Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4 Fall/Winter 2008
THE AACA MAGAZINE
Cover artifacts from the collection of Lar Hothem
AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
Table of Contents Presidents Message Pg 1 From The Editor Pg 2 The Atlatl Pg 3 My First Florida Arrowhead Pg 4-5 AACA Award Pg 6-7 Exciting New Museum Opens Pg 8-10 Nunahi-Duna-Dlo-Hilu-I Pg 11-12 Cleaning Artifacts Pg 13 Members Artwork Pg 14-15 Members Poetry Pg 16-17 Haiku Poetry Pg 18 Insitus Pg 19-27
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
President‟s Message Hello Members! The membership has been very busy wrapping up our newest project- the 2009 AACA Personal Finds Calendar. If you have not yet ordered your supply, go to www.theaaca.com and click the Calendar Order form in the left index. These calendars are 12” by 24” opened, and are top quality so you can give these for gifts. Please support this Association project by ordering your calendars NOW!
It’s mighty cold in Ohio in January, but look what young Anna Dills has found!
Also, let me take this opportunity to welcome all of the new members that have joined over the past months. The Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association is one of the fastest growing artifact organizations in the world! The AACA provides educational material, answers and guidance to many collectors every day, and the Members’ Forum is very popular with seasoned and new artifact collectors alike. Please check out all of the features of the AACA site by logging in and browsing around, because many features are ONLY available to registered members. Best Wishes, Cliff Jackson, AACA President psSpecial Note: On August 1, 2008, because of business and time constraints, one of our most conscientious and hard working directors retired from the AACA Board. During his tenure, David Heath helped to make the AACA a more effective organization. A skilled webmaster, he made numerous improvements to the organization’s website. His leadership resulted in the Artifact Theft Program, improved access to educational materials, and strong promotion of members’ auctions. There is no doubt that his hard work resulted in significant increases in membership participation and involvement. All of the members of the Board of Directors want to thank David Heath for his contributions and dedication to AACA excellence. We miss his help.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
From the Editor Welcome to the fall/winter issue of the AACA Online Magazine. I am Steve Stangland from San Diego, the new Editor for the magazine. Our previous issue, under the leadership of recent Editor Kim Radke, was probably the best issue our organization has ever produced. Filling the shoes of the hard working and capable Kim Radke will be quite a challenge for me! Additionally, since the retirement of David Heath, one of our webmasters, we will have new people formatting the articles to the website. I hope you enjoy the articles in this issue. Just remember that our magazine can only be a success with your help. We have an ongoing need for members to contribute articles, poems, original art, and photos. This is your magazine! Only you, the membership, can make it successful! Our largest need is the “mom and pop” type of story or adventure that only you, the member, can provide! Regardless of grammatical and spelling skills, many of you know how to “spin a yarn” or tell a story. Write something and send it in. We will take care of the spelling and grammar and still keep the “flavor” of your article. Send articles or submissions to sstangland@cox.net. There is also information on where to send contributions on the homepage. We welcome any suggestions you may have regarding how to improve the publication. One last thing- As a relatively new AACA Board member, I had the privilege of attending the AACA Artifact Expo show in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, this past July. For the first time ever, a majority of the AACA Board members were in attendance. Six of the seven had their picture taken as a group. Some of these people have been involved in the collecting hobby for 40 years. You may be familiar with the names, but have never seen or met any of them. Consequently, I am providing you with a picture of your AACA Board of Directors, plus the names of those not in the picture. These are the people that work hard, with no financial compensation, to represent your interests and to keep the word “authentic” as the mainstay of our hobby.
L to R: Malcolm McLaughlin, Secretary: Jim Bennett, Founder; Bill Neece; Steve Puttera; Steve Stangland, Editor; Cliff Jackson, President. Other Board members not pictured: Steve Lyons; Kim Radke, recent Editor; Matt Rowe, Webmaster; Ken Schmidt, recent Secretary; Eric Wagner, VP; Rob Dills, newest Board member.
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The Atlatl
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
by Kim Radke
Conrad Angone has a passion for the atlatl, although he will readily tell you that he is not an accomplished user. According to Conrad, atlatl is pronounced ott-lottle and he states that it is derived from the Aztec word for throwing board. Conrad feels that once you get the general feel of using an atlatl, the hunting advantage is readily apparent and the satisfaction is quite exhilarating. The Wikipedia definition for the atlatl is as follows: An atlatl is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in throwing darts, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to transfer energy derived from muscular energy during the throw. It consists of a shaft with a handle on one end and a spur or cup on the other, against which the butt of a dart rests. The dart is thrown by the action of the upper arm and wrist in conjunction with a shift in balance of the body.
