Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Field Finds - Southeast MA arrowheads

Chris Pittman writes:
I spent hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday searching for artifacts in six different places, but at the end of the weekend, despite all the time trekking through muck and being feasted on by mosquitoes, I had nothing to show for it. I decided to head out today after work and give it one more hour. On the way back to the car, after the sun had gone down, I found this little point, missing the tip. This is a different shape from what I am used to, and it is a neat material. The original rind of the stone is still partially visible which makes the flaking stand out. I think it is slate, it could be argillite. I really almost missed this, I will always pick up broken slate but if this had not been lying fully exposed I do not think I would have noticed it. As it was, it took a second after I picked it up before I realized what it was, even though it looks obvious now. I think maybe I will go back there and give a second look to some of the broken slate scattered around. This has a little piece sticking out at the break, I could almost convince myself this was fashioned into a graver but really I think it just broke this way. I considered that it might be a Stark point but I am not sure, similar points around here are sometimes described as Neville. It is the thinnest stemmed point I have ever found, and despite the damage, I am still really pleased with it.

No comments :