How do you "feel" about hafting ancient tools/points or putting them on necklaces, etc?

[tomclark]

I took a local new, excited local collector to a spot I look at once in a while. He didn't find much so everything I found I gave to him. One of the items I found was a killer shell adze with notches and holes, nice bevel. He would have missed it.... When I gave it to him he exclaimed how neat and he was going to haft it on a stick, wanted to know how long, etc...... I told him I did not think it was a good idea to rehaft it for display, just preserve it. I dunno, I just don't like to mess with an artifact like that even if it doesn't hurt it (and often it does do minor damage). I suggested he make a tool out of readily available shells (and sign it) and use that to haft for display. The piece could have it's own case oh lordy. Part of me wished I'd not given him that artifact. I feel the same about putting a point on a necklace or stringing beads. I really don't care if someone does this to their artifacts but I wouldn't do it.

[gregszybala]

Same as you Tom. Won't happen here while the artifacts are in my possession but what others chose to do with theirs is their business. Always makes me kind of cringe. I guess it's the fear of damage or loss that could occur.

[tomclark]

I agree Greg. Especially shell artifacts that often have an organic orange-brown crusty midden patina on them. Even when preserved the stuff can be chipped or scraped off.

[CMD]

I guess if it's a "dime a dozen" point, to each his own. Many years ago, a close friend of my extended family found the nicest point I'd seen along the river where many of us had summer homes. It sure was no "dime a dozen" point. He found it while raking the hedge row that surrounded his house. He made a necklace for his wife using that point. Well, I would have just framed it, but it's not like archaeology suffered. He was not a collector, and he treasured it. And that was his idea of showing he treasured it. And long after he passed, his wife still treasured it, and I loved admiring it now and then. She's gone now too, I hope it was passed down in their family.

[G10+]

I also feel the same ... put it behind glass and leave it :-)

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

same with me,i wont haft artifacts

[p kurt]

I make necklaces with hemp cord and use authentic pieces. I have made several on request from friends that had me use points alot nicer than I would use. The points i use are usely small dart points. I have also hafted and adzes to a handle that is kept in a display case with several other adzes to show how they were used. It is done so that the artifacts can just be untied and be unaltered, except for the necklace points change color due to body oil.

[JoshinMO]

Without knowing what You and Other's wrote already, The way I feel about it is it seem's like a Great idea but extra care should be taken with it. My opinion also would be not to permanently haft it but very snug/not going anywhere.

About The local Collector though, You were generous and figured The Shell Adze would be taken care of like You would take care of It and WHAM! LOL You may have had a fondness for It, or just a fondness to preserve any ancient Artifact. Nothing wrong with that at all Tom.

[Kyflintguy]

I myself contemplated using a real point for a necklace at one time. Truth is I just didn't see it as damaging act at that time. I mentioned it here and I think Tim told me it was "darn near sacrilegious". So that made me rethink the idea, and I think Tim made a good point (pun intended). At the same time I feel like Charlie said "if its a dime a dozen point, to each his own". I've seen people wear personal finds, I honestly got no problem with it, that's just kinda there own way of expressing an interest and the Archaeological record will be just fine despite it. And kinda the same with hafting for display, if it doesn't damage it and its done in an educational way, I've got no problem with it and even hypothesize that perhaps the educational benefits to others who see it might outweigh the actual scientific value of the artifact itself... Fragile one of a kind artifacts though, I say put those in a case and leave em.

[sailorjoe]

I have not problem at all with making jewelry out of personal finds, selling personal finds, receiving personal finds from others as gifts, buying points from another person, giving artifacts away etc. I've done all of the previous except buying. Never bought another artifact. Some collectors get very emotionally attached to their finds. I think it is in the nature of collecting whether it be antiques, firearms or arrowheads to get attached to our "stuff". Some folks get more so than others. The points we collect unless properly curated and archived and then donated to a University for study (assuming science may even want our stuff) will have no lasting value to science only to other collectors or to our families who may want them as mementos of our former presence on this earth. Sacrilegious to make jewelry out of rocks? Not hardly.

[Ron Kelley]

Well I would agree that if it's yours then you decide. There was a time when it was common practice for some collectors to knapp a new edge on their points: I can't imagine why anyone would do that.

[Hoss]

I have in the past ( Prior to learning to knap) hafted broken tips into antler handles but never a whole artifact. Now in my opinion it is so easy to bet modern pieces I would not do that. It is to easy to knapp one or to buy a knapped point to create a display piece.

[p kurt]

This is a necklace I made years ago with a nice early archaic side notched point with blue streaks. I gave it to my cousin after I made it. He passed away this year as a young man, his sister sent me this pic on my way to Colorado letting me know she keeps on her everyday because her brother wore it everyday. I have made necklaces for other people out points nicer than I would have used but they made for gorgeous necklaces. Trust me i am all about putting points behind glass, heck I put em in frames then lock em up in a safe. But necklaces make for a great display too. As for the necklace in the picture when my cousin sent me that picture I sobbed like a baby, I couldn't imagine a better way to honor that artifact.

[Scorpion68]

I'm kinda with Ron on this one. If it's your's - it's your's to do with as you please. I save in hopes someone in my family will carry on the hobby. Maybe Lilly will - I don't know but at least it will be preserved for as long as I'm around.

[carbon21]

I buy cheap authentic knives and scrapers that have broken bases that nobody wants and re-haft them to old bone/wood using pine pitch/sinew. I've stated before I'm big on the educational aspect. To a lot of ignorant people they were just broken rocks. Now they can be used as a hands on reproduction of a dry cave find/hafted tool example. As far as my own personal finds.....no way, I'm not touching them! (Knives on the top,scrapers on the bottom,and an atlatl spear foreshaft in the center)