Finding Artifacts

[The Weasel]

Has anyone ever found any historical (50 years or older) artifact along the AT? Did you take it or do something else with it? What about along other trails?

Thanks,

TW

[Hikes in Rain]

Do abandoned cabins or houses count? Headstones? I didn't take them......

[Blissful]

When I was twelve I once found a Civil war bullet at a campground near Harper's Ferry. :)

[The Weasel]

Do abandoned cabins or houses count? Headstones? I didn't take them......

I'm talking something that can be picked up and removed. Headstones, if taken, would qualify. (Yes, I've seen those on the AT, too).

TW

[Sickmont]

My thinking would be that more often than not "artifacts" normally arent be sitting at or on top of the ground, unless the ground was highly disturbed by something or someone. On that note if you do happen to find an area where the ground was disturbed, keep your eyes peeled.

[peakbagger]

The sections of the trail owned by the USFS have prohibitions against disturbing or removing artifacts. As most of the trail is on the ridgeline in NH there arent many artifacts right on the trail, but once you get down in the valleys, there are a lot of logging artifacts. Most of the stuff I have seen isnt worth carting around.

[Mrs Baggins]

I was dayhiking with friends and we had just crossed the AT footbridge southbound to go back to Washington Monument Park. After crossing the road just after that, I had my poles and was looking down at the ground when an odd outline caught my eye, just below the surface of the trail bed. I poked at it, dug around, and up came a very rusted very old horseshoe. It is so rusted it's close to brittleness, and still has a couple of old bent nails in it. As far as I know that portion of the AT was only used by horses as part the "battle road" for the Battle of South Mountain, I think as a logging road, with horse drawn wagons, for a short time. The shoe has a "clip" in the front - something I haven't seen on "modern" horse shoes. I used to ride in the early 70's. It's quite possible that the shoe was once buried deep over time and was slowly working it's way up to the surface again through rains and erosion. I have it in a window sill.

[Tuckahoe]

Understand that federal and state laws do not usually permit the removal of artifacts on public lands and artifacts on private property belong to the property owner. Also removing an artifact removes that piece from its archaeological context, damaging the artifacts historical and archaeological importance.

On a cool note, last week I got to spend a little bit of time in the lab at the APVA's Jamestown Rediscovery Project. Pretty cool looking at 400 year old artifacts.

[Tennessee Viking]

I know people have picked up old railroad spikes around Dennis Cove/Laurel Fork Gorge. I found one way back on the Laurel Fork trail in Frog Level.

Also found an 19th century axe head in North Carolina while digging trail on the MST.

[Croft]

In the early 1970's, I found an abandoned logging camp circa 1900 about 20 miles off any trail in north central Minnesota. Found an intact hand-etched kerosene lamp chimney and a rusty 9" cast iron skillet. Brought both home, cleaned and re-seasoned the skillet and use it to this day (at home).

[Luddite]

I've never found anything in the east, but I found a huge pile of Anasazi potsherds, bones, and corncobs in Utah. It was extremely tempting to take some but its almost like you're erasing history. There are some people in Utah who actually cut out petroglyphs from the rock walls and sell them on the black market. Go to any pawn shop around the grand canyon and you'll find potsherds for sale. Take a picture of them, but leave them where you find them.

[Luddite]

http://img24.imageshack.us/i/dsc01492vb.jpg/

From Comb Wash in Utah

[Graywolf]

Found a Cowie shell in Georgia in Stover creek. You can see the marks left onit from the person who wore it. It has been identified as an ornament worn over 200 years ago. I have it on one of my flutes now. A hemlock flute, representing the area that I found the shell.. Pretty cool..

[The Weasel]

I'm not asking anyone to rat themselve (or anyone else) out about artifacts. I'm in the process of revising my "Law for Backpackers 101" article here on WB, and am considering a short section on this point. I considered putting this thread in Straightforward since I don't want it to be a debate about what laws should or shouldn't exist, but since I wanted maximum response to the question "Have you ever found something?" I put it here. If anyone else has found things along trails, I would appreciate knowing that.

Thanks

TW

[JERMM]

horseshoe, pottery shards, arrowheads, spikes, antlers, door/gate hinges, cups and a purple spork, no wait the spork isn't an artifact, I kept it

the cups were stamped on the bottom Property of NY 1952, the five in the photo had be unearthed and placed on the rock before I got there, I found two more still in the ground, as far as I know they're still there


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_uwSHmzsdw8Y/TEkAy983A9I/AAAAAAAABBY/6DtRyB_9hSc/cups.jpg

[tuswm]

Hiking around the back country in Utah, its hard not to find things. I like all the cave painting. They all have penises and I have always wanted to know if the penises were made by drunk kids or the original Indians.

