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Artifact Blogging Grounds
A community of blogs from ancient artifact enthusiasts. Blogs pertain to Indian relics, ancient artifacts, and artifact collections.
While I was at the Expo I got a chance to look over alot of artifacts, purchase some good ole ancient relics to run in the next catalog, and to simply enjoy seeing some of the "best of the best" artifacts that were there on display. Of course, I was also looking over the many tables for those little oddities that I like to collect personally - salvaged relics, abnormally styled stone and flints etc.
As I walked past one table, an artifact caught my attention - not because it was a G-10 example of some great rarity, and not because it was a great example of ancient craftsmanship, but rather because it looked totally out of place amidst the other flint points, slate ornaments and stone tools which covered the tops of most of the tables.
 When I first saw this knife sitting on a display table in Oklahoma, I was surprised to see it was still hafted to the original handle. Many times, broken authentic knives are put into recently made handles as examples of how they appeared in ancient times - this was not the case with this one - it was the real deal. I talked to the owner, and he explained the item was found in a rock bluff in Peco Texas.
Most knives, due to moisture and time, have seen their handles rot away and the only thing remaining are the flint points we collect. Occasionally though, knives were tucked away in dry environment areas out of the weather, and so they are able to remain in-tact. It is a rarity, but it does happen. Normally, these pieces are found in the desert southwest parts of the country, and were recovered back at the turn of the century were such areas were being explored for the first time. Occasionally they were tucked away in boxes and attics, and every once in a while one will surface.
I just got in a new consignment from a local friend of mine who just purchased a nice little Ashland County, Ohio collection. We sat at the kitchen table tonight for several hours drinking coffee, talking relics and looking over the artifacts in the collection. There are few things in life I enjoy more than an evening spent talking with friends over coffee and artifacts. This was one of those collections that had a little bit of everything in it. Nice relics from most of the time periods, some slate and stone artifacts, and those great little cigar boxs of broken relics, scrapers, knives and debitage. I love going through cigar boxes. It's like opening Christmas presents as a kid, - what little oddities or hidden treasures might be waiting in those boxes.
When we got done going through the items, we had sorted out the below consignment, and in there were a couple neat items I thought I would post here on the blog. Of course - I did find a wonderful artifact to add to my collection before we were done 
 Often in collections I find that the collector who previously owned and assembled the collection either made, or bought, an axe, celt or other tool that was modernly hafted to a handle. I think these are great examples to show kids and new collectors as it gives them a visual of how these items were hafted in ancient times.
The two items to left were in a collection I bought some time ago, and they are an authentic axe, and an authentic celt, that were recently placed into handles for just this purpose.
 A customer today asked me about how to tell if Mississippian pottery is authentic. I am far from being an expert on pottery, but in the last year I have spent alot of time talking with Matt Rowe down in Oklahoma who is an expert. Matt does restoration, and I find him to be a very reliable source for artifact information, and an extremely honest person. If you visit his website at www.arrowheads1.com you will see how much work he has done for the artifact community.
Anyways, although I cannot post a course on how to tell good from bad pottery, I can share a couple small things that people new to pottery may find interesting.
One of the daily tasks ancient man had was getting his fires started, and one way that was done was with friction. We have all seen images in movies of a stick being spun in hand or with the use of a bow drill to create friction which would then catch some dried moss or similar substance on fire. Rocks like the one pictured here were used for starting a fire by friction.
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