Conrad launches a dart near the Custer Battlefield, Montana
Conad is shown here demonstrating the technique for holding the weapon properly. He states that effectively releasing a throwing dart is relatively simple, but achieving distance with accuracy requires practice. Conrad feels confident that with considerable practice, using the atlatl effectively is possible. He states that what is immediately apparent, even for a novice, is how satisfying the leveraged experience is of having your arm act as a catapult. The atlatl greatly enhances the arm‟s ability to launch a piercing projectile (flexible shaft/dart) with greater force and speed (up to 100 mph) and with such effectiveness that Aztec warriors were able to easily penetrate the conquistador Cortes‟ metal armor. Conrad remarks, “I have found there is also a very satisfying human involvement to transfer energy derived from one‟s own muscular energy, enhanced with so much more power to hit a mark.” Conrad further states, “It is fun!” A mid-19th century Eskimo Nunivak atlatl
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My First Florida Arrowhead
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
by Thornton Gomer Pyles
At first glance, this story title might make someone ask, “What is the big deal?” I would like to assure each and every person that this was indeed a big deal, one of those life changing big deals! For me, even writing this story is a big deal, and I would like to expand on this before we go on with the story. Florida is an adopted land to me. My homeland is Tennessee. My family moved here close to 11 years ago and we began homesteading (sounds kinda‟ like the pioneer days). Hunting arrowheads in Florida is quite different from Tennessee. One needs to use different techniques and logic for finding places to hunt and learning the best times to hunt. Our heavy, overflowing bucketful of points that we found in Tennessee became so dried up and parched, that gaps appeared in the boards where it had shrunk. Our bucket wouldn‟t even hold sand, much less water, or more importantly, arrowheads. My dad and I were finding nothing- in street talk that means zero, zip! Days turned into months, months turned into years and the years turned into marks on the van door. Like a western gunslinger putting notches on his pistol handle, the count now numbered three years. My friend back in Tennessee tried to help by saying, “Be patient,” but my inner man cried, “Patience, my #*%@%! I‟m ready to find something right now.” I had feebly managed, during this long drought, to get control of my feelings and reluctantly tried to find other interests. This sounds better in print than what actually happened during this time. My wife could give you a more vivid picture of my ability, or shall we say “lack of ability,” to control my frustrations and feelings. Luckily, I am not a violent man nor am I prone to destroying things when I get frustrated. Now that you, the reader, have an understanding of my life at that time, you might come to agree that it was indeed one BIG DEAL. Now, back to my story. It all began when I had made some new friends where I worked. They started giving me a hard time for not doing anything with them on the weekends. During the week, we decided we would take our wives and float a local river on the weekend. This is a very popular river, as many in Florida are, and it‟s not uncommon to have thousands of people a day floating down the rivers in Florida. One can dive or snorkel or float down the river searching for assorted quantities of sunglasses, jewelry, money, knives, keys and even whole bathing suits. Ooh! It can be a real smorgasbord of lost belongings. We got our tubes and put in. The girls were mainly on the tubes and the guys were busy exploring. Indian arrowhead hunting was the last thing on my mind because after three years in Florida, I hadn‟t had any luck finding any artifacts since moving from my “homeland.” We were exploring every interesting nook and cranny that we could, and I was just enjoying the day. I had gotten slightly ahead of everyone else and saw a little path at the edge of the bank. I was later enlightened to the fact that it was an active gator trail. Standing in about 1 1/2 feet of water, I was looking down at the water more closely. Leaves covered the bottom everywhere, but for some reason one stood out more than the rest. I picked it up to study and, quite honestly, it took a few moments to figure out what I had found. It was an arrowhead, my first Florida arrowhead! I was ecstatic! My friends were floating by and saw my erratic behavior as I held the small beauty up and started shouting, “I‟ve got one; this is what we‟re after!” They instantly caught my excitement and even though neither of my friends had ever found an arrowhead in their entire lives, they were eager to find something! All three of us instantly did the “Nestea plunge” into this 1 1/2 foot depth of water, bodies side by side. All of a sudden, I started bubbling screams through my snorkel because right in front of me was a serrated Kirk point lying flat out. We all paused, looked at each other and without a word, we all plunged back down in the water. Then suddenly again, there lay another point, a Bolen. I began screaming again. This was just unbelievable, I thought, as we stood up and looked at the three finds. Then I realized a big problem, I had nothing to carry them in and we had three more miles to float. I took off my T-shirt, wrapped them up tight, went straight to my wife, opened the top of her bathing suit, and put them close to her heart. Get the picture? We then swam off, exploring some more. I picked up a couple of fossils and swam back to my wife to put them in the T-shirt. I then made a fatal mistake because I personally did not put the T-shirt back in her bathing suit. I just thought she would have treated them as precious jewels, but she did not! I got way ahead of everyone and I stopped at a creek to wait. I left my tube and walked up the creek for a look. After a few minutes, I turned to go back to the river and saw my wife walking towards me with a peculiar look on her face. As we passed, she said three of the most awful words I have ever had to hear. “I lost them”. Without acknowledging her words, I went by her and straight to the river thinking “They are just playing a joke on me.” As I approached the river, one of my friends, Ed, was lying on the bank gasping for air. I turned quickly and saw my other friend Johnny surface, fighting the current in the river. His face was beet red but he gasped for air and went back down. The situation finally struck home, “Oh no, she lost my points.” I dove in the river as Johnny surfaced again. This time he was completely out of breath and something new was attached to his foot! A crayfish the size of a small lobster had his toe. The girls went to his aid as I dove frantically up and down. Thirty minutes later, I conceded defeat. The points were gone! At that moment, I could not control my emotions. I grabbed my tube and floated by myself the rest of the trip. Pg 4