[Luddite]

http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php


LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND
Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.


LEAVE NATURAL OBJECTS AND CULTURAL ARTIFACTS
Natural objects of beauty or interest such as antlers, petrified wood, or colored rocks add to the mood of the backcountry and should be left so others can experience a sense of discovery. In National Parks and some other areas it is illegal to remove natural objects.

The same ethic is applicable to cultural artifacts found on public land. Cultural artifacts are protected by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. It is illegal to remove or disturb archeological sites, historic sites, or artifacts such as pot shards, arrowheads, structures, and even antique bottles found on public lands.

[Joshuatree]

Haven't found anything intresting out east. But I camped on a ranch near the black hills out in South Dakota with a group of scouts. While swimming in the river that ran across the ranch one day. We kept finding round metal objects amongst the rocks on the river bottom, they turned out to be cannon balls. we also were allowed to prospect for artifacts around an old indian encampment, lots of flint flakes and broken arrowheads and flint scrapers. Unfortunately looting is a problem no matter if its a precolumbian native american site or a civil war battle fields which is a shame because all they are doing is robbing history of its stories

[Diatribe]

not on the AT but...
I know some people who have access to private land along the south shore of the North Anna River in central VA. During the civil war, there was a battle there right along I95/Rt 1 where Lee & Grant faced each other for one of the first times.
They totally let us relic hunt along the shoreline and in the adjoining pastures & fields.
Lots of great confederate finds, and I am sure there are thousands of other relics waiting to be found.
Not along the AT, but still, a cool story.

[Diatribe]

I did meet a guy in Hog Camp Gap one day who said back in the day when his dad used to take him up there to camp, he found arrowheads near the spring down the meadow. I am a super history buff, so he proceeded to tell the story of nomadic Archaic Indians who pass the gap yearly or once every few years. He even told of the possibility the same family/group/tribe of indians would learn of places such as Hog Camp Gap through word of mouth and return whenever they were near. He said they would stop and set up camp for days, sometimes weeks, because of the good flowing spring there, and it being a layover because of location. They would just hunt, cook & eat, and procure and refine their arrowhead making ability. When they made a newer & better arrowhead, they would simply chuck the old one. And thats what we find today...

This is yet another reason Hog Camp Gap is one of the most special places along the AT!

[Diatribe]

I will chime in one more time, that if you're looking for some relics along your hike, a lot of AT & blue blazed trails in Shennandoah NP has a lot of relics such as old homesteads, foundations, ruins, corn cribs, spring houses, chimneys, rusted metal farming equipment, graves, and a myriad of vestiges of the past. They are hard to find in the warmer months, and extremely illegal to disturb year-round, but, if you know where to look, SNP has some great history & vestiges.

But along the length of the AT, the most prominent relics are the old roadbeds/wagon routes that you cross. Most easily found in gaps along the trail, these are relics that you can actually walk on, and if you look closely enough you can see some great stone work/abutments near creeks & water sources. Here in VA, most of this wonderful old stone work & road beds were built by (Irish) immigrant labor in the early 1800s.

Howardsville Pike is the first, and best example of an old colonial grade that comes to mind. It is located at the Humpback Rocks parking area, now blazed blue--and links with the AT. A bit east of this junction are great examples of the stone work i speak of.

[topshelf]

I know of an old WW2 plane that crashed on top of a mountain in VA. The plane sits on top of the mountain and the engine sits down in a holler about halfway down the mountain. Most of the entire plane still survives. Its about a quarter of a mile off the trail.

South of Chatfield shelter there is an old armory where guns used to be made back in the day. I don't think much is left anymore, people found it and scavenged it.

Just off the trail in SWVA there are the foundations of an old pre-revolutionary fort/encampment. Also there are cannon emplacements where cannon's were fired and rolled back to be reloaded.

All of these are close to the trail, but not right on the trail. I'm not getting more exact about their locations than I did.

[double d]

Last summer I hiked on the AT/LT in Vermont and some GMC trailbuilders said that they found some really cool Native American artifacts while building a new shelter. The GMC even had some UV professors date the artifacts. It was a cool conversation at the end of a long day of hiking.

[Snowleopard]

The monument to the last battle of Shay's Rebellion is on the AT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shays-rebellion-monument.jpg

There are iron furnaces pretty close to the AT in NW CT (Salisbury) and SW Mass. that date back to mid 1700s.

I've found old quarries in the woods in Mass and VT, but not on the AT. Friends removed 200+ year old tools from old quarries in Worcester, Mass, but these were scheduled to be obliterated by construction of a school on top of them and they were properly documented.

