r/Arrowheads Jan 07 '16

PLEASE READ, especially if you are new to this subreddit

632 Upvotes

I'm not laying down any new rules or anything like that, but there are some things that visitors here should be aware of. If anyone here would like to add to, subtract from, or revise anything in this post, I welcome your input.

#1. Know the law and abide by it: The laws may vary a little from state to state, but burial grounds/mounds and state/federal property (including state parks) is absolutely off-limits. In most states you are allowed to hunt on private property with permission from the property owner, but in a few states it's illegal to dig for artifacts and only surface hunting is allowed. Make sure you are familiar with your local laws.

#2. Effigy, artifact, or "just a rock"?: If you post what you've found and the feedback that you get is simply "geofact" or "just a rock", please understand that nobody is intending to be insensitive or rude. We know that you got your hopes up and we take no pleasure in letting you down, but there are signs and marks that we look for and that should be there if the rock was shaped, altered, &/or used by ancient humans and we're going to give you an honest opinion even if the truth sometimes sucks. Those who take the time to explain the signs that are or aren't visible (flake scars, use wear, pecking, grinding, polishing, etc.) rarely even get a "thank you" when the feedback isn't what the person wanted to hear (so why bother?). You have every right to form your own opinions and believe what you want to believe and there may even be some important factors or features that the pictures don't show, but we can only go off of what we've seen.

Effigies in particular: The natives were very adept at what they did and they DID make effigies, but there also seems to be a popular and widespread misconception about effigies. The vast majority of the "effigies" we see posted fall into the category of "pareidolia" (the natural human tendency to see recognizeable shapes in rocks). Here are some examples of some actual effigies from my region compared to some of the alleged "effigies" that I have seen people post.

Another very popular misconception: How well "it fits the hand" is NOT a valid way of differentiating an artifact from a rock and it's not one of the things that anyone who knows very much about this stuff is going to be looking for.

You are absolutely welcome to post your finds (even "effigies" and even rocks that "fit the hand" if you legitimately believe it's an artifact). A lot of people come and go, but the ones who stick around are here to help, so PLEASE be respectful, try to see our perspective, and at least say "thank you" if someone volunteers more than a few seconds of their time to give you feedback on it.

#3: Monetary value: Feel free to ask if you're wondering, but you might be better off asking how rare or how un-common an artifact is. Archaeologists are not allowed to answer questions about monetary value and while some hunters DO sell what they find, many other hunters (me included) don't buy or sell or even mess with that side of things, so many of us might not even know what to tell you.

I may not be able to tell you what your finds are worth, but if you love this stuff, have nowhere to hunt for your own, and have every intention of buying some I can at least share some advice on how to steer clear of the wolves that are out there. For instance, you had BETTER know your stuff before buying anything off of Ebay and a "Certificate of Authenticity" is worth no more or less than the reputation of the person who signed their name to it. Nobody goes to school to become an authenticator and you or I could literally just decide to declare ourselves as "authenticators" tomorrow and start signing COAs. In other words, there's a LOT of bullsh!t out there and it's a "buyer beware" market.

#4: Don't be an asshole! There's no downvoting in this subreddit for a reason. We'd like to be constructive and helpful and we DON'T want to scare people away from posting. If you have something to say then by all means say it, but don't draw it out, don't beat a dead horse, don't try to start debates with people, don't try to give people guilt trips for picking up an arrowhead, and don't make a nuisance or a spectacle out of yourself.

That's all I've got for now, but I'm just one person and if there's anything that you would like to add or change, I welcome and look forward to your input.

Edit: Cut the word count down a little bit


r/Arrowheads Jan 28 '23

JAR THREAD. If you aren't sure whether your find is an artifact or just a rock, please post your pictures here.

104 Upvotes

Users of r/arrowheads, please downvote posts that are obviously rocks. We will be trying out the 'crowd control' function and if a post gets enough downvotes it will automatically be removed. Also, please direct users to post their questionable finds in this thread if the posts are not removed automatically.

