Rocks and My imagination

[Taz Baby]

I really have this imagination from hell thing going on. I see things in object that no one else can or I can think of a way to do something that no one else can. My DH is always laughing at me about this. But he is coming around little by little. When we are out 4 wheeling, I am always looking for things. Rocks, sticks, trees roots, what ever looks unusual to me.
Even though we have two 4-wheelers, I ride with him in my baby seat as I call it. (a seat for the back with compartments) He is always saying to me why do we have to stop now. Because I see, something and I have to stop to get it. Crooked stick and pretty rock as I call them, a stump that looks weird I just have to have. Last winter I found a big rock that looked to me like a burlap bag full of something in it. That is why we stopped. To see what was in the bag. DH didn’t think it was a bag. All he saw was a very large rock I wanted to take home. We didn’t have anything to pick it up with so last summer we went back to get it and it was still there. It is now sitting all washed and clean on my stone walkway looking “Pretty” He now see’s the burlap bag when he looks at it. I also have a rock that to me looks like someone carved it to look like Fernando the Bull, remember him in the cartoon. When DH looks at it, he has yet to see bull. Also have a pistol looking rock that everyone can see, (even DH) and had a hatchet looking rock, but it broke when I tried to use it like one. Where I was going with this is that There are artifacts everywhere in the mountains here. Look closely at the rocks. When I first saw the creeks here, I told DH and am still telling him, that there is Gold in them thar hills! He just laughs and say’s if you hurry and find it we can afford to build faster. So as I am always walking in the creeks and looking at the rocks, looking for gold, I came across a rock that looked funny to me, so I threw it up on the bank to get it on my way back. Well DH comes up to me and says look what I found. Looks like some kind of stone spear or Knife. I look at it and ask him if he found it on the bank next to a crooked stump? He said yes I guess you found it first. So we took it home, cleaned it up, he examined it real close with a magnify glass and we looked on the internet under Indian artifacts/ small stone spears and knives. Well low and behold “I DID FIND GOLD IN THEM THAR HILLS. It is a spear head and worth $250.00. Now he doesn’t fuss to much about stopping for me or me walking to slow in the creeks. He helps look for GOLD in them ther hills.

[IDTANDY]

Taz can you post a picture.Depending on the technique and peroid of the knapping of the spear point,these points can go back to Paleo Indians(clovis),and worth more than you stated."Clovis"artifacts have been found in the East,actually more than in N.M.

[Sniper-T]

ditto!

we have many places around here where we collect artifacts, and I have a bunch of stuff from over the years. Do you also have a link to that website that you priced it?

I have a degree in Classical Archaeology, and spent a couple summers working in Greece. Doesn`t do much good around here, except for the training to keep the eyeball to the ground, and watch for anything that doesn`t look `natural`.

Keep poking around!

if you`re looking for gold, pay particular attention to the large rocks in your stream, and even more particularly on the down stream side of them. gold is heavy but might be carried over or around the rock, only to settle into the bottom behind the rock in the eddy.

[Taz Baby]

Taz can you post a picture.Depending on the technique and peroid of the knapping of the spear point,these points can go back to Paleo Indians(clovis),and worth more than you stated."Clovis"artifacts have been found in the East,actually more than in N.M.
I will as soon as I can. Only internet I have on the BOL is the phone. But
am headed to Fla in 2 Weeks. Will try to get pic sooner tho

[Sniper-T]

if it is easier to email a pic, you can do that and I will post it for you???

[Taz Baby]

ditto!

we have many places around here where we collect artifacts, and I have a bunch of stuff from over the years. Do you also have a link to that website that you priced it?

I have a degree in Classical Archaeology, and spent a couple summers working in Greece. Doesn`t do much good around here, except for the training to keep the eyeball to the ground, and watch for anything that doesn`t look `natural`.

Keep poking around!

if you`re looking for gold, pay particular attention to the large rocks in your stream, and even more particularly on the down stream side of them. gold is heavy but might be carried over or around the rock, only to settle into the bottom behind the rock in the eddy.


will send link as soon as I can. Might need to talk to you if you know about what gems look like in the raw and other stuff. We got some really pretty colorful rocks here.

[Sniper-T]

Im not a trained geologist... but my brother is. and I grew up with him collecting too. In the last 3 years, my wife and I have hauled in 160 tonnes of rock for landscaping. (all hand picked, hand loaded and hand placed). I know a lot lot about rocks, and can help guide you, but I also know my limitaions and when I don't know, I know who to ask to find out.

Basically, in a nutshell, if it looks pretty, grab it. if it is colourful , it is probably something cool... but not necessarily of value. A lot of gemstones in the rough really don't look like much, but can be worth a whole hell of a lot more than that shiny piece of iron pyrite.

[Sniper-T]

additionally, depending on geographic location, certain gemstones are more likely than others, and are found in specific types of generic rock. for instance, this entire part of Canada is known as the Canadian Shield, and is predominately made up of Granite... but, BUT, Granite it also known to contain Quartz. Now Quartz in itself is pretty, but not necessarily of value. EXCEPT, that around here, Gold is typically found in heavy quartz deposits, and it is known as one of the highest grades of gold in the world. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive method of gold extraction in the world.

[ladyhk13]

We actually have a membership for a gold lease that we haven't had a chance to go out and use yet!!!! We can go anywhere in the country with the GPAA, but I want to go when it's a little warmer. Our side of TN is good for gems. When we went out to Reno last summer we went panning for gold. Love it!!!!

