Gravel bar theory?

[Savage1!]

Hello all,

The area I hunt artifacts in has several creeks in the area. All of the creeks have gravel bars. I've searched these gravel bars and haven't had much luck, a couple of artifacts over the years. Most of the artifacts I find are in the fields.

I've noticed the gravel bars don't change much over the years, regardless of the seasonal floods in the spring. I would assume that artifact are buried deep in these gravel bars. I'm thinking if I dig and sift these gravel bars I should find artifacts.

One of the gravel bars has been the same since I found it 7 or 8 years ago. Maybe it has risen a couple inches during that time period. There's gotta be artifact deep in those gravel bars.

What are the members thoughts on this?

[Garguy]

I have screened gravel bars all my life. Flakes are key. If I'm finding flakes, im gonna find a point

[Havenhunter]

There are lots of artifact hunters who dig and those that are successful share their finds here or on YouTube. I’m surprised your gravel bars don’t refresh in heavy rains or flash floods. All you can do is try.

[Savage1!]

There are lots of artifact hunters who dig and those that are successful share their finds here or on YouTube. I’m surprised your gravel bars don’t refresh in heavy rains or flash floods. All you can do is try.

That's what surprised me as well. I'm thinking the gravel bars have been there a long time and grow in size very slow. We had a lot of rain this spring, the creek went over 15' during a flash flood and the gravel bars are still there looking like they always do.

[Garguy]

Whether you can tell or not, that gravel is moving

[Savage1!]

Whether you can tell or not, that gravel is moving

Do you think digging in the gravel beds will reveal older gravel? How old could a creek gravel bar be?

[Garguy]

I would just be guessing. Are there flakes visible?

[Savage1!]

There's a few hear and there. Most of what I find is in the field close to the creeks. I would assume digging in the gravel bar would reveal older deposits?

[Garguy]

There won't be much difference. The creek tumbles and mixes gravel. Won't hurt to do some test screens. A stray artifact can be anywhere but it's not worth my time screening unless I'm turning debitage.

[Savage1!]

Got ya, makes sense. That's what I'll do then next weekend.

[Narrow Way Knapper]

I'm guessing that there are a lot of arrow heads in the banks of creeks, since a prime hunting spot is near a water crossing. Missed shots could in theory embed in the opposite bank from the hunter. Of course topography has changed pretty severely in some locations over the years.

[clovisoid]

Depends on where you are, gravel bar hunting is amazing in many areas. (Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, etc.)

Gravel bar hunting in some areas of the Midwest is almost a waste of time. Some of the rivers or shallow streams in Southern Ohio are good. But a lot of the silty rivers are just too messy. The few bars you'll see aren't really active gravel bars, or dynamic erosion catch points. They are old, old, prehuman deposits of gravel that are eroding out. (Some have small marine fossils like crinoids, or really uniform gravel that is locked in with almost cement like caliche.)

Some people hunt the bottoms of the banks where points erode into the water, but often time they just sink in the silt if you don't catch them in the bank.

[Garguy]

Yep. Not all bars, streams, rivers are equal. Any bar deserves a look but unless debitage is evident, it's time to move along.

[clovisoid]

Absolutely. If you are finding flakes or material, then it's worth the effort of exploring.

[WAH]

I haven't been doing this long but I agree with what you're saying, a perfect description of what I have run across here in Wisconsin

[tomclark]

When it was legal.... snorkel and/or hookah rig (tank/hose/reg)... arm's length fanning, using the water to move away as you go... was a fantastic way to find stuff. Crevices up to the bank.

[clovisoid]

Old school cool Tom!

[Savage1!]

I found lots of bones in the rivers in Florida as well. My father did a lot of cave diving there devils den. Gennie springs. That's was years ago when it was legal. My uncle Gramps spent a lot of time there as well. We would spent two weeks a year there for vacation when I was a kid. Awesome collection Tom!!

[Jethro355]

Is diving for artifacts illegal in some states?

[tomclark]

It is now illegal in FL, after the abolishment of the Isolated Finds Program, to pick up or dig up any item over 50 years old from FL state lands and rivers.

[Lone Star]

I never knew it but apparently finding artifacts in Texas Creeks can be illegal. Many years ago I found a beautiful Plainview on an East Texas creek. Last year when I got it certified, Rogers told me creek hunting was not allowed in Texas. Not only that, but what I always called a Plainview was actually a left hand flaked St. Mary's Hall.
That won't stop me from walking creeks as time and my age allows. I did want to do the mask and snorkle thing on a few of them as well. The sand and gravel bars have a draw for me and I hope to get back to East Texas soon.

[Pickwick]

I’ve spent a LOT of time hunting gravel bars here past two years all over the Midwest (mostly western Tennessee, northern Alabama, eastern Missouri, northern Indians... also NorCal ) here’s my experience...
there’s a small creek that runs off of horse creek In Tennessee, it’s on private land and you must trek hours through gorges, valleys, cow pastures... but it’s been the most productive spot for OLD artifacts. The gravel banks change constantly. There are clay walls and clay bottoms upriver of my hunting grounds, which I assume is where these artifacts are washing out of. There seem to be pockets of artifacts that get washed out together, so if I see debitage/artifacts on the surface, I gather a bunch of straight (ish) sticks/saplings and make a grid. Then I literally get down on my hands and knees and look over every square inch. I’m sure I look pretty ridiculous, but I’ve found some amazing pieces this way. More than once I’ve literally too many artifacts to carry back with me, and I have a pretty big backpack...
Then I take a metal-tined take and rake off the top few inches of gravel and repeat until I’m not finding anything. Time consuming, but productive. I’ve collected so many hand axes, Celts, hes, thumb scrapers, flake tools, Uniface tools and blades i don’t know what to do with them all....
all streams in northern Alabama are productive, just gotta know when to be there, ie after a flood and before anyone else...
the gravel bars in Missouri are completely different. there are SO many rocks...I keep looking for clay banks, but they are hard to come by in the ozarks... just rocks rocks and more rocks. I gave up looking in these areas and focused on the wild smallies and rainbows( I go fishing instead)
the most productive streams I’ve found in Missouri are inside St. Louis county. Stl Is built on a series of Indian mounds and cave systems. A friend turned me on to these streams that are next to bluffs and shopping centers (‘The Bluffs Shopping plaza’ in south stl county is a good one) all the earth moved from building the shipping center eventually gets washed into the creeks in the address, exposing artifacts...
I guess the moral of the story is just like the other guys were saying... if you’re seeing flakes, look harder. If not I find some flakes