My Oldest Find While Metal Detecting

Texaspast

Elite Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
598
OK, so this wasn't found WITH my metal dectector, but I found it while metal detecting. I had mentioned this in another thread and said I would post it, so here it is.
I had wanted to go to an old park that at one time was the fair grounds and a race track, but nobody goes there much anymore, because the neighborhood and the park have been given over to a form of commerce of the less desireable kind, if you catch my drift. It is located near a creek that has many Indian sites up and down its length, mostly Nadaco (a Caddoan branch), but also groups before them. Anyway, I went out to the park on a Sunday morning about 7:30, figuring that if there was ever a time the local entrepreneurs would not be plying their trade, it would be early Sunday morning. It was still creepy, so I did a quick walk-over with my Compass XP-Pro. I passed over a wash-out on a slope, where the soil was washed away down to the red clay. This little projectile point was embedded in the clay. It is a type called a San Patrice point, and dates (depending on which authority you consult) from 6000-10,000 BC. It is made out of quartzite, a difficult material to work. This was not a recent drop by someone else, as it had been in the clay a long time, as evidenced by the edges of the point having absorbed red iron oxide from the clay. This, by the way, is not an arrow head, since the American Indians didn't use the bow and arrow until after 1000 AD. This would have been the head of a short spear thrown by a device called an atl-atl, which greatly increased the velocity of the thrown spear.
I still want to hunt that park, as I found an old map showing its layout when it was a race track and fairgrounds. I'll have to take my own gang to do it, though. :lol:
<img src="http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/3281/sanpatricepointsn5.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
 
Beautiful find, Tex. I love the shape and color. I found an old arrowhead once when I was visiting a friend in Georgia. While helping him to dig a hole in the ground for a pool, I saw a brown flint stone sticking out and grabbed it. I'll get a picture one of these days. Definately a rush to find something like that.

Joe
 
That's a really cool find. Congrats on it and thanks for the history lesson. Im suprised I haven't found anything in my area as I know others have found a lot of indian artifacts. I guess I'm just not observant enough.
 
Very nice find ! I have eyeballed a few in the desert in the past - always neat to see them - to hold history in your hand, steve in so az
 
I saw a documentary a while ago on this...and how hard it was to master the throwing, but very accurate and deadly once perfected.

Great find and history lesson...Congrats!

~Hank 8)
 
Back
Top Bottom