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My First Florida Arrowhead
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
by Thornton Gomer Pyles
Back at the truck, I said nothing nor did I talk all the way home. I know my new friends didn‟t understand my problem and thought, “What‟s the big deal with him?” As I said at the start of this story, it was a big deal! My wife knew EXACTLY how big a deal it really was and said nothing but “I‟m sorry.” We went to my parents‟ home that night since Dad and I had planned on hunting the following day. I even surprised myself, much less my wife, on how calmly I told my Dad the story. Over and over again I kept telling him, “Dad, I had three points in my hand. I don‟t want to, but we have got to go back for another chance.” The following day, we were at the river as the sun came up. There was nobody else around. We floated down to where I had originally found the three points and took another look. In all the initial excitement, my friends and I had overlooked three bone pins also lying there. I felt a little better; at least I had a little something to show for the trip. As we got to the supposed spot of disaster, my wife, giving no thought to snakes, gators or whatever might be around, began beating the high grass on the river bank, thinking that maybe they had fallen in there. I perched myself on a fallen tree limb then took some deliberate deep breaths and dove down. The water here was about 12 feet deep, with a very swift current. Just as my lungs began burning for air, I saw them, all three of them! Unbelievably, they were lying all together, almost as if they had been stacked. How they had fallen 12 feet through a swift current and landed together amazes me still to this day. I made a lunge with my fist and grabbed, just as the current pulled me away. I came to the surface with my arm raised and fist clenched. I could almost hear the theme song from the original Rocky movie, but discovered that I only held the two biggest points. I had missed the small one. I went to my wife and shouted, “Hold these!” She shook her head, frantically saying, “No way!” She wasn‟t going to touch them. I didn‟t have time to argue and I hollered, “Open your mouth!” and stuffed them in. Immediately I dove down, thinking there was no way I was going to find the exact spot where that little point was lying, but as I touched the bottom and looked directly beneath me, I was right on top of it. I had it again! My first Florida arrowhead, an Ichetucknee point and a new appreciation for stubborn determination and divine intervention……….A REALLY BIG DEAL!
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Cleatis Hook – AACA Award Winner and Catfish Cook Supreme
Fall/Winter 2008
by Steve Stangland
At the July 18-20, 2008 AACA Expo Artifact Show in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, there were a number of individuals that won special awards. Oneof the most important awards, the “Volunteer Award,” went to a very special fellow by the name of Cleatis Hook. For the last three years, Cleatis has provided hundreds of pounds of catfish filets for the Saturday after-show catfish fry in the hotel parking lot. Not only does Cleatis provide the table fare, he also cooks it for the swarms of people that arrive with empty stomachs. Because his deep-fried fish filets are so sweet, so succulent, and so tasty, his cooking reputation has preceded him and the people come in waves to relish these mouthwatering morsels. Consequently, in order to keep up, he is ably assisted at the deep fryers by his daughter, Elaine, and by Bill and Karen Neece - all three also exceptional fish cooks! Once these three sous-chefs have assisted Cleatis in stock piling a good supply of fried fish filets, Cleatis has time to cook two more incredibly delicious morsels- deep-fried green tomatoes and green peppers. Since these are fresh from local gardens, like the fish filets, they just melt in your mouth! Cleatis hails from Grand Rivers, Kentucky, and fishes commercially for his livelihood. Grand Rivers sits on the northern reaches of two large lakes, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, where Cleatis fishes by utilizing trot lines in the summer and nets in the winter. He also fishes the Ohio, Mississippi, and Cumberland Rivers. From these waters he harvests four types of fish - buffalo (yes, that‟s a species of fish), channel cat, blue cat, and yellow or “flathead” cat. In case you are wondering, commercial fishing in fresh water for these particular species is completely legal. The catfish normally range in size from one half to 16 pounds. On a typical day, Cleatis will haul in 1000 to 1500 pounds of fish! Most of the fish are sent to markets in Saint Louis, Chicago and New York. You may wonder why Cleatis is so successful at his craft. Part of the reason is that he started selling fish in 1961 when he was only 11 years old! Additionally, he has some very skilled helpers. His daughter and son both fish with him. Now, what do you suppose a man that fishes for a living every day does for weekend relaxation? Well, of course, he fishes! However, there is a difference; his weekend fishing involves a pole, whereas his weekday fishing does not! There is one other interesting thing you need to know about Cleatis. Remember, we are talking about a guy that catches up to 1500 pounds of fish per day and the fish can weigh up to 50 pounds each, or more! When queried about his favorite fish to catch, his answer was the mighty bluegill!