Before you post, compare your find to some of the pictures/examples shown in the pinned comment below.


r/Arrowheads 3h ago

Axe head, celt or knife? Monocacy River MD

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53 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 6h ago

My first!

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41 Upvotes

I'm decades old and I was amazed. Southern Indiana long a river bank. Does anyone have info that they would like to share, about this? Thanks.


r/Arrowheads 2h ago

Some of my smaller points

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18 Upvotes

Seen a few little points lately wanted to show a few of mine


r/Arrowheads 5h ago

Found in a dry creek bed with some other tool-like items

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12 Upvotes

I found this small piece in a creek bed where a spring and creek converge under a ridge. It seems to me to have working patterns on it. I have found some other items as well in the same area. I'd love some more information on this or at least confirmation that I did actually find something. Thanks!


r/Arrowheads 20h ago

I still love to admire non arrowhead artifacts. šŸ«¶šŸ½

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133 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 1h ago

This one really faked me lol, bowl faker

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• Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 5h ago

Has this been worked?

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5 Upvotes

I can easily recognize an arrowhead but am not sure if this is a discard or a tool. Please let me know what you think.


r/Arrowheads 2h ago

🄹 pocket celt??

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4 Upvotes

New to me creek in a HOT area šŸ˜ had a killer morning with a handful of bifaces found and some oddities!! This adorable ass tiny Celt/adze?? šŸ„¹šŸ˜‚šŸ¤£


r/Arrowheads 1d ago

Desert stinger

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197 Upvotes

Very unusual point for Southern NM. Not sure of the material either.


r/Arrowheads 22h ago

When arrow head hunting takes a turn toward Criminal Minds.

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86 Upvotes

Delete if not allowed.

Was walking the creek on a friends farm. While I was walking along the creek I saw this poking out and thought it was a rock but the shape seemed odd. Ended up flipping it over to find this. To me it says
J.R & E.C. Bond
Born and Died
Nov 26 1804 1904?

Anyone else have anything to add?


r/Arrowheads 59m ago

Found a fake in my collection

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• Upvotes

I went to throw it in the trash and hesitated. I’m sure it’s fake but figured I’d post it here and double check that I’m correct in the following assumptions: whole edge looks dremeled…does not like no real knapping at all…One surface is completely flat…and the material looks wrong.

Am I right? I must’ve got this from a gift shop as a kid and forgot about it.


r/Arrowheads 23h ago

My second most unique point.

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60 Upvotes

I found this point on a ridge overlooking the flood plain of a major creek in Western Kentucky. The odd basal shape was made by taking several flakes off the bottom edge of the base, 2 flakes off one half and 3 off the other half. I thought it was broken till I cleaned it up. I assume it's late archaic to woodland.


r/Arrowheads 2h ago

Biggest disappointment of the day, thought I had one. We shall prevail

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1 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 1d ago

Spearhead?

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68 Upvotes

My daughter found this while mucking around in a creek bed! I’m assuming it’s a spearhead or perhaps a knife? Any thoughts or insights?


r/Arrowheads 21h ago

Tool time

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24 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 4h ago

Is this JAR?

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1 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 19h ago

Which layer to search? Rocks below? Organic soil up top? The woods above? Clay layer?

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9 Upvotes

Miles River MD


r/Arrowheads 4h ago

Arrow Straightener?

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0 Upvotes

I found this in the river the other day and it does not look natural. Im thinking maybe a arrow straightener or sander?


r/Arrowheads 1d ago

Type?

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24 Upvotes

This spearhead was found in Va years ago can anybody tell me the type and age?


r/Arrowheads 21h ago

Is this a Clovis Point? Found in Quay County, NM

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10 Upvotes

r/Arrowheads 1d ago

Recently acquired

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19 Upvotes

My wife’s aunt gave this to my daughter. It belonged to her deceased husband. I don’t know much more than that. Seems like obsidian? It’s translucent when a light is held up to it.


r/Arrowheads 20h ago

Help identifying this

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6 Upvotes

I originally thought it was definitely a very old arrowhead but the softness of it is throwing me off.


r/Arrowheads 1d ago

Preform?

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14 Upvotes

Found in San Antonio on a creek bed