in a few instances, I'd say right now it costs me about $7 per cache find :D

 

Where I am, there's nowhere else to go digging! Not to mention, you're not allowed to dig, anyway, in that park.

 

 

It's not terribly sensitive, maybe a security wand type would be better.

 

I've never found any arrowheads, or even tried to look for them (except in the gift shop). Aren't they usually stone? Anyway, found this site for you:

 

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/garren/Arrowhe...alDetecting.htm

 

I had hoped the arrowheads might be attached to something ( I don't know - wire) that could be detected someway, somehow! Guess I'm pipe-dreaming again.

 

Thanks for that great site. I'm reading it now. I'll google security wand detectors. Never heard of them.

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It's not terribly sensitive, maybe a security wand type would be better.

 

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/garren/Arrowhe...alDetecting.htm

 

I just looked at security wand metal detectors - pretty expensive and probably too heavy to lug around with all this other geo-stuff.

 

Maybe I'll find an arrowhead, accidentally. (yeah, right!) The dirtbrothers discussion is a fun read. Thank you!

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Maybe i missed something....

 

native american arrowheads are made of flint, which is stone, which is not detectable via metal detector.

:D Believe me, you didn't miss anything. I had a <very> temporary suspension of "intelligence" and was pipe-dreaming about what I'd really love to find on these hunts. Sorry.

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Funny you should mention this because I just got an arrowhead today. It was swag and I doubt a real one, but cool.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?II...p;LID=103459315

It was part of the theme of the cache which was hidden at a museum of indian artifacts.The cache was near an indian bark hut built by the musem.

There have been people who have made arrowheads as signature swag items. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one of those.

I think you'll find some people with metal detectors have them because the snow where they live is three feet deep or more and the metal detectors help find the cache under the snow.

Edited by Luckless
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What suggestions are you looking for? If the park regulations say no metal detectors, don't use it in the park. Anyway, the metal detector I have are the wand types used for detecting nails in lumber, not the more serious type. Useful in a few instances, I'd say right now it costs me about $7 per cache find :D

 

Where I am, there's nowhere else to go digging! Not to mention, you're not allowed to dig, anyway, in that park.

 

 

It's not terribly sensitive, maybe a security wand type would be better.

 

I've never found any arrowheads, or even tried to look for them (except in the gift shop). Aren't they usually stone? Anyway, found this site for you:

 

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/garren/Arrowhe...alDetecting.htm

 

I had hoped the arrowheads might be attached to something ( I don't know - wire) that could be detected someway, somehow! Guess I'm pipe-dreaming again.

 

Thanks for that great site. I'm reading it now. I'll google security wand detectors. Never heard of them.

 

If you think you can find prehistoric arrow points with a metal detector I seriously believe you should do a little research on prehistoric cultures before you begin.

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Maybe i missed something....

 

native american arrowheads are made of flint, which is stone, which is not detectable via metal detector.

:D Believe me, you didn't miss anything. I had a <very> temporary suspension of "intelligence" and was pipe-dreaming about what I'd really love to find on these hunts. Sorry.

Here's what I have been led to believe about searching for artifacts. the first thing you'll need to know is where did they hunt. There's no sense looking for arrowheads where none were used. after an arrow is lost, and then the organic parts rot away(Wood, Feathers, Sinew) the arrowhead will be just like any other stone in that it will work it's way downhill through erosion. Eventually they will end up in creeks and washes. Continuously flowing creeks will quickly wear them down and they will become just another smooth stone. Intermitent creeks will move them, but will not wear them down as quickly.

 

Finding them in the slower parts of intermittent creeks in the traditional hunting grounds should be the easiest place.

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Maybe i missed something....

 

native american arrowheads are made of flint, which is stone, which is not detectable via metal detector.

:D Believe me, you didn't miss anything. I had a <very> temporary suspension of "intelligence" and was pipe-dreaming about what I'd really love to find on these hunts. Sorry.