AACA president, Cliff Jackson, and AACA founder, Jim Bennett, present Cleatis Hook his “Volunteer Award”
If you think attending the AACA Artifact Show is only about seeing world-class Indian artifacts, you are wrong! It is all about meeting some very interesting people, not to mention a world-class fish fry too!
PG 6
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
A Master at work
Lining up for the big fish fry !
Sous-chef Karen Neece Fillets headed for the deep frier
Headed to empty stomachs
Fresh from the garden PG 7
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
EXCITING NEW ARKANSAS MUSEUM OPENS Article contributors: David Bogle, Matt Rowe, Steve Stangland Tucked away in the extreme northwest corner of Arkansas, right off Interstate 540, is the city of Bentonville. Besides being blessed with its proximity to Ozark lakes and forests, the city now showcases a brand new, exciting museum. Founded by David Bogle, the “Museum of Native American Artifacts” enjoyed its grand opening on July 10, 2008. The facility is a restored early 20th century house with 5000 square feet of displays.
Museum Entrance
For touring the museum, visitors are given an “audio wand.” They can then have a “personal audio/visual tour” through 14,000 years of Native American history. Rooms and displays are laid out in chronological order, starting with the Paleo era and progressing through the Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian and Historic periods. Additionally, the museum includes displays of Mesoamerican artifacts. (Mesoamerica is generally considered to include the geographic area from Mexico City through Central America). In anticipation of writing an article on the museum, in August of 2008, the editor emailed the founder, David Bogle, requesting information. Here is his informative response:
“Please don't think the museum is anything about my personal collection. While I have many artifacts on display, the museum houses the best artifacts from the University of Arkansas (over seven million cataloged artifacts) and the best of the best from many private collections. Important to remember, we are a non-profit museum. We accept no funds from city, state, or federal recourses. Our admission is FREE! We accept donations from visitors that enjoy their experience. We are solely about education. Our goal is to teach our visitors about prehistoric times through a chronological tour before they reach our displays of historic artifacts. As you know, most visitors to a Native American museum come with visions of bead work and headdresses. While I believe we have one of the best historic exhibits anywhere, there is no computation with our prehistoric collection. The tour is self guided with a "wand" that gives information on specific artifacts and displays. I hope this perks your interest enough for an article. Best regards, David Bogle”
Archaic Wall
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
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Well, it certainly did! And consequently, here the readers have it! Additional information on the museum and Native American history can be obtained from the museum‟s impressive website. Readers can visit this internet site at http:// museumofnativeamericanartifacts.org/index.html
Caddo Pot
Matt Rowe, the very knowledgeable and capable curator at the museum, has this to say about his place of employment “There are tons of incredible relics housed in the museum that are some of the finest ever recovered. From paleo to historic, from North to South America, there's definitely plenty to see.” Historic Wall
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Quapaw Dog
Fall/Winter 2008
Corn Effigy
Rare Pottery In case you may want to visit the museum, here are some interesting “tourist” facts about the general area surrounding Bentonville. Nestled in the scenic Ozarks, the topography is hilly with dispersed forest and field. Sitting just west of popular Beaver Lake, it has a population of over 32,000. The city is only 10 miles from Missouri and 20 miles from Oklahoma. Utilizing Interstate 540 and/or the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, the city is central to many things in northwest Arkansas. Varying from a few minutes up to an hour and a half, you can visit the following places: In Arkansas- Beaver Lake, Pea Ridge National Park, Eureka Springs, Fayetteville (University of Arkansas), Fort Smith In Missouri- Table Rock Lake, Branson, In Oklahoma – Tulsa, Grand Lake and other northeast Oklahoma lakes Visitors‟ information: Museum of Native American Artifacts 202 SW “O” Street (State Highway 72) Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 479-273-2456 Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Tues thru Sat
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Nunahi-Duna-Dlo-Hilu-I
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Fall/Winter 2008
by Steven Nagle, Olathe, Kansas
