Indian Artifacts

Did you ever find an artifact? What's an artifact? Webster defines an 'artifact in archaeology as a simple form of aboriginal art'.

When we speak of Indian artifacts, normally, our thoughts immediately go to arrowheads. However, primitive man made many implements from stone. Some were used as spear points. Others were used as knives and scrapers. Many times these knives and scrapers are mistaken by collectors as arrowheads. Many 'arrowheads' were never used as a weapon to kill. If they were made from unusual colored flint or stone many times they were kept as ceremonial pieces. Some tribes, particularly along the south Atlantic section as well as a few western tribes, made very small arrow points. Sometimes they were used on small birds and animals, however, they were mainly used as decorative ornaments just as the white man uses jewelry.

Man has used stone points for more than 15,000 years according to archaeologists. He used stone for his tools, particularly for chopping, digging and cutting his leather made from hides of animals which he killed, and for drilling holes in his clothing and softer stones. He also used stones of various shapes for grinding and pounding his corn and other seeds to make his food. He used fine flint spawls and chips, too, as well as bones of animals as awls and needles to make articles of clothing.

Perhaps you are wondering where such artifacts can be found. You are liable to find them anywhere. Mainly, however, artifacts are found along or near rivers and streams, at least this has been my experience in more than forty years of hunting over most sections of Bedford County. I believe there were many sections where the Indians had their camps because I have found fields where the ground was literally saturated with chips and spawls. In other fields you were lucky to find a single piece, indicating to me that this apparently was not a suitable place to live at that time.

One of the amazing things about stone implements was their ability to survive the elements through the thousands of years and when you find a nice specimen, one cannot but marvel at the fact that it survived without being broken.

Most of my 'finds' were in cultivated fields. One has to wonder how many times this artifact was moved from its resting place by the whiteman when he plowed this field with his plow and other forms of machinery in planting and harvesting his crops.

I am certain that the arrowmaker broke many pieces when he was making an arrowhead because of the veins or texture of the stone or flint. I have found many with the tips broken indicating that most likely this happened when the arrow was sent on its way by an unknown hunter and the point either hit a bone of a large animal or it missed and the tip struck the earth, thus shattering the fragile tip.

I have found others which indicated it has survived the sand blasting of the winds and elements over the eons of time. I found one lying in a creek bed, and am certain countless numbers have been washed down streams and are water worn and chipped from the battering of the currents of the stream.

Only in a few sections of the county have I found what are called 'hammerstones'. These artifacts are about the same size as a large potato and are rounded, sometimes on both ends. Many times you will find one to four or more indentations on the sides which will fit your thumb and finger tips. These implements served many purposes. One reference, I saw many years ago, claimed they were used to crack the shells of walnuts and hickorynuts, thus the reason for the small depressions. Other references seem to believe they were used for pounding, in form of a hammer, not only grains and nuts but perhaps to soften the fibers in their leather, etc. It is also believed they were also used to shape the flint flakes into arrowheads, knives and scrapers. Bone fragments were used to shape the arrowheads too. Each warrior, who made his own weapons was a craftsman. It took a long time to learn this art.

This type or style of the arrowhead and spearpoint depended upon the size, shape and texture of the chip which he obtained from the larger piece of flint. Very few stone pestles have been found in Bedford County. A pestle is an implement that was used to smash and grind the nut meats and seeds into a flour, similar to what our present day pharmacist used to grind his drug ingredients, etc. to fill medical prescriptions. Most of the mortars were hollowed out of stumps or holes made in logs. If a stone or rock with a hollowed out depression was found, it was used.

Once in a while a tomahawk can be found. Sometimes they are also called 'axes'. The weapon was made from a very hard stone. The front was generally round for pounding. Around the center is a groove for the handle to be fastened with leather thongs to a wood handle. The other end was ground down to a sharp edge. When the product was finished, it resembled a single blade ax or perhaps a 'scout ax'.

Another implement, made from hard stone was the celt. This resembles a very large chisel. Sometimes these stone celts would be inserted into a large club. It was used in battle as well as for chopping.

Bedford County is not blessed with veins of good flint. In some sections, flint has been found, but its texture is not the quality from which arrowheads could be made. Most of the flint artifacts found in our fields were brought in here by other tribes or traded for or carried here.

I found an unusual arrowhead years ago. It is multicolored and irregular in shape. I was told by a learned man in this field that this type of flint is prominent in Georgia. Other pieces I have found I am certain came from the region of Flint Ridge in Ohio as I have a number of large chips which I personally obtained from that spot years ago.. Another incident to show how artifacts were probably carried from one area to another- I found only one obsidian. Obsidian is volcanic glass. Only in certain areas in the Rocky Mountains and in Mexico is this substance found. How did this piece get into this section of the country? I have found thousands of arrowheads, mostly broken.