Here's what I have been led to believe about searching for artifacts. the first thing you'll need to know is where did they hunt. There's no sense looking for arrowheads where none were used. after an arrow is lost, and then the organic parts rot away(Wood, Feathers, Sinew) the arrowhead will be just like any other stone in that it will work it's way downhill through erosion. Eventually they will end up in creeks and washes. Continuously flowing creeks will quickly wear them down and they will become just another smooth stone. Intermitent creeks will move them, but will not wear them down as quickly.

 

Finding them in the slower parts of intermittent creeks in the traditional hunting grounds should be the easiest place.

 

Or more likely, at old settlements, also near creeks and streams. (North American Indians were smart enough not to try to settle far from reliable sources of fresh water.)

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Funny you should mention this because I just got an arrowhead today. It was swag and I doubt a real one, but cool.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?II...p;LID=103459315

It was part of the theme of the cache which was hidden at a museum of indian artifacts.The cache was near an indian bark hut built by the musem.

There have been people who have made arrowheads as signature swag items. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one of those.

I think you'll find some people with metal detectors have them because the snow where they live is three feet deep or more and the metal detectors help find the cache under the snow.

 

Wow!!! You're not so "luckless" after all! :D

 

What a nice theme for a cache. As for snow, no thanks. Been there, done that, not doing it again! I read your log. You're very funny!

 

I added that cache to my watchlist, so I can follow its progress. Nice arrowhead photo and very nice photos of the cache site surrounded by the snow. Hope to see some summer photos!

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Here's what I have been led to believe about searching for artifacts. the first thing you'll need to know is where did they hunt. There's no sense looking for arrowheads where none were used. after an arrow is lost, and then the organic parts rot away(Wood, Feathers, Sinew) the arrowhead will be just like any other stone in that it will work it's way downhill through erosion. Eventually they will end up in creeks and washes. Continuously flowing creeks will quickly wear them down and they will become just another smooth stone. Intermitent creeks will move them, but will not wear them down as quickly.

 

Finding them in the slower parts of intermittent creeks in the traditional hunting grounds should be the easiest place.

 

Or more likely, at old settlements, also near creeks and streams. (North American Indians were smart enough not to try to settle far from reliable sources of fresh water.)

 

Wish I bought the arrowheads from a local shop that traded and bought and sold things from people from our air force base. He sold his shop and they don't sell those things any more. He also had civil war era collectibles. Of course, everything would have to be appraised / verified somehow to make sure they were real.

 

Okay, I know I'm not going to find a real arrowhead. I can still dream!

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An interesting excerpt on arrows and arrowheads:

 

"this crude, rusty old arrowhead was probably a big game downer... it looks powerful enough for buffalo, bear, or elk.... metal became available to American Indians as early as 1640... metal bands from wooden barrels, farm implements, wagon/stage coach parts... also, european settlers, blacksmiths traded metal tomahawks, axes, arrowheads, spear points for furs, labor, etc.."

 

Taken from the below referenced website:

 

http://www.joeeaglefeather.com/circa1880.html

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An interesting excerpt on arrows and arrowheads:

 

"this crude, rusty old arrowhead was probably a big game downer... it looks powerful enough for buffalo, bear, or elk.... metal became available to American Indians as early as 1640... metal bands from wooden barrels, farm implements, wagon/stage coach parts... also, european settlers, blacksmiths traded metal tomahawks, axes, arrowheads, spear points for furs, labor, etc.."

 

Taken from the below referenced website:

 

http://www.joeeaglefeather.com/circa1880.html

I just emailed them to make sure it was all right to post this info and couldn't tear myself away, so here's more:

 

http://www.joeeaglefeather.com/page/page/1673120.htm

 

"we primarily make and sell arrows and bows, but we are not limited to these two specialties.. the arts, crafts, artifacts we sell are made by DOCUMENTED members of the Apache, Navajo, Cherokee, Lakota, Commanche, Paiute, Hopi, Crow, Shoshoni nations... EVERY item we sell comes with CERTIFICATE of AUTHENTICITY with the artisans name and tribal registration number, as required by federal laws..."

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Funny you should mention this because I just got an arrowhead today. It was swag and I doubt a real one, but cool.

