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09/20/05, 10:54 AM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Archaeologists-Zooarchaeologist/Anthropologist?
Odd title I know, but I'm curious if there is anyone on this board who happens to be well versed or degreed even in archaeology or anthropology? If so, I have some questions relating to an animal bone I've found and also something I believe may have been made by a tribe of Indians(Catawba) here in the Peidmont of North Carolina...thing is, I can't find too much info on them on the internet and I'd really like to talk to someone who KNOWS what they're talking about.
I have pictures and haven't been able to identify the bone as of yet, but I won't post them here and take up space. I'm really curious about it because Buffalo used to roam this part of NC and it looks(to me) like part of a pelvic bone...but I don't really know for sure. Not too many buffalo anatomy resources floating around in laymans terms...heck, I might be way off and it's part of a cow or a mule or something...
Anyways...you can pm me or email me or whatever. I'd really appreciate it. This kind of stuff really captivates me.
Thanks so much!
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09/20/05, 11:20 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: White Mountains, Arizona
Posts: 2,480
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Try the Biology department of you State University. They should be able to help or direct you.
__________________
Mess with me? I may let karma take care of it. Mess with my family? I become Karma.
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09/20/05, 01:09 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,101
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I'd be curious too and explorer's idea of contacting the closest University is a good one. You may have an Anthropology dept there also and they could be interested.
Your County Extension Service might have some contacts for you also as far as Native American Societies. And, do you have a museum around there somewhere? IF so, they usually have knowledgeable people there who could help.
Good luck..I hope you tell us what you find out.
LQ
__________________
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Swim the Sea,
Drink the Wild Air"
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09/20/05, 01:40 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,347
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I'm jealous. hmmph! The only thing we get my way is dino tracks...
I used to sell fossils at World of Science and grew up wanted to be an archaeologist. Still would like to see a pic of your treasure.
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09/20/05, 02:36 PM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Wow, dinosaur tracks sound pretty cool to me! 
I'm gonna get in touch with someone from NC State. I dunno why that didn't occur to me.
As far as info on the Native American society, well I don't think I'm going to get far...at least not in my home city. The Catawba Indians don't seem to be a well known tribe(they were actually a bunch of tribes that united together and then eventually split)...no Natural Science museums or anything around here. I'd have to travel 3 hours away.
Anyways, we used to find tons of arrowheads around my homeplace. Washstones and old medicine bottles and other stuff too. There used to be an old(OLD)cabin that sat on the hill where our house is now and sometimes I just wanna get a shovel and see what else I can find. Everynow and then I'll find a piece of slate or something that looks like it was used as a foundation stone or in a fireplace.
Ramble ramble...sorry. So the other day I was walking around, looked down, and found what seems to be a hatchet blade. I guess it's just significant to me because we've never found anything this big before and it's been quite awhile since we've found any arrowheads. I just dig history and anthropology so I guess that's why I'm so interested.
The bone was found in the garden after it was plowed. The earth must be shifting around here because lots of stuff is coming to the surface. It's odd though cause I live right next to a road called Buffalo Shoals, which I've always been told is because buffalo used to hang out here near the{Catawba}river.
Got carried away! Sorry bout that! Here are a few pictures...
The 'bone' (?):
The 'blade' (?):
 
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09/20/05, 06:27 PM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Now I know why I didn't contact my local university...they're RUDE.
I don't understand what it is with people who have a graduate degree...well not everyone...but man, some people!
No help there. And I was even courteous enough to ask if she would help me rather than bombarding her with questions and photos.
I'm just not relevant I guess.
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09/20/05, 06:33 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,347
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Grrr...Dontja just hate nasty people?
I think the bone really is a bone. If you are in a rural area, it could be a hog bone. We get a ton of those in the local park which used to be a piggery. Looks like a hip bone also, with the long part sawed off like for a pork shoulder.
The second one really is a human artefact. Probably not an arrow or spearhead, but could be a scraper to get the fat and fur off of a hide.
Thanks for the pictures. Made my night.
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09/20/05, 06:37 PM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Thank YOU Spotted Crow! I never thought about it being a hog bone...
