Seeking info on my first Arrowhead find

[Joecontois]

Hello,

I found a Quartz Arrowhead partially exposed directly on top of Pachaug Trail in Eastern Connecticut. It was within half of a mile from where the Pachaug Trail joins the Nehantic Trail to Mt. Misery in Griswold, CT. I think it's pretty cool and so I'd like to learn anything about it. Thank you.

P.S. This area is in the Pachaug State Forest about a mile from where the state of CT has proposed gun ranges for the state Police. The Nehantic Trail and the Quinebaug Trail converge directly on top of the proposed build site. If anyone has any advice regarding protecting these trails that would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks again!

[Hoss]

FYI hunting artifacts in Connecticut State parks is strictly forbidden. We do not condone hunting artifacts on State or National Forest land. The laws and regulations regarding collecting artifacts are enforced and you could face forfeiture of the find and a fine. If it was an isolated find and you happened upon it accidentally and brought it home there is nothing you can do about it now. I mean you cannot really put it back I tell you this not to scold you but to inform you that you could bring trouble upon yourself by posting artifacts illegaly found on a public forum. I would suggest hat in the future you do not return to that area looking for more.

That is probably a Bare Island point. http://collections.nysm.nysed.gov/pr...and-plate.html How long is it?

[searchinghawk]

i collect in maine and massachussetts, your point is a squibnocket stemmed of wading river,, late archaic, it is in the 4,000 yr old range

[Hoss]

Thanks for your in put you are new here and I wish to point out you are commenting directly to me. Others can see this but if you wanted Joecontois to know your opinion then you should have posted this to the end of the topic. The way you posted will lead others to believe you are telling me what my point is. That point belongs to Joe! Thanks again

[Hoss]

PS Joe if you have the bug and want to find more I suggest you do some homework first. We all get the bug after a discovery. Find a farmer who would allow you to walk his corn field after they are plowed up and a good rain has hit them but get permission. Do not just walk out in any field you see. If a person has permission and then you just wander in you may turn the property owner off to others . Get permission and learn about how to go about it. Seek people in your area who collect for pointers and tips on where to look legally.

[Joecontois]

Thank you for the replies Hoss. I wasn't hunting artifacts. I hike a lot and I was hiking with my family. I saw a cool quartz rock sticking out of the trail and so I pointed the kids to it. My step daughter picked it up and gave it to her mom and she brought it home. It wasn't until later that night that my girl recognized that it was an Arrowhead. I didn't even know they brought it home, let alone that it was an Arrowhead. I was surprised and excited when we realized what it was. If I had been the one to pick it up, I'm positive that I would have taken it home. I did not know any of what you said but regardless I wasn't looking for any, I just happened upon a cool rock that turned out to be an Arrowhead and so I wanted to know more about it.

[Scorpion68]

Hey Joe - Welcome Aboard AH.com. Hoss has offered some very sage advice on artifacts and government land as well as private land. That being said, I'm not an expert on your area regarding points and blades but I did a cursory look at the Overstreet Guide. There are a number of points associated with your area that your artifact could fit. You must admit it's in pretty rough shape but that large stem will help identify it. I'd like to offer you some advice regarding photos. Take your pictures in natural daylight and minimize shadows. Natural light helps with details and affords a better color definition. If you use a ruler, make sure the reader can see the scale. I can't tell if each mark on your scale is an inch or half inch or what. Your point could be an inch and a half or three inches and it will make a difference when attempting to identify. Many of us use a quarter next to the artifact for scale because the quarter is one inch diameter. Just laying it across your fingers is also ok. Lastly take a photo of the thickness of both edges, it helps with the id also. Wait until this evening and check your post again - you will probably get some ideas as to what you've found. Welcome to the crazy world of artifact hunting.

[Joecontois]

Thanks Scorpion. The picture with the black background was taken in the daylight. Those markings are 1/2 inch increments so it is 1 - 1/2" long.