 

It was a very nice coincidence, but now I'm homesick. I wish I still lived within 50 miles of the Shinnecock Indian Reservation on Long Island (NY). I enjoyed the dancing, the costumes and the Indian Fry bread at their Powwows. Also loved visiting the Museum of the American Indian downtown NYC.

 

Well, I finally realized why I brought all this up in the first place. I'm homesick.

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Isn't it really illegal to scavenge indian artifacts? I've grown up thinking so.

That's an interesting point, but since I'm attuned (to put it mildly) to the plight of Native Americans, if I did find any, I would take photos and then donate them to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

 

Great finds like that are meant to be shared!

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A few points. Arrowheads (actually they are usually spear points) are made of stones like flint, argellite, jasper and quartz so a metal detector would be of little help.

 

Second. If you are digging up projectile points you are disturbing an archeological site, which is a federal crime (see the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979).

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Isn't it really illegal to scavenge indian artifacts? I've grown up thinking so.

That's an interesting point, but since I'm attuned (to put it mildly) to the plight of Native Americans, if I did find any, I would take photos and then donate them to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

 

Great finds like that are meant to be shared!

 

eh. What you mean by 'attuned to the plight of Native Americans'? Like you have their permission to scavenge?

 

Either way, I wouldn't go out to scavenge their artifacts. Maybe I'm wrong, but I wonder if they might prefer their artifacts stay with the land than be shipped to the museum. Furthermor, the only donations the museum is asking for on their website is monetary donations. They even ask for stocks, bonds, inheritence as gifts. The only mention of donating artifacts is this:

 

In terms of collections’ growth, NMAI continues to focus actively on modern and contemporary arts, relying on donations for the expansion of earlier ethnographic collections. Given the 1970 passage of UNESCO regulations controlling antiquities exports from Latin America, and North American Indian peoples’ continuing ambivalence about archaeology, there is little expectation for substantial growth of the archaeological collections. And although NMAI’s enabling legislation encompasses Hawai’i, the museum does not accept or collect Native Hawaiian material.

 

By "relying on donations for the expansion of earlier ethnographic collections", I'm guessing they mean donations for collections that they have already received. Like a modern painting from a native american expanding the collections of their tribe. Not new collections by scavengers. And I think the phrase "and North American Indian peoples’ continuing ambivalence about archaeology" speaks to people wanting to go and scavenge artifacts and/or archeologists wanting to dig up ruins and such.

Edited by simpjkee
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Isn't it really illegal to scavenge indian artifacts? I've grown up thinking so.

That's an interesting point, but since I'm attuned (to put it mildly) to the plight of Native Americans, if I did find any, I would take photos and then donate them to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

 

Great finds like that are meant to be shared!

 

It's federal crime to dig them up anywhere (see my previous post). If it is not federal land if they are on the surface it may be OK to collect them (some states or park systems may have their own laws that prohibit that).

 

As far as a great find, it wouldn't be. It would be practically worthless unless you can establish the provenance and context using established archaeological methods. Anything else is just pot hunting.

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Got a cigar box fulla them. They really don't look as nice as the "made in Mexico/India" tourist ones today :laughing: , and aren't worth a hill o' beans without being able to date them and/or discover who made 'em.

No museum will accept them without authentication and most have so many, simply aren't interested.

Most major rivers would have had at least a brief North American Native camp or two along the banks.

In my area and all along the Delaware River one can spot an arrowhead or two pretty easily.

River rises and falls, leaving a few behind. You simply look at the small stones on the banks, until you see "that" shape - then it's usually just another stone. ;)

As a kid, my favorite area was from Dingmans Ferry to Delaware Water Gap. An offer to split our take with the farmers on the riverbanks would get us permission, with most thinking we were a bit nuts and telling us to keep 'em.

We'd hit the plowed fields just as the corn was coming up, so we weren't steppin' on plants, but the arrowheads would still be on the surface. Many arrowheads would be found.

Sadly, the areas' now National Park Service property and they don't allow it.