“The full moon of May is already on the wane; and before another shall have passed away, every Cherokee man, woman and child in those states must be in motion to join their brethren in the Far West.” This address from General Winfield Scott to the Cherokees was the beginning of the Nunahi-Duna-Dlo-Hilu-I or “The trail where they cried.” Today, this horrific journey is most commonly referred to as the “Trail of Tears.” The expedition of Hernando de Soto in 1540 was the southeastern Indians first contact with the Europeans. De Soto had taken Indians as captives for use as slave labor, while others were mistreated and regarded as savages. The native populations were decimated by disease brought by the Europeans to this “New World.” Over the next two hundred years, more Europeans arrived and pressured the Indian to give up his homeland and native culture. The Indian reluctantly adapted to and adopted some of the European customs and gradually turned to a representational government and an agricultural economy. Sequoyah, a Native-American leader, perfected a Cherokee alphabet and schools were built in the effort to educate his people. This “progress” by the native Indian did not prevent the white settlers from quenching their insatiable desire for land. The settlers‟ want for the Indian homeland inevitably led to a general policy to remove the native inhabitants. In 1830 the Congress of the United States passed the Indian Removal Act. Although opposed by many, President Andrew Jackson signed the bill into law. To combat the removal act, the Cherokees established an independent Cherokee Nation and fought their removal. through legal action
The Cherokee Nation was indeed recognized as a sovereign people; however, years of legal battles and oppression divided and discouraged the Cherokee. There was a minority of Cherokee who believed that it was futile to fight their removal. This minority believed that they would only survive if they signed a treaty with the United States. By 1835, the Cherokee spirit was broken. The United States, recognizing their despondence, sought out this minority to establish a treaty at New Echota, Georgia. Only three to five hundred Cherokees attended the treaty meeting; however, the treaty was signed by only twenty of these men, none of whom was an elected official of the Cherokee Nation. More than 15,000 Cherokees protested the treaty, arguing that it was illegal. Although many white men, including the likes of Davy Crockett, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay were against the treaty, on May 23, 1836, the Treaty of New Echota was ratified by the U.S. Senate by a single vote. This treaty sealed the fate of the Cherokee. Pg 11
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President Martin Van Buren ordered the implementation of the treaty in 1838. In the spring and summer of 1838, under the command of General Winfield Scott, the U.S. Army began rounding up the Cherokees. They were moved to makeshift forts and internment camps in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. The camps served as temporary housing for the Cherokees. Private John Burnett of the Mounted Infantry had written to his children – “I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged from their homes, and driven at bayonet point into stockades. Men working in the fields were arrested and driven to the stockades. Women were dragged from their homes by soldiers whose language they could not understand. Children were often separated from their parents and driven into the stockades with the sky for a blanket and the earth for a pillow. And often the old and infirm were prodded with bayonets to hasten them to the stockades. In another home was a frail mother, apparently a widow and three small children, one just a baby. When told that she must go, the mother gathered the children at her feet, prayed a humble prayer in her native tongue, patted the old family dog on the head, told the faithful creature good-bye, and with a baby strapped on her back and leading a child with each hand started on her exile. But the task was too great for that frail mother. A stroke of heart failure relieved her sufferings. She sank and died with her baby on her back, and her other two children clinging to her hands.” In the fall and winter of 1838 the Cherokee began their trek in one of the saddest episodes in American history. General Scott delivered the ultimatum to the Cherokees – “Cherokees! The President of the United States has sent me with a powerful army, to cause you, in obedience to the treaty of 1835, to join that part of your people who have already established in prosperity on the other side of the Mississippi.” The Cherokee was forced to travel 1000 miles, through adverse conditions to Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma. They traveled both via land routes and water routes. Poor trail conditions, illness and the harsh weather conditions resulted in death for thousands. Estimates vary, but historians agree that 4000 to 5000 Cherokee died along the trail. This forced journey is just another grim reminder of man‟s inhumanities toward man. Yes, many were against the removal of the Cherokee and many fought to thwart their transplantation. Knowing that many would turn against him, Davy Crockett stood up and stated, “I would rather be politically buried than hypocritically immortalized.” There are countless stories of settlers hiding Cherokee families, preventing their capture. It is known that soldiers stood guard without clothing so that Cherokee children could wear their garments and not freeze to death. We honor those that did everything that they could to avoid the Trail of Tears. Yet, the tragedy occurred and was real to 17,000 Cherokee Indians. We cannot ignore what occurred one hundred and seventy years ago. If only more stood up against the Indian Removal Act. If only more spoke out against the Treaty of New Echota. If only those who established and signed the bills into law understood that they were creating a history; an image that is remembered not for the good of the people, but for a tragedy; a horrific journey of death and despair – Nunahi-Duna-Dlo-Hilo-I. Information in this article was gleaned from a variety of sources including, but not limited to the following: www.Cherokee.org , The New Georgia Encyclopedia and Cherokee Removal; Before and After by William Anderson
