Mid 1600's Native American Kettle Points Found With Equinox

[GKman]

Hi Folks
I had a great hunt at the beginning of September with the Equinox. At this site I discovered a nice handful of Native American Kettle Points, Jesuit missionary rings and a tinkler cone or two along with some later 1700's artifacts. One of the rings was an L Heart ring which was worn by the missionary, while the other ring was one that they gave to the Native Americans. Overall a great hunt that will be hard for me to top. I can't wait to get back and try for more.

HH

[Jackpine]

Very nice finds, looks like you have found a decent habitation site.. 

Although possible to find them near where I live, I have never seen a Jesuit Missionary Ring dug.  Was there any British activity in the area or mainly French.?

[GKman]

I am honestly not the expert on the site since I was invited to detect there and it is about 2 1/2 hours from my location. There was British activity throughout that area later on during the Revolution. Not sure about the 1600's though. 
 

[Jackpine]

Thanks for the reply.  I asked because I assumed (incorrectly) that you were in the upper Great Lakes region. 

It must have been a real treat to hunt there.  I would go nuts for an opportunity like that.

[GKman]

No, New York... But, you may find this interesting..... yes, my host is very kind to share his sites with me.
A while back near where I live I found a 3500 to 6000 year old copper adze that my state archaeologists believed may have originated in the Great Lakes Region since there are natural copper deposits in that area... Truly one of my best finds ever.. They are tough to discover here in New York...

I will include the email he sent me back. He is the Curator of Archaeology at our state museum..

"Thanks for your email. Judging from your photographs, yes, this does
appear to be a copper adz (and a very handsome one at that) – this is
suggested by the expanding shape in plan view, the asymmetric side view
profile, and the concave surface on one face.

Such copper adzes and gouges are relatively common in much of the Great
Lakes, especially Wisconsin, where they date roughly to between 4000 and
1500 BC (6000 and 3500 years ago). There, they are viewed as one
diagnostic of the so-called "Old Copper Culture," a Native American
lifeway that included the mining of copper that occurs naturally in
parts of the Great Lakes, in the manufacture of these tools.

In the New York region, these copper artifacts are less common but are
discovered occasionally. Parallel-sided gouges have been found in
association with Brewerton notched points, dating to circa 3000-1500 BC.
 Copper adzes similar in form to yours have been found in the Champlain
basin – their age is uncertain but may be from roughly the same
timeframe. Because there are natural sources of copper in parts of the
Great Lakes, but not New York, archaeologists believe these artifacts
probably came into the region by some form of trade or exchange from
other Great Lakes groups. This interpretation is generally supported by
chemical sourcing methods that compare geologic sources of this material
with artifacts made of copper."
 

[Steve Herschbach]

Awesome stuff - thanks!

[Jackpine]

That is a truly amazing find.. and sorry for the very late reply to your post.

The Archaeologist is correct in that most "copper culture" artifacts are found in Wisconsin due to being closer to the site in the Upper Peninsula where the surface copper deposits are located. 

The few found in my area are usually located in summer camps near river mouths, Indian garden sites and select areas along the Lake Michigan shore. 

I have permission to hunt an area near an old MSU dig site along Lake Michigan where I made my only copper culture find, a 3" awl.

 

 

[Andy2640]

Very AWESOME.  We're the real archaeologists.  I love this hobby more n more each and every day.  Great finds guys.

[Cal_Cobra]

Great finds, that kind of stuff just doesn't exist on the west coast.

I've always found it fascinating that the west coast Indians never learned to make refined metals, nor advanced dwelling building, they essentially were stuck in the stone ages up until the last turn of the century when the Europeans poured into the west coast.  Yet further south, pyramids that rival the great pyramids of Egypt were built, metal refined, and amazing artistic objects and advanced building techniques were utilized.