Found a good number years ago along the Susquehanna River with the ex . Again, asking the farmers for permission.

Archaeological sites/digs for "artifacts" and picking arrowheads from the topsoil aren't the same.

It’s not illegal to collect arrowheads as long as you just pick them up off the ground and you aren't on Federal and some State-owned lands (check with yours for their laws).

Location-wise, sometimes your best bet's private property. Ask. Offer to split 'em (or offer to CITO), treat their property with respect and you'll probably get an okay.

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Here are a few pics of ones I've found.

 

This one is broken but is obviously a point. Cant determine type and age because the stem is broken off.

 

5f166aaf-ec9b-469e-b4a6-af9578c0d76a.jpg

 

This one is between 2700 and 3900 years old

06775b2a-1b75-4a14-bfc8-7c63a3fe378c.jpg

 

Huntfor, if you are seriously interested in the subject (and you certainly seem to be) and want to go beyond mere surface collecting, consider checking with a local university's archaeology/anthropology dept to see if they are running field schools that accept volunteers. Or perhaps you can look into something like the Passport in Time, or check PastHorizons for excavations in your area, or join your state's archaeology organization and see if you can join a dig. (I found this near you). Some will cost you money (could be nominal fee or hundreds of dollars) and some are free for volunteers.

 

In your area there is the SGA and ASSC. Check their websites to see if the are sponsoring any excavations or programs related to Indians (I see there was an interesting one in March in SC).

 

By joining a legit excavation you can satisfy your urge legally and you will learn far, far more about the subject than you would by picking up a few points off the ground and keeping them in a shoebox to show to friends.

Edited by briansnat
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Funny you should mention this because I just got an arrowhead today. It was swag and I doubt a real one, but cool.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?II...p;LID=103459315

It was part of the theme of the cache which was hidden at a museum of indian artifacts.The cache was near an indian bark hut built by the musem.

There have been people who have made arrowheads as signature swag items. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find one of those.

I think you'll find some people with metal detectors have them because the snow where they live is three feet deep or more and the metal detectors help find the cache under the snow.

 

Coincidentally, I was at the Iroquois Indian Museum yesterday, possibly the same museum that you were at. I was in Cooperstown the day before and found some of the same caches that you did.

 

At the Iroquois museum there were a bunch of people "flint knapping" (chipping stones to make arrowheads) and there was a very impressive selection of arrow heads, spear heads, and other tools that were replicas of tools that the Iroquois used. Only after I left the museum and started our trip towards home did I realize that there was also a cache near the museum. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

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What suggestions are you looking for? If the park regulations say no metal detectors, don't use it in the park. Anyway, the metal detector I have are the wand types used for detecting nails in lumber, not the more serious type. Useful in a few instances, I'd say right now it costs me about $7 per cache find :laughing:

 

Where I am, there's nowhere else to go digging! Not to mention, you're not allowed to dig, anyway, in that park.

 

 

It's not terribly sensitive, maybe a security wand type would be better.

 

I've never found any arrowheads, or even tried to look for them (except in the gift shop). Aren't they usually stone? Anyway, found this site for you:

 

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/garren/Arrowhe...alDetecting.htm

 

I had hoped the arrowheads might be attached to something ( I don't know - wire) that could be detected someway, somehow! Guess I'm pipe-dreaming again.

 

Thanks for that great site. I'm reading it now. I'll google security wand detectors. Never heard of them.

A real arrowhead is made of flint, not detectable via metal detector. I doubt wire was used to attach the flints to the arrows as wire is a recent innovation in the historical record. More like strips of leather dipped in some time of resin. So, a metal detector would be of little use to find an arrowhead.

Perhaps, you can research arrowheads and educate yourself on how the native Americans made and used arrows and where these tribes were located in your area prior to heading out. I am sure the appreciation of finding an arrowhead after would be more rewarding

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Huntfor, if you are seriously interested in the subject (and you certainly seem to be) and want to go beyond mere surface collecting, consider checking with a local university's archaeology/anthropology dept to see if they are running field schools that accept volunteers. Or perhaps you can look into something like the Passport in Time, or check PastHorizons for excavations in your area, or join your state's archaeology organization and see if you can join a dig. (I found this near you). Some will cost you money (could be nominal fee or hundreds of dollars) and some are free for volunteers.