The arrowheads generally found in this locality were made from a flint like slate and a stone somewhat harder than our sandstone. I am not familiar with the geologic terms to classify the various stones thus I cannot give the proper classification of the texture.

From my experience, I believe that about only one out of ten arrowheads one will find in our fields in this county will be flint. Also, I have examined thousands of arrowheads which have been found in this county and I have compared them with artifacts found in other sections of the country, particularly in museums. I personally believe the arrowheads found here are older- they, I believe were made and used long before the tribes, which history tells us, lived here two or three centuries ago.

Perhaps the most unusual artifact discovered in Bedford County was a stone with picture writing on it. This stone was picked up in a cornfield about 40 years ago. Many attempts have been made to decipher the meaning of each etching. One group of archaeologists in New York has taken pictures of this stone and they are now seeking the help of others in this field of study to evaluate its meaning. Several magazines will carry the picture of this artifact in the near future.

One other artifact rarely found here is the gorget. This was a stone oblong in shape with a hole drilled in it. A strand of leather was inserted and tied so it could be worn about the neck.

In some fields a rare find of potsherds can be found. These are fragments of broken pots and vases made from clay Generally these artifacts are found in burial mounds. Usually when a warrior died, all his possessions, including vessels in which food had been placed, were buried with him. It was their belief this hunter would need his weapons in the new happy hunt ing grounds and that he would need this food for his journey.

I have found several stones that were chipped and grooved. In several museums I saw similar ones. They were classified as hoes. A long wooden handle could be tied to the stone and thus used as a hoe similar to the ones we use in our gardens.

Just recently I read a newspaper story of an archaeological study being made of an area in Washington County. It is believed man lived in that area between 12.000 and 13.000 BC.

Huntingdon County. From the artifacts found, they are positive man lived here a long, long time ago. Diggings have been done in Somerset County on several sites over the years. However to my knowledge, there have been very few areas in Bedford County where scientific studies have been made except in the New Paris and Saxton areas. I am positive more sites could be found here if the proper studies were made.

Many ask the value of an arrowhead. The ordinary ones found locally should vary according to the texture of the stone as well as the size and shape. Starting a collection is an interesting hobby. I would advise against buying, them from a commercial source. One can pick up various magazines and find 'ads' where arrowheads are offered for about four dollars a dozen or perhaps ten Indian made arrowheads for two dollars. However, you NEVER see them guaranteed to be authentic ancient artifacts. When you do, the price for each is very high.

Sometimes it is hard to tell or identify one that is modern made from the authentic artifact. A professional collector can usually detect a fake by carefully examining the type of flaking on a piece.

Years ago I knew of a collector who bought large and small collections. He kept the most perfect ones for his own collection. I was told that he then took the broken pieces and sent them to a certain place in the western part of the states where they would be reflaked for him. This collector would then offer these beautiful colored flints in trade for the crude and ancient ones found in various communities in which he traveled.

The highest priced arrowhead I have read about was valued at $5,000. It was made of opal.

Much to the surprise and disgust of many amateur archaeologists, a recent Federal and State antiquities law was passed which now makes it illegal to collect ancient artifacts. One archaeologist seems to feel these ancient artifacts belong to the public and should not he picked up. Many amateurs feel this is ridiculous. To prevent this object found in a stream, in the middle of a field, in the middle of the desert, miles from the nearest home from being collected, is an inane law, when the chances are that this artifact may soon be buried under our ever increasing number of highways, commercial and residential developments and dam sites where they would be lost for all time.

Many a 'find' by an amateur has led to some of our most important explorations.

To sum up this story of artifacts, I found a poem published years ago in the Boy's Life magazine, written by Enos B. Comstock, which I believe describes an Arrowhead.

"O'er fields of new turned sod,

Commuting with my God,

I tramped alone.

And in the furrow bed, I found an arrowhead.

Chiseled from stone.

Then fancy fled on wings, back to primeval things,

Seeking the light. What warrior drew his bow, sighted and let it go

On its last flight?

How oft this flinten head, on deadly errand sped, I may not know,

Nor will this silent flint reveal the slightest hint. How long ago?Were its grim story told, what tales it would unfold.

Tales that would chill- I know but this one thing,

Beyond all questioning, ‘twas made to kill.

Ages have worn away, warriors have gone their way.

Their bones are dust, proof of a craftsman's skill, survives

The ages still. Left in my trust."