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Editor’s note: “Lest we forget.” The beginning of 2008 saw the loss of a longtime and highly respected member of the AACA and the collecting community in general- Michael Hough, or “Chiefbluebone,” as some of you knew him. I only met Michael once, very briefly at a show, but had known about him and his distinguished reputation for many years. He passed away Saturday morning, January 26, 2008, of a massive heart attack at age 51. A number of years ago, Michael wrote an interesting article that is still applicable today to most collectors. As a small tribute to the memory of Michael, the AACA Magazine is once again publishing this article from this knowledgeable old friend of ours- Mr. Michael Hough. Varnish and Other Clear Treatments on Points –
by Michael Hough October 2002
Major point....no amount of washing, using solvent, drying, or whatever, is going to remove authentic patina. Don't be afraid to wash off the dirt. If ANY artifact has a decent patina on it (technically, “in” it), it will always be there after cleaning. The only examples of ancient artifacts with no real patina I have seen have been cave finds…..and many of those have SOME evidence of age. Varnishes, lacquers, clear fingernail polish, etc., have frequently been used for adhesives. All will come off easily with acetone. I have found some examples of a solution of particulate matter contained in a petroleum-based fluid applied to surfaces. It looks REALLY good until you see the tiny little bubbles in the dried material. That comes off easily too, but is VERY misleading at first glance. I know some folks that use vaseline on some artifacts. Just a tiny smidge of the stuff gives a nice glossy sheen and brings out the colors beautifully. I don't care for it, but it sure makes the colors on some agates, jaspers, chalcedonies, etc., stand out really nicely. That will come off with a little gasoline. Another thing I've seen is the use of modeling clay. Rubbing the artifact with a little bit will give it a semi-glossy sheen that resembles many patinated surfaces. This will usually come off with a good scrubbing with a detergent soap. If not, acetone or gasoline will remove it. Just a little addendum regarding alkali deposits that don't come off. Sometimes it's just caked on THICK....maybe more than a collector would like. One can use Elmer's glue (or similar) to cover the surface. Leave it for a month, then go back and put it in water for a whole day. When the glue comes off, some of the alkali deposit will come with it, usually not all of it. Michael Hough - Good Day~!
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
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These two water color pictures were submitted by the owner, Henry English, of Woodville, Texas. He says they were painted by a family friend by the name of Joan Graham, a member of the local artists’ gallery in Woodville.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
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A very interesting story accompanies the artwork below, sent in by Chrissy Fawcett. Here is what she has to say about it: “I did this colored charcoal picture for my Daddy in 1981 for his birthday. He displayed it with his artifact and knife collection until his passing in 2000. It has since been displayed in our den with our artifact collection. The largest part of our collection is my inheritance of his personal finds. I wish to submit it for consideration. Thanks, Chrissy Fawcett�
"I have seen many great battles. My people have seen many great battles. The greatest battle has been that of the Spirit. My people are the Spirit of this land- this land that you now call America." Pg 15
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POETRY Steven Nagle explains:
My friend and AACA Member, Jeff Phillippi and I finally got to a spot that we really thought was going to produce some artifacts. We had planned this hike for awhile, knowing it would be a hard-to-reach place on the Kansas River. Well, we went for most of the day and found nothing. On the way to the spot, Jeff said, "It looked promising." When we made it to the sandbar, I said, "It looked promising." On the way home, we both said, "It looked promising." Well, I guess looks are indeed deceiving.
It looked Promising by Steven Nagle
Day One Recently plowed and just after a rain I traveled the road of one single lane Today was the day to find arrowheads about To fill my pack, for sure, no doubt I jumped from my jeep and ran to the field Just knowing today would produce a great yield After hours had passed, now all afternoon Darkness was near, I had to leave soon This is a photograph of Steve Nagle searching for arrowheads on a “promising” sand and gravel bar on the Kansas River in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The picture was taken by professional nature photographer and AACA member, Jeff Phillippi.
What looked great from the start, wasn‟t to be My hopes had soured, there was nothing for me Day Two That night I dreamt of new grounds to hike How „bout the river, below the dike? From the bridge, the sand bar was a promising sight It looked rich with gravel, it looked just right I traversed the banks, then waded to land I scanned the islands, but found just sand How could this be, two days in a row? Hours and hours, with nothing to show Headed back to the jeep, threw in my gear It looked so promising, my dream was so clear
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Native Secrets
The Trail Where they Cried
By Steven K Nagle
By Steven K. Nagle
From 10,000 years, stone fruit seeks light, Exposed for capture, with calls that invite.