 

In your area there is the SGA and ASSC. Check their websites to see if the are sponsoring any excavations or programs related to Indians (I see there was an interesting one in March in SC).

 

By joining a legit excavation you can satisfy your urge legally and you will learn far, far more about the subject than you would by picking up a few points off the ground and keeping them in a shoebox to show to friends.

Briansnat, all of this is very exciting information! I appreciate the work and trouble you went to, to find these resources for me, as well as your encouragement. That's very valuable for a beginning geocacher like me. The Allendale PaleoAmerican expedition is a great find. Thank you!

 

My question sparked a lot of controversy here, which was not intended.

 

To the person I seem to have annoyed or riled up (simpjkee?) about my understanding (as best as I can) the plight of our Native Americans, I mean I wholeheartedly sympathize with NATIVE AMERICANS.

 

I have a poster of Chief Red Cloud that expresses my opinion in the most profound way:

 

'Broken Promises

"They made us many promises,

More than I can remember.

 

But they kept but one: They promised to take our land... and they took it."

Chief Red Cloud'

I have, and never had, any intention of doing anything even remotely illegally. I now live in a place where, if you know where to look (I don't), there are (so I've been told) a lot of Civil War remnants for collectors of memorabilia.

 

I never said I wanted to dig up Native American land, archeological sites or anything else related to this. I intended this post as a question to find out if anyone has ever come across these types of items.

 

I'm not here to argue with anyone and I'm not going to reply to those who seem to want to make more of my words than were originally intended.

 

For everyone else who has given me such valuable input, I wholeheartedly appreciate all of it, and will visit each of the links and read your contributions.

 

Now, I know exactly what Bloencustoms meant, when he said, "the point is raised that many of the people who might feel one way, or another about a given topic never actually say anything because the forums are so hostile." found here:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...&hl=lurkers

 

Thanks a lot to those who have achieved what Bloencustoms mentioned. I thought I was here to have fun. It certainly was not necessary to insult my intelligence, my opinions or my ideas.

 

Again, I will repeat: For everyone else who has given me such valuable input, I wholeheartedly appreciate all of it, and will visit each of the links and read your contributions.

Edited by huntfor
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jopasm and Briansnat, thank you for the resources. I can't do extensive traveling at this time and am unable to go on archaeological digs. The websites you've both shared will have to suffice for now. Appreciate it.

 

(The bloom is off the fun due to another incident on this board, so I no longer care to talk about anything. Too bad it happened while I've only been here for 10 days. Some welcome wagon). Sorry.

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My question sparked a lot of controversy here, which was not intended.

 

To the person I seem to have annoyed or riled up (simpjkee?) about my understanding (as best as I can) the plight of our Native Americans, I mean I wholeheartedly sympathize with NATIVE AMERICANS.

 

 

Yikes. Hardly controversial. I was neither riled nor annoyed. I was curious what you meant, thats all. Post on! :laughing:

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jopasm and Briansnat, thank you for the resources. I can't do extensive traveling at this time and am unable to go on archaeological digs. The websites you've both shared will have to suffice for now. Appreciate it.

 

(The bloom is off the fun due to another incident on this board, so I no longer care to talk about anything. Too bad it happened while I've only been here for 10 days. Some welcome wagon). Sorry.

 

Ya never know if you keep your eyes open. I spent nearly 15 years working a archaic/woodland Indian site excavation that was a 30 minute drive from my house (Unfortunately it ended this season so I'm going through withdrawals) and I participated in 5 others (1 Indian related) that where within an hour of my house.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about an "incident" but I looked at the other threads and saw largely friendly posts. The closest thing to an "incident" was the closing of an of topic thread. I wouldn't fret about that. It happens (it's happened to me). There are many great people here and there is a lot of valuable information if you stick around.

