Types of Caves to Look for Arrowheads in

Outdoorsmen interested in searching for arrowheads, hand axes, flint tools and other refuse of ancient Indian civilizations often find in caves all that their hearts desire. There are laws regulating cave exploitation, but it is still possible to make amazing discoveries without ruining delicate cave ecologies by exploiting "proto-caves." To maximize chances of finding artifacts, knowledge of the area, sediment cores and a basic dating technique can assist the amateur anthropologist in making some truly worthwhile discoveries.

Caves Can Contain Real Treasures

There are areas that are rich in artifacts such as Arrowhead Field in Cheesequake State Park, New Jersey, or in the old Pueblo Indian sites of the Southwest. To find a local hot spot, the best place to search first is to ask a ranger or local collector. Interesting items found are often referred to the park officials for identification and information about the object. As a result, they can often recite from memory items, dates, descriptions, and locations of common artifact discoveries. Other resources are the Internet, local historical societies/museums, farmers, Scouts and spelunkers.

Laws Regulating Cave Exploitation

Be aware of the limits beyond which you can not go. There are laws, and the punishments are often harsh and expensive. Be careful to avoid 1) interfering with modern or ancient human burial sites; 2) excavating or damaging private or public land without prior permssion; 3) removing artifacts from state or federal parks; 4) damaging karst environments such as cave openings, cave features like stagmites and crystal growths as well as springs and sinkholes; 5) interfering with the movement of bats, or other rare animals, from natural use of subterranean lairs; and 6) taking artifacts from private lands or reservations without prior consent (this is called theft). And remember the unwritten rule of the wilderness: "Leave it as you found it."

Finding Artifacts in Proto-Caves Using Science

Once you have a general location identified, the next step is to find a cave. Due to state and federal laws caves are often restricted to the general public. However, there is a wealth of "proto-caves" in every state. A proto-cave is simply a cave that didn't make it. It can be caused by a blocked sinkhole, wind hollowing out sandstone, fault divisions between rock layers, dissolution of karst, or even a dried-up swamp. These are locations that have not changed their character for hundreds of years. One way to think about it is to put yourself in Indians' shoes and ask yourself, "Would I hide my trash in that hole?" That's the intuitive method used by many successful archaeologists and treasure hunters.
The scientific method would involve bringing a pipe and a hammer with you on your forays. When you find a likely looking hole, get a sedimentary sample from it. Simply hammer the pipe into the soft dirt at the bottom of the hole. Pull it out. If the soil is perfect, the core will slide out with a little tapping giving you a profile of sediment deposition over time. (If it's not perfect, use a flashlight to examine the sides of the hole you just made in the sediment or cut your pipe open.) The thickest, darkest bands are high organic content from large floods (or annual rainy seasons in some regions). Estimate the number of floods/hurricanes your area experiences and count the dark bands of soil to get a rough idea of the age of the deposit. For example, if you were in Florida and counted 10 dark bands that's equivalent to 15 to 50 years, while in the desert of Nevada it might signal 50 to 500 years.

Digging Methodically

Once you have found a suitable spot follow these steps: 1) Spread a ground tarp next to digging site; 2) dig a large area in shallow steps; 3) use a screen to sort dirt for artifacts or spread out each shovel-full for inspection; 4) concentrate on older levels and areas under the target levels (heavy objects like arrowheads will sink more deeply in soil than pot shards); and 5) when completed always refill excavations, as they are a hazard to wildlife and human recreation.

The Key

The real key to finding cool stuff like arrowheads is in the careful sifting of the dirt, and those eagle eyes that can detect the straight edge, a manufactured smoothness and alien color, are vital for success.