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  • International Travel

    I have a question I hope someone has an answer it's an odd 1. I am giving a few arrowheads and small artifacts to an exchange student as a gift going back to Germany. Will these make it through TSA? Thanks.
    New Jersey

  • #2
    In checked baggage, absolutely not a problem. In carry-on, they will certainly show up on the scanners and it's then down to a judgement about how large and how sharp they are. A stone knife or point isn't going to be judged any differently than say a modern kitchen ceramic knife. TSA allows things like knitting needles in hand baggage, but anything more pointed and threatening than that could be a problem.

    I have frequently travelled out of and into the US with artefacts and only pack the delicate ones which couldn't conceivably be used as offensive weapons in my carry-on. Everything else goes in my hold baggage. Never had any issues.
    I keep six honest serving-men (they taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.

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    • clovisoid
      clovisoid commented
      Editing a comment
      This has always been my experience.

  • #3
    Thanks I will urge our guest to pack the items in the checked bag. It is a small rectangular case. (More details about the gift later)
    thank you again.

    Evan in NJ
    New Jersey

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    • #4
      I've sent many of my knapped arrowheads to a guy in Germany recently . He loved them, told a friend, and I sent out another little box over there this past week. They made it through fine, but it got me wondering: Why do Germans like American "style" arrowheads? I don't know if it's weird or not, just Germans. Hmm.

      I guess you're talking about airplanes though. I'd go with painshill, you shouldn't have any problems, but if you're really worried about it, mailing them wouldn't be too bad, as long as the kid pays for the expense of the box.
      "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

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      • #5
        I think the checked bag will be fine. The case is very small and the testimony from painshill was good. His posts have always impressed me.. i will mention the concern and i will leave it to him if he wants to mail it no problem. This particular German, student I don't know if he likes this stuff but it will be a representation of my area with local lithics and pottery with a little info page tucked in behind them. He and my two kids are going on a short artufact hunt tomordow also. Young people remember things for a long time and I'm hoping this plants a seed with an interest in pre history because I believe it is a humbling and facinating subject worth sharing.
        New Jersey

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        • #6
          5 in x 6 in case ,
          New Jersey

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          • #7
            Fabric impressed pottery and point from archaic and woodland
            New Jersey

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            • #8
              I’ve mailed things before just so you know you might want to tape your own box. A few times I’ve carried the box in and asked them to tape it. They literally opened the box and looked inside like it was any of their business. Just saying it was quite rude
              NW Georgia,

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              • #9
                Originally posted by Kentucky point View Post
                Why do Germans like American "style" arrowheads? I don't know if it's weird or not, just Germans. Hmm.
                I might stick my foot in my mouth here with Painshill, but European arrowheads tend to be pretty plain. A lot of technical precision and consistency, but not a lot of notching and not a lot of variety compared to the Walmart of Arrowheads that is the Lower 48 of the US. There are some clear exceptions that show masterful work in Europe, but my thought is that artisans there during stone age times simply dedicated themselves to different forms of artwork. The flint is often exceptionally high quality, but not really as varied as what you might find in a field in Kentucky.

                I know a couple of people with relatively large personal found collections from Germany/Austria and it's a lot of flake tools & cores, a smattering of bifaces, some ground stone tools, and relatively few bifacially worked points.

                Hong Kong, but from Indiana/Florida

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                • painshill
                  painshill commented
                  Editing a comment
                  You’re quite correct Clovisoid. Even though bow technology existed in Europe a lot earlier than it did in North America (with the exception of Palaeo-Arctic America), there are significant reasons why lithic arrowheads are a relatively low proportion of total tool types. Those reasons relate to differences in hunting practices, preferred prey and faunal types, environmental landscape of settlement areas and general lifestyle of Europe’s inhabitants among other things. Within that small proportion of arrowheads and even within projectile points in toto, the diversity of typology is largely determined by differences in age and functional efficiency rather than stylistic differences between individual cultural groups. It’s further constrained by the general lack of diversity for Europe’s geology and the archaeological absence of bone points which haven’t survived to modern times. We have nothing like an ‘Overstreet Guide’ for Europe and – if we did – you could probably fit the entire typology for projectile points onto about two dozen pages and the arrowhead typology would cover less than a quarter of that.

              • #10
                That's actually a great question. When I traveled in Germany, there were strict controls at the entry. We were traveling as a group into the country coming from another tour in the US where we had some local Indian artifacts. The police were kind enough to let us know that these were not allowed in the country and luckily our tour organizers from made some arrangements to have them shipped back home for us. This is the kind of service I love seeing when I book an adventure tour.
                Last edited by Hoss; 05-19-2021, 10:58 PM.

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                • #11
                  How often do you travel?

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                  • #12
                    That is a nice gift. I lived in Germany for five years, my experience is there are or at least were a lot of people fascinated with the US, especially the old western aspects of the US. People would dress up as cowboys and Indians, etc. I guess it is not unlike some American's fascination with other cultures. One thing I would recommend is providing documentation for these artifacts, some of the laws regarding such things can be pretty strict and restrictive in Europe. I think Germany is pretty reasonable, but just in case, provide some document that expresses their legality to be exported from the US. This is to make sure German Customs doesn't find them and confiscate them as contraband.

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                    • #13
                      We brought some points back, from out west, via commercial airlines. (Wrapped in our carry-on bags) BAD IDEA, lol. Security pulled us out of line, and dang near didn't let us fly. My boy was 6/7 at the time. I explained they were his souvenirs, kid was about to cry, and they finally eased up. They let us go, but it was a mess. Moral of the story, check them. Don't carry them on.
                      Western Kentucky

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                      • #14
                        That's such a unique and thoughtful gift for your exchange student! While small artifacts like arrowheads should generally pass through TSA without any issues, it's always a good idea to double-check their regulations or reach out to them directly for peace of mind.
                        As you prepare for your student's journey back to Germany, you might also want to consider adding some fun experiences to their itinerary. If you're ever in the mood for some family-friendly fun, exploring greatamusement parks could be a fantastic idea! Wishing you and your exchange student safe travels and unforgettable adventures ahead!​
                        Last edited by Dunlaopeeker; 03-11-2024, 08:09 PM.

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