An insatiable desire for land and for gold Forced out the Cherokee, the young and the old
Native waited so long, their history concealed, Sprung up from the earth, a story revealed.
An immoral, false treaty, supported their plan To drive them out west, to give up their land
No real proof found, as to when they arrived, Making assumptions, as to how they survived.
Many protested, the likes of Crockett and Clay, But their fate was sealed, they were forced to obey
We piece together clues from points and from bones, The Jasper and Agate and other worked stones. From Clovis and Folsom, scrapers and drills, We admire their art and envy their skills. With courage they fought, downed elk and bear, Life sustained, for their groups to share. We continue our search to learn of their lives, We continue to hunt for their spears and their knives.
Placed in stockades, families apart Wanton and careless, broken each heart Nothing could warrant their journey ahead No words could support the tears that were shed A thousand mile trek over treacherous land They followed the orders, the soldiersâ€&#x; command
Together we ponder, together we seek, We form our opinions from whatâ€&#x;s found in the creek.
Men, women and children died along the trail The infants, the old, the weak and the frail
Archaic or Paleo, from times gone past, For thousands of years they will continue to last.
Like wild fires burning, the diseases now spread No time for the Native to bury their dead
Others like us will continue the quest, Until truth be known, no seeker will rest.
No promised lands liking, to the many that died The thousand miles traveled, the trail where they cried We feel their sorrow, we remember their plight If only more stood up and did what was right
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
HAIKU POETRY Editor‟s note: Below are three “haiku” poems. They are very different from “traditional” poetry. If you know very little about this type of literary form, before reading, see the haiku discussion below the three poems. The first two were written by Alan Bridges of Littleton, Massachusetts. The third is by Evelyn Tooley Hunt, a well know haiku poet.
clay river bank the impression left by an arrowhead
rippling currents... the millennial dance of an arrowhead
five generations of plowing still they turn up these flint arrowheads
HAIKU POETRY – EXPLANATIONS and DEFINITIONS Note from haiku poet Alan Bridges regarding the first haiku above: Please note that the format – three-line structure, single space, flush left, all small letters - is how haiku are generally presented, although there are lots of exceptions. Note from Alan regarding the second haiku: I thought I would submit one that shows another way haiku uses format to convey visual imagery. Here I kept the middle line left justified, indented the first line 5 spaces and the third line 10 spaces, to heighten the image of the distortional effect on an arrowhead of rippling water. With the words, I am also trying to convey the sense of movement against the foil of a stationary arrowhead on the bottom of a stream or riverbed, as well as to bring forward the elements of time and place. Overall, I am trying to show without saying outright, the excitement of finding an arrowhead, which has been lost for thousands of years. I think that haiku works well with the artifact-hunting theme, how it centers on a moment of natural discovery and provides the reader with an "aha" linkage which he can adapt to his own imagination. Haiku definition from the Webster dictionary: A Japanese verse form rendered in English as three unrhymed lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables (17 total syllables), often on some subject in nature. From the Wikopedia dictionary: Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Previously called hokku, it was given its current name by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki at the end of 19th century. Shiki suggested haiku as an abbreviation of the phrase "haikai no ku" meaning a verse of haikai[1]. A hokku was the opening verse of a linked verse form, renku (haikai no renga). In Japanese, hokku and haiku are traditionally printed in one vertical line (though in handwritten form they may be in any reasonable number of lines). In English, haiku are usually written in three lines to equate to the three metrical phrases of a haiku in Japanese that consist of five, seven, and five on (the Japanese count morae, which differ from English-language syllables; for example, the word "haiku" itself counts as three on in Japanese (ha-i-ku), but two syllables in English (hai-ku); writing seventeen syllables in English produces a poem that is actually quite a bit longer, with more content, than a haiku in Japanese). Because Japanese nouns do not have different singular and plural forms, "haiku" is usually used as both a singular and plural noun in English as well. Thus, practicing haiku poets and translators refer to "many haiku" rather than “haikus.” Pg 18
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Welcome to the insitu section of the AACA Magazine. Here you will find artifacts from nine states: California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Thanks to all of you that sent in your pictures. The Ohio folks get a special pat on the back because they sent in the most!
Kent Langreder found this excellent three quarters grooved axe near Lupus, Missouri, in Moniteau County. Lupus is a small town in central Missouri, not far from Columbia.
The point below was found on February 27, 2007. It was plucked from its resting place in a Southern California mountainto-desert transitional zone by John Dillon of National City, California. This “Desert Series� point measures 1 5/8 inches.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Below is a fine little Edwards point found by Travis S. Cobb on March 22, 2008, in Wharton County, Texas.