[Hoss]

I offered the advice because a lot of people just do not know the many laws that have been passed over the years. I collected in Connecticut in the Housatonic Valley since I was 5 years old. My Dad hunted that area since the 1930's He started me young LOL Anyway when I was a kid it was if you saw it on the ground you picked it up and kept it. Finders keepers. Since those days in the early 60's things have changed a lot. I do not like the laws myself as if it is on the surface it could have been placed there at any time including another kid finding it ten years prio and loosing it where you found it. I can understand the laws about digging by non professionals but the ones pertaining to surface finds are a little extreme in my opinion. If your child had not kept it some one else would have done so at some point n time and I would be explaining this to them. Well all I can say is they are the rules so we must follow them or face consequences.

[Havenhunter]

Hi Joe. Welcome from SE VA. I'll be the first to confess that had I spotted a lone point lying on a trail, I would probably have picked it up, devil be damned. 😕
Having said that, Matt was right about state laws. Here near Yorktown hikers have found Revolutionary & Civil War artifacts while hiking. By notifying the Park Service, simple or worn Irene's are often given the wink & nod & allowed to go home with the lucky finder. Rarer items may lead to a signicant archeological find. It's best to know what laws apply in your region.
I hope you continue to have an interest in arrowheads and are willing to learn from some of the best experts in your area.

[CoachG]

Hoss said it pretty good. Removing anything from a state or national park is illegal. Whether you agree with it or not, it's not a good idea to post it on an Internet forum. Deleting this thread might not be a bad idea.

[Hoss]

It is actually good to have threads like this because it is a learning experience. Another thing I might add to the conversation is if you do in fact have the bug and want to find more never post on an open forum specific locations. There is a good and straight forward reason for this. Posting GPS coordinates or specific direction will cause several things. Law Enforcement will zero in and watch the area if it is a Public Land situation. But if private land the next time you go after posting instead of finding arrowheads you will only find footprints from the guy who read your directions and went the day before you .

[Hi-Lo]

Welcome from southwestern Ontario. Thank you for sharing your point. I think you will get a kick out of doing some research about the artifact.

[SDhunter]

Welcome. It's exciting to have your first arrowhead. Hopefully you are hooked

[Joecontois]

So a state forest is a state park? Next to the Pachaug State Forest is Hopeville Pond State Park, so it seems that there's a difference.

A member of the local Mohegan Tribe said, "This is a small stemmed quartz projectile point, possibly with a date range of 4000 years Before Present to 1500 Before Present (Late Archaic- Early Woodland)". I'm not sure of her sources and she didn't seem like an expert so she could be wrong. What do you guys think of that ID?

[CMD]

So a state forest is a state park? Next to the Pachaug State Forest is Hopeville Pond State Park, so it seems that there's a difference.

A member of the local Mohegan Tribe said, "This is a small stemmed quartz projectile point, possibly with a date range of 4000 years Before Present to 1500 Before Present (Late Archaic- Early Woodland)". I'm not sure of her sources and she didn't seem like an expert so she could be wrong. What do you guys think of that ID?

Yes, shes absolutely correct. "Small Stem" is the name of a point tradition in the Northeast, that began in the Archaic Era, and actually continued into the Woodland Era. For decades, collectors and professionals alike referred to them as "small stem points", but at present, they are often assigned specific type names, depending on their physical characteristics. Almost all were the product of a quartz pebble industry, meaning they were fashioned directly from easily obtained quartz pebbles, and not from quarried quartz. Some type names for small stems include Wading River, Squbnocket Stemmed, Lamoka. In the unpublished revised edition of the late Jeff Boudreau's New England point typology guide, he included an excellent essay on just how complex the subject is with the Small Stem Tradition. Including the fact that only a minority were used as projectile points. Many Wading River points, of which your's is a likely example, were used to score items, or cut grooves in bone to produce splinters to fashion bone tools, or to score slate for snapping, etc. apparently only a minority of Wading River points were used as projectile points. Your informant was absolutely correct in the date range provided you as well. Congrats on finding your first point.

[Joecontois]

And I said she didn't seem like an expert. Doh! Thank you CMD!

[CMD]

I live in neighboring Rhode Island. If you do decide to look for more, there are many agricultural fields along the Quinebaug River in eastern Ct. All one needs is permission from landowners and heavy rains to wash those fields and expose artifacts.