Field Guide: Finding Authentic Arrowheads, Part 4
Posted on 18. Oct, 2009 by Big Ed in Archeological Excavations, Flint Artifacts, Miscellaneous
As we continue our series on finding arrowheads, we take a look at a couple of popular search site types as well as some basic techniques for effective arrowhead hunting.
So, another great source of arrowheads is cultivated fields. Modern farming equipment uncovers them when it turns the soil. Once a field has been plowed, it typically takes a lot of rainfall and/or wind, depending on the soil type, to expose the field to conditions that are conducive to finding arrowheads. Freshly plowed fields are very difficult to walk in and rarely produce finds immediately after being plowed. Straight after a steady rain is typically the best time to search. If other hunters have permission to hunt the same fields, you’ll often find yourself in a race to the site as soon as the rain stops.
Note: Construction sites are also good areas to search. You must obtain permission from the site foreman before venturing onto a construction site. This is not only for courtesy reasons, but also for your own safety. Construction sites hold many dangers, seen and unseen.
It’s important to get the timing right since the forces of nature that expose arrowheads also work to cover them again. Knowing the right time to hunt is a skill that will be developed over time and with much trial and error. You’ll come to learn what works best for your particular region.
Once you’ve located a site with obvious occupation signs – burned rock, waste flakes, flint spalls, bone, shell, stone tools, etc. – you need to scour every patch of exposed earth. Examine every stone, flint chip and piece of metal you see. This is where a flipping stick comes in handy and saves your back from continually bending.
A good strategy is to hunt the best areas first. By best, this could mean the areas where arrowheads have been found previously or, depending on field conditions, it could simply be the area that is most exposed and with little plant life. As a rule, the more soil showing, the better your chances of locating arrowheads.
Keep in mind that each stone you see has the potential to be an arrowhead. Ancient objects are not always immediately obvious. They can be partially buried, obscuring the outline and rendering them unidentifiable at first glance.
Once you’ve thoroughly covered the best areas, expand your range to cover the perimeter of the occupation zone.
There are conflicting views on the best way to surface hunt in terms of sun placement. Is it best to have the sun in front of you, or at your back? It really all comes down to preference. Try both and see what works best for you. Some people prefer the sun in front of them while walking a plowed field. It makes every piece of flint glare and often times the soil looks like it’s covered with thousands of pieces of broken glass. Others don’t like this glare, but prefer having the sun at their back. Having the sun behind you lights up the ground from the same angle that you’re looking from. It eliminates the glare and is much easier on the eyes. One drawback here is your shadow. You’ll have to keep dodging your own shadow which can cancel out the benefit of having the sun at your back. Again, try both and see which you prefer.
More to come!
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17 Responses to “Field Guide: Finding Authentic Arrowheads, Part 4”
Leave a Reply
Lynn
20. Oct, 2009
What is the arrowhead pictured in your article Field Guide Part 4? I found one that looks exactly like it near Marfa, TX last week. Age? Tribe? etc..?
Steve Valentine
25. Oct, 2009
Lynn, the arrowhead in the picture that Shannon used for this article is one that I found this summer on a site I hunt. It is an Archaic Side Notch type and may be a Thebes, thoug it shows very little evidence of basal grinding. This point was found in southern Ohio so I doubt is has any relationship to a type you found in Texas other than they may from the same time period.
By the way, thanks Shannon for using my point. Very cool!!
Shannon Graham
25. Oct, 2009
Thanks Steve. I can’t take credit for this article though….this entire series is courtesy of Big Ed.
Shannon
Steve Valentine, Wheelersburg Ohio
26. Oct, 2009
Well then I guess I owe a big thanks to Big Ed. lol
Ray Martin
01. Nov, 2009
That point makes my mouth water every time I log on.
Terry Elliott
03. Jan, 2010
Anybody out there from central WI?
Anonymous
30. Mar, 2010
how do you do
Popler Bluff MAN
15. May, 2010
SO HOW WOULD I KNOW THE RIGHT NAMES OF MY ARROWHEADS… I NEVER KN EW THE NAMES OF THEM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE ONES I DO HAVE… IF ANYONE COULD HELP OUT THAT WOULD HELP ME ALOT… THANKS………… eMAIL
dnorman_90@yahoo.com
Anonymous
06. Aug, 2010
you people have too much time on your hands. if you want to spear a deer just gorilla tape an 8 inch knife to a piece of 1/2 inch conduit and KILL THE DEER!
Wm. Sidmore
21. Aug, 2010
I am looking forward to reading and viewing photos of discoveries. Even in any publication I come across viewing arrowheads and other artifacts, usually displays a photo of a great object and dimensions yet no story of it’s discovery. I only try to imagine the conditions of the day, the field of search, and the stories of every field furrow. In my case rivers were very interesting and have discovered many treasures including fossils. My web-blog offers many photos and stories of my discoveries. “After the fields stop producing ‘go to the rivers, the gravel bars, ‘Paleo’ blades were my most common types in river findings.!”
Jordan
23. Sep, 2010
Very informative article. Ive learned a lot!
jayda
03. Oct, 2010
meeeeeee to
Keith
03. Oct, 2010
Hi Lynn,
if you would like to get to know the points you are finding,you can get an “Overstreet Identification Book”. Its a great sourse for finding the points you find, and also has prices for the artifacts or points.But the prices vary from place to place .Good Luck hunting!!
Keith D.
“Western Kentucky”
Hopkins Co.
Keith
03. Oct, 2010
Hi,
Thanx! for the article on finding points,I live in Western Ky. in Hopkins Co..I just have started looking in creeks for points,and dont know if im going about it the right way or not? i have been following the downstream part of the creeks,sifting the sands and small pebbles on the backsides of the deposits.But so far i have’nt found a point,but a few tops an bottoms.Does anyone else do this ?? If so , i could use some pointers if anyone can help ??All the fields here have just been turned and we have’nt had rain for atleast amonth ,so its gonna be alittle while before we can get back to looking in the fields .Its been very hot and dry here this summer,and im hopeing that this falls hunt will produce some nice finds…
Good Luck Hunting !! Keith D.
Rick Esposito
02. Dec, 2010
I live in Arizona, and have lived in California. I’ve found lots of Arrowheads over the years, and I’ll give you all my main strategy.
FIRST, (especially in the west), locate an old Indian village or campsite. They will be typically located near a water source, on level ground, and in areas where wild game and good supplies of firewood are found.
Look for signs of a camp, such as old rock fire rings, sleeping circles, and in some areas around here; actual shelters made of rocks or thick wood beams. Though age and time tends to make the wood almost unrecognizable as old shelters.
When you find a suspected old camp or village, not only work from the center outward, but also look DOWN HILL from the campsite! I have found many Arrowheads in natural drainage areas down from the villages.
On one particular trip, I went to an area where a running spring is now, and was running in the past.
I simply looked for a level area near the spring, then looked in drainage washes down hill. Within 10 minutes I found a drill used for leather. It was very old and in good shape.
Unfortunately, I only found a couple of damaged scrapers and one broken spear point. BUT, I only looked for one afternoon. There’s probably more out there!
I hope I have helped a little.
fart
21. Mar, 2011
penis is a poop
mike balmer
25. Mar, 2011
thank you every little bit helps been hunting artifacts around Illinois for over 25 years. i have something that may help you. i like to hunt little streams if there is a big rock in water i will look behind this rock and dig the water carries anything flat around the rock then drops it do to lack of current. also, where two hills meet, i will look in the crevace anywhere where there is a bend or a large rock i have had luck finding. thanks again. reply if u want to.