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In Indiana collecting from the surface is fine. You can not excavate a site. As for the plight of NA I have spent a lot of time on rezervatons helping a native pastor build a church and repair some homes. There are some terrible things going on at the rez, some the fault of whites, some self inflicted. But that is a conversation for another forum.

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... Second. If you are digging up projectile points you are disturbing an archeological site, which is a federal crime (see the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979).

 

The ARPA only applies to federally owned public lands and Indian lands. It doesn't apply to private property or non-federally owned public property. It also specifically excludes arrowheads on the surface. I've looked at a number of federal laws and have found none that cover private property or non-federally owned public property. For sites on private or other types of open lands, registration of the site is necessary before the laws kick in. Your mileage may vary by State though.

 

I've picked up numerous arrowheads in my younger days. Never collected them though and don't even know what became of most of them. They're pretty common around here (North central Texas) and span from centuries to eons. I never walked a field that I didn't find at least one. I've dug for them as well but had better luck with surface finds. My favorite had to be a primitive drill. The tip was broken though. A buddy of mine found one with the tip still intact. Found a few grinding stones, bird points, toy points, all kinds of interesting stuff.

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I found this one in a wash on a trail. I'm not sure if it's real because I don't know that they were made with quartz. The rubber O-ring is just there for scale. I haven't had it in my possesion when I run across a local expert on the subject. Another local expert has detailed places where he found them but I would have to wait for water levels to be lower. I do metal detecting but haven't found much but some old clock gears made of brass. The rest of the assembly was too rusted to bother with. As for ownership, it depends on what it is and where I find it as to what I do with something. I've had this point for a number of years and I figure I'll keep it.

arrowhead1.jpg

Edited by Chuck E. Mong
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I read the VERY informative topic on "what's in your geocache bag" and a metal detector was one of the items.

 

That led me to think I could possibly find arrowheads. I've always been attracted to Native American Everything and I want to FIND arrowheads. I know where to buy them. That's no fun.

 

Unfortunately, I also found out that in our state park we're not allowed to use metal detectors. :laughing: (I posted the SC state park guidelines in a separate thread)

 

Any suggestions, especially for SC or GA?

 

Has anyone found an arrowhead while geocaching? Where? Send photos, please!

 

Note: absolute newbie! (no kidding!) :huh:

 

I've found a lot of arrowheads while geocaching. I'll see if I can post up my best find ever for you.

 

http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/c0fa05...d7efbc7171d.jpg

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I haven't found any, but last year I ran into a deputy while I was caching. He was an arrowhead hunter. He walks farm fields in the upper midwest (with farmer permission) right after the soil is tilled or turned. He says he typically finds 4-8 heads in an afternoon of looking. I believe he said that he takes the rare finds to the Anthropology Department at the U of M for evaluation and cataloging.

 

I was surprised by the numbers. But look at it this way. Go to a pond that has been duck hunted over the last 10 years and look how many shotgun shells, or expended wads you find laying around. Hundreds easily, and thousands if you looked carefully for them. Now consider that some fields were hunted for bison for over 8,000 years. The numbers can be mind boggling.

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Discovered a very neat atlatl point at 10,000 feet in a meadow. 3" long, black and white. Took a photo and left it there.

 

Thanks Steve! This is the responsible way to arrowhead hunt. This has been discussed already in this thread, but in the United States it is against federal law to collect arrowheads or other archaeological materials from federal lands. It is often illegal to do so from state lands. Lots of people enjoy arrowhead hunting legally by obtaining permission from private landowners. However, as a former professional archaeologist, I have found hundreds of arrowheads, and I only photograph them. Unless you are greedy, a photo is just as good and it doesn't remove a temporal marker (artifact that gives a date estimate) from a surface archaeological site.

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For someone who says he was a professional archiologist and isn't familiar with the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 I'd have to say that you need to read this. Section 6 subsection G deals with arrowheads and yes Virginia you can pick up arrowheads. You just can't dig for them.