[Taz Baby]

Taz can you post a picture.Depending on the technique and peroid of the knapping of the spear point,these points can go back to Paleo Indians(clovis),and worth more than you stated."Clovis"artifacts have been found in the East,actually more than in N.M.

Here is the rock that I found.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture108copyMedium.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture107Medium.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture106Medium.jpg

[Taz Baby]

Here is the rock that I think looks like Fernando the Bull on the old cartoons, Remember him?
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture100copyMedium.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture101Medium.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture103copyMedium.jpg

[Taz Baby]

Here are some rocks that I think just might be something other than just neat looking.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture099copyMedium.jpg

I think this one looks like a burlap bag
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture095copy.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture090.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture090copy.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture110copy.jpg

[Evolver]

The one on the bottom is Flint/Agete and the way the top part has has several impacts on it is most likely a tool that fit in the hand nicely. They were used for many things like breaking bones open the extract the marrow and hand hammers persay. At one time it probable large and shards were broken off of it for knapping finer tools. The second and third up from the bottom really don't show signs of placement fractures but more of the signs of natural brakes. I'm not an expert and I could be wrong. None the less there interesting rocks.

[Taz Baby]

The one that is in the group of them that is cracked looked like a hammer to me. It cracked because I was using it to hammer the legs on my table.

[ladyhk13]

Twin I have those exact same jammie pants!!!!

[ladyhk13]

How awesome to have some rock experts here! We have really strange rocks at our new property too. Think I'm going to change over to photobucket and see if it's easier to post pics though. I'll have to start taking some close ups of the rocks I find before I throw them back in the creek or leave them in the woods. It would be nice to be more informed as to what they are.

[Taz Baby]

Twin I have those exact same jammie pants!!!!
have a lot of those kind of pants. I love my fuzzy pants twin.

[ladyhk13]

Too funny! I have a lot of them too!

[Sniper-T]

Evolver, I have to disagree with some of your assessment of the last one... while it is flint, or chert, There are far too many inclusions in it to have been useful for knapping. I would suggest that a knapper probably found it, knocked off the outer layer, and then tried knapping it and found it unsuitable, and discarded it. It does not look like a worked core, where a knapper took blades off of... rather something that was banged apart to see it it was usable.

IMO


The first one looks like a fossil in a piece of limestone, but I don't see a lot of limestone in any of your other pictures...

[Taz Baby]

I will put up some more of the Indian knife one tomorrow. But that is the one that I found a pic of online that says it is worth money. Will try and find that link as well. What is Fernando ? Is it just a rock or is it an animal carving? Long days make Taz Baby sleepy nite all.

[IDTANDY]

Here's an example of a knapped blade Taz.This ones flint/agate.Evolvers seen this one before,

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6381/p1010009ys.jpg

[Evolver]

Evolver, I have to disagree with some of your assessment of the last one... while it is flint, or chert, There are far too many inclusions in it to have been useful for knapping. I would suggest that a knapper probably found it, knocked off the outer layer, and then tried knapping it and found it unsuitable, and discarded it. It does not look like a worked core, where a knapper took blades off of... rather something that was banged apart to see it it was usable.

IMO

.

I agree with parts of what you suggested. :)

Chert, Flint, Obsidian, Agate, Dacite (volcanic glass) was gathered and prized just like money, each piece was used up until it was unusable or broken and the higher the glass like quality's or color determined it's value.

IMO the only pieces that were discarded or left behind are the shards knapped off the main work or broken arrowheads and spearheads. Some say that they thought it was bad luck to pick up and reuse or retool a broken head but who really knows.


Taz's find would have been and still is a hight valued piece because it's color and wouldn't have been discarded. It does appear to have inclusions in it but it would still hold up well during impact.
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture110copy.jpg

[IDTANDY]

As knife points wore down or broke they were redone as spear points then knife points would be reworked to arrow points,nothing was wasted or discarded Alot of the flakes from making the points where used as scrapers.

[Taz Baby]

Here are some more of the Indian knife or spear that I found that is worth money



http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture105.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture107Medium-1.jpg

[Evolver]

:cool:

[Evolver]

Hey Taz... I was going through some things I've picked up off the ground over the years and this looks like it came off your piece of agate. :) It's about the same size as a quarter and was probably made by the Anasazi Indians 5000 years ago due to the area where it was found in.


http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss162/xplore2c/DSC05716.jpg

[IDTANDY]

Sweet point ;).

[Evolver]

Thanks Andy, I think I have a Clovis Point also. It has the correct shape and the area it was found has a 15,000 year (give or take) culture history.

[IDTANDY]

Fluted? Southwest find?

[Evolver]

Yes to both. Sry Taz I didn't mean to hijack your thread... but... I like rocks too :o I'll behave.

[IDTANDY]

Me too;)

[Taz Baby]

Yes to both. Sry Taz I didn't mean to hijack your thread... but... I like rocks too :o I'll behave.
No problem. Thats why it is here for everyone to learn about rocks. So if anyone has any post pics so we all can see. I would like to know what gems in the raw look like. Who knows I might have a gold mine and don't even know it:D

[Taz Baby]

Here is the link I promised ya. Great stuff and I have a few things that I didn't think was anything.Now I know.

Ancient Native American Indian Arrowheads, Indian Artifacts and other ancient Indian relics - Home Page (http://westernartifacts.com/)

[Taz Baby]

This one I found in the creek and I us it as a bird feeder. I was thinking it could be used as a mortar
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture091copyMedium.jpg

[Taz Baby]

Don't know what kind these are but they look like Bigfoots feet so I use them as stepping stones on my walk way
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/Taz-Baby/Picture096Medium.jpg