Here are several pictures of a nicely chipped preform or "Covington" found by Ronnie Hart earlier this year at a dig located near Leakey, Texas.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Below is a “heart breaker” found by David Stangland of Del Mar, California. The point was found in a foothill valley of Southern California. Because finding pieces like this is so difficult in this area, the point was sent to “Gomer” for restoration.
This two-inch quartzite Clovis point was found in June of 2008 by Lyle Nickel. Lyle found the point on a tributary creek of the Cimarron River, near where he grew up, in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Here is what Steve Valentine of Ohio has to say about a very unique find seen below: “Here are in-situ and close up pictures of a double drilled wolf molar I found earlier this year. I have found numerous drilled teeth, but never one that was double drilled. I have also seen quite a few of these wolf molars that were either drilled in one root or grooved around one or both roots, but this is the first one from this site that I've ever seen that was double drilled.” What - Double drilled wolf molar When - April of 2008 Where - Goldcamp site, Lawrence County, Ohio Size - About 1 inch long by 1 inch high Found by - Steve Valentine
“I was hunting in Preble County, Ohio this spring, on March 23, 2008, and discovered my first TWO axes! These were both recovered from the same field site on a freezing cold morning. We drove up the driveway and talked with the farmer and his son for what seemed like forever, when he says – „Why don‟t you take a look out in back, my cousin usually hunts back there but didn‟t make it out this year.‟ - So we did and was I glad!” Kirk A. Haas
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Seen below is a western Kansas point, made of Oolithic Chert and measuring 2 7/8 inches. It was found lying in the bed of the Arkansas River by Joe Persinger on April 29, 2007.
Here is an Early Stem made of Edwards Plateau “Rootbeer” found by Steve May in Aransas County, Texas. This fine piece measures 2 ¼ inches x 1 1/8 inches.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Steve May evidently has an “eagle eye.” Here is what he says about the picture below: “The picture that looks like there is nothing in it..in the center there is a perfect Perdiz….. .. just hard to see.” (The Editor found it. Can you!?)
The serrated Dovetail below measures 1 ½ inches and is made of Attica chert. Adam Agusti found this little treasure on April 18, 2008 in Vermillion County, Indiana.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
This is a very handsome “arrowhead-hunting” dog and he is sitting there “in situ” in a furrow, so he deserves a place in this article! Adam Agusti sent this picture, and says: “This Brittany Spaniel was abandoned in the country near where I used to work. We adopted him at the tree farm. He's proven himself as a loyal companion and joins me for hunts when I'm in the area. I can't believe someone would abandon such a good dog. But when I think about it, I'm glad he was abandoned where he was because he found a good place to live and has been a bright spot in everyone‟s day.”
Tim Shepherd, who lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, found the four artifacts pictured below. Here is what he says about them: “I try to carry my camera every time I go looking so that I can capture the moment! My name is Tim Shepherd and I live just outside of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. All artifact pictures are from Butler County, Ohio. The sad thing is that most of these pieces are from construction sites and the sites are gone forever! I'm in construction and I found my first arrowhead on a construction site in 1990 by accident and I've been hooked ever since!”
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Made from Flint Ridge, this 1 ½ inch corner notch below was found by Rob Dills on June 14, 2008, in Wayne County,Ohio.
In late April of 2008, Ed Stevens found this black Coshocton Big Sandy on a ridge near Wills Creek in Coshocton County, Ohio.
Ricky Arthur of Utah found this exceptional piece. Look closely to the left of the coin and you will see the impression of the point where it had been imbedded in dirt and moss.
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AACA MAGAZINE Authentic Artifacts Collectors Association, Inc.
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Volume Number 6 Issue Number 4
Fall/Winter 2008
Terry Tucker found this huge blade (over six inches long by three inches wide) in April of 2006 in Mercer County, Kentucky. The blade, either Archaic or Paleo, is made of Fort Payne chert and is no more than ¼ inch thick. Terry was “pattern walking” in a plowed field with two friends when he spotted the blade. Terry explains the excitement of the find as follows: “My buddy behind me saw it from a distance and thought I was crazy when I said it was a monstrous blade. There are limestone rocks all over the field and that was what it looked like at first glance. I snapped a picture and we all about died from the size and the fact that it had not been beaten to pieces from being in a plowed field.” The blade was later sold to Doug Goodrum.
This is an outstanding Edgewood point (below) found by Lori Menichetti near the Arkansas/Missouri border on March 12, 2006. Lori found the point along the shores of the lake during a low water level. The material is Boone Chert / Reeds Spring formation.
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