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09/20/05, 07:44 PM
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You might contact your local gamewardens. They might be able to help you out.
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09/20/05, 08:01 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 550
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I used to work at a Native American Museum...we generally would suggest that you call your local university, as well. Do you have a local rock club? They might be a little more friendly. There might also be a local museum that you might be able to contact. The second item looked like a scraper. How big is it?
Last edited by jillianjiggs; 09/20/05 at 08:03 PM.
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09/21/05, 07:41 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 625
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THIS website, will answer ALL your questions. Good club to belong to in your area, too.
http://www.csasi.org/index.htm
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09/21/05, 09:43 AM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by jillianjiggs
I used to work at a Native American Museum...we generally would suggest that you call your local university, as well. Do you have a local rock club? They might be a little more friendly. There might also be a local museum that you might be able to contact. The second item looked like a scraper. How big is it?
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The scraper is around maybe 3 inches long and an inch wide at the flat side base. It's proabably 2 inches tall at it's highest plane. Would this have been attached to some sort of a handle? It fits in my hand but the flat side looks really worn down, as if it had a handle at one point.
I was curious about the bone because nothing has been 'butchered' on this land since before my grandparents built here in the 50's and even then, the land was vacant for a very long time before.
Thanks for the link, Esteban!
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09/21/05, 10:03 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,347
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That is a good link. Muchas gracias, Esteban!
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09/21/05, 10:43 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 295
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by second_noah
I was curious about the bone because nothing has been 'butchered' on this land since before my grandparents built here in the 50's and even then, the land was vacant for a very long time before.
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Is the bone fossilized? Contrary to popular belief, fossilization does not require millions, thousands or even hundreds of years. Under the right conditions, fossilizlation can occur very rapidly. So, it could have been from your grandparents.
HTH,
Doug
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09/21/05, 10:47 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 625
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You are welcome. I used to belong to that Club, when I lived in Spartanburg, S.C.[ all my life til Florida called!} Club is run by experienced people with a desire to hunt, find, & help identify artifacts. Although, I have some archaeological training, I will say that many arch's have a less than personal attitude when dealing with others who just happened to " find something." These guys are not that way.
Catawba Tribe is still active & has a website, I think.Did have.A smaller tribe from around Charlotte, N.C., to Columbia, S.C. A good TIP for you looking for S.C. artifacts; Very little good chert material is native to the Carolinas ,,& natives used what they had. Plenty of Quartz!! Look for large areas of quartz chips, flakes, rocks, when hunting high areas overlooking rivers. There are mounds in the area, but PLEASE do no disturb these! PLEASE! Quartz was an inferior product, compared to chert, but natives tried their best with it & made many crude points. { they would have starved if they did not farm]These points are found all over the area up there, & are often overlooked by individuals, looking for " perfect" points.
I'll post a pix of some later.
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09/21/05, 11:16 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 625
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http://www.catawba-people.com/
Their website. Many people don't know this, but with as little as 1/8 Native background, you may be allowed to join the tribe of your ancestors.
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09/21/05, 12:26 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 625
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Not sure if this works,but I'll try!!
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09/21/05, 12:29 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 625
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Well, I " Swannee!" I did it right. The above pix shoes a group of quartz Carolina points,[ arrow in center] & other points found in the Carolinas, but most are not of native material. 
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09/21/05, 01:53 PM
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Local Yokel
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nawth Carolinuh
Posts: 548
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Great collection Esteban and thanks for all the info. Also, if the most of what the natives of the Carolinas used was not indigeous materials, how did they get it? Trading? Travel?
dheat: No the bone isn't fossilized, and my grandparents didn't butcher anything on this land, so I don't think it's from them. All the cows were transported out for slaughter. I really didn't expect to see anything fossilized, as I thought that even bones in the ground for 200-300 years would still remain porus and bone like(if that make sense).
At any rate...
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09/21/05, 03:43 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,347
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Oh wow, Esteban!!! That collection is so cool! I have 3 from my great grandfather that are awesome, but yours have mine beat by a mile.
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