 

Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee,

 

Prohibited acts and criminal penalties

 

 

Section 6

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470 ee(a),

 

Unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, alternation, or defacement of archaeological resources

 

 

(a) No person may excavate, remove, damage, or otherwise alter or deface or attempt to excavate, remove, damage, or otherwise alter or deface any archaeological resource located on public lands or Indian lands unless such activity is pursuant to a permit issued under section 4 of this Act, a permit referred to in section 4(h)(2) of this Act, or the exemption contained in section 4(g)(1) of this Act.

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee b,

 

Trafficking in archaeological resources: Federal law

 

 

b: No person may sell, purchase, exchange, transport, receive, or offer to sell, purchase, or exchange any archaeological resource if such resource was excavated or removed from public lands or Indian lands in violation of-

 

(1) the prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this section, or

 

(2) any provision, rule, regulation, ordinance, or permit in effect under any other provision of Federal law.

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee©,

 

Trafficking in illegal interstate or foreign commerce in archaeological resources: State or local law

 

 

c: No person may sell, purchase, exchange, transport, receive, or offer to sell, purchase, or exchange, in interstate of foreign commerce, any archaeological resource excavated, removed, sold, purchased, exchanged, transported, or received in violation of any provision, rule, regulation, ordinance, or permit in effect under State or local law.

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee(d),

 

Penalties

 

 

(d) Any person who knowingly violates, or counsels, procures, solicits, or employs any other person to violate, any prohibition contained in subsection a, b, or c of this section shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both: Provided, however, That if the commercial or archaeological value of the archaeological resources involved and the cost of restoration and repair of such resources exceeds the sum of $500, such person shall be fined not more than $20,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent such violation upon conviction such person shall be fined not more than $100,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee(e),

 

Effective date

 

 

(e) The prohibitions contained in this section shall take effect on October 31, 1979 [the date of the enactment of this Act].

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee(f),

 

Prospective application

 

 

(f) Nothing in subsection b (1) of this section shall be deemed applicable to any person with respect to any archaeological resource which was in the lawful possession of such person prior to October 31, 1979.

 

 

16 U.S.C. 470ee(g),

 

Removal of arrowheads located on ground surface

 

 

(g) Nothing in subsection (d) of this section shall be deemed applicable to any person with respect to the removal of arrowheads located on the surface of the ground.

 

According to the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, No, it is not illegal to pick up arrowheads as long as they are on the grounds surface. You cannot dig for them. Also you cannot take arrowheads from any federal land, such as a National park or reserve, or from a Native American Reservation no matter how you find it. You must buy it from their gift shops. I have included a copy of section 6 of the law in this post, subsection G deals with arrowheads.

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Hiking out to a cache this weekend and saw a bold sign indicating there are Archaeological Resources nearby and to keep yer cottin' pickin' hands off (this means YOU!)

 

I stayed on the path and looked for lizards instead. Lizards are always OK to pick up and examine (as long as they are itty bitty Western Fence Lizards no bigger than your thumb.)

 

lizard1.jpg

lizard2.jpg

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Yes Coach Steve, that is the way to do it. Take a photo and leave it.

I hate hearing about people with cigar boxes full of points and scrapers.

Arrowheads, scrapers, pottery shards – you’ll find this stuff anywhere and everywhere in the woods.

And you should leave it where it is. It may have been lost hundreds of years ago or it may have been placed there – maybe recently – for spiritual reasons.

Here in Massachusetts, those of us who spend a lot of time in the woods often find geochaces and letterboxes.

We leave them alone.

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Hi, I saw a post on here from someone wanting to find arrowheads, the real ones, left behind

by generations walking this earth before us.

My husband and i go out on a regular basis in Wyoming where we live and find many interesting

artifacts, yesterday we found a beautiful clear arrowhead at the bottom of Hells Half Acre, which

is a known buffalo jump. We also find many interesting things on the Oregon Trail and around

Independence Rock near our home. There are many things people can find in this world still

if they take the time to look, it's an awesome feeling to find something. We would be more than

happy to send pictures of our finds to those who appreciate such artifacts.

 

cy

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