[YoungMoose]

Found a bear mountain spring bottle. (forgot what its called) it was bottled water. it was a big old heavy glass. it was over 50 years old. I found it when i was helping put in the steps up bear mountain. I took it and brought it to the bear mountain museum.

[Sarcasm the elf]

It was extremely tempting to take some but its almost like you're erasing history. ... Take a picture of them, but leave them where you find them.

Luddite, very well put.

Living in New England, artifacts from earlier settlers abound. I've found many items on local trails that would make a great collection, but if I were to take them then I would be the last person to see them as they were.

As a kid (hiker, boy scout, idiot, etc.) I never bought into the "it's illegal to take items from public land" argument. It wasn't until I grew older that I realized that it was actually immoral to do so (Don't worry, I didn't take anything too interesting.) The more I learn about the history of an area, the more appreciation I have for the evidence that remains.

Also, this post reminds me of Winton Porter's story of the guy who threw his back out trying to carry out the "indian artifact."

[Bronk]

I found an old Budweiser can at the campsite just north of Wayah Bald...it was the kind that you had to use an actual can opener to open. I left this gem right where I found it on the bank of the creek.

[WisconsinHiker2011]

I suggest to everyone that they leave 'artifacts' where they are found, and instead if one is so eager to take something from the trail pack out garbage they find on the trail - even it is not theirs.

:banana

[Speakeasy TN]

Speaking of garbage/artifacts I found a pull tab on a Tennessee trail. I was amazed that such a small piece hadn't broken down. And yeah I took it!

[russb]

What is the time threshold which determines whether an object is trash or an artifact? Or is it not time, but another metric? :banana

[The Weasel]

What is the time threshold which determines whether an object is trash or an artifact? Or is it not time, but another metric? :banana
Generally, 50 years.

So a Bud can with no pull tab probably qualifies. Trash, by the way, when found in piles or middens (buried) is one of the greatest sources of artifacts for archeologists.

TW

[russb]

Generally, 50 years.

So a Bud can with no pull tab probably qualifies. Trash, by the way, when found in piles or middens (buried) is one of the greatest sources of artifacts for archeologists.

TW

So in just a few short years I will no longer be considered hiker trash but instead a hiking artifact? :D

[Furlough]

You can see all kinds of artifacts from the old homesites in the Shenandoah National Park. Everything from glassware to old saws and washbasins to stacks of rough sawn American Chestnut Boards and even the rusted hulls of old cars. I believe I have pictures of most of the above in my gallery. I have taken photos but never removed the artifacts. It just does not seem right to do so, even if it were legal. Mostly, thes artifacts are off of the numerous "side trails" not the AT itself. In my humble opinion the side trails of SNP are the true gems for hiking in the Park, the AT is a convient addiiton to make for some good loops. As an aside some stretches of the side trails use to be older sections of the AT. Not real sure if they were the original section or not. But it is still possible to see some old rusted out AT diamond trail markers both on and off the AT within in the SNP.

Furlough

[sbhikes]

There's a portion of the PCT where I was crunching through obsidion flakes. I know enough about them to know they were all artifacts. I felt bad crushing them with my feet.

[fiddlehead]

I suggest to everyone that they leave 'artifacts' where they are found, and instead if one is so eager to take something from the trail pack out garbage they find on the trail - even it is not theirs.

:banana

These are my first thoughts when i saw the headline of this thread.
I am a bit shocked to see only a (very) few posts agreeing with the right thing to do.
Leave them there.
Please!

[hailstones]

Indian artifacts are scattered all over north georgia,small overhang between springer and blood mountian with burnt marks on underside of rock overhang from indian fire pits with what appears to be pottery and quartz chips all over and plenty of old bones from possible hunting parties in the area

[the judge]

the trails at mountwood state park have a few "artifacts" an old hay rake on the haystack trail, a 60's model fast back on the medicine man trail, an old church by the gun range, and the styles mansion ruins (a cross shaped mansion built during the oil boom in volcano, WV)

[Grampie]

If you stop at the Hike Inn near Fontana Dame you can see a great collection of Indian arrow heads that are on display. A good part of them were found in the area.

[atraildreamer]

Not exactly trail related, but interesting none the less! I was invited to have a cup of coffee at the home of a friend who was a commercial fisherman in RI. The coffee was served in cups that he had dredged up in one of his nets from the bottom of Long Island Sound. They had apparently come from an old steam powered commercial ferry that had made the daily run from Boston to Providence to New York City in the 1800's. :)

[ZeroC]

I figure there should be some sort of refined policy other than 'just leave it'. At least when speaking for the US, United States history is very well documented in the written record, and the last 75-100 years in audio and visual record as well. So when it comes to 'artifacts' from American history the archeological recorded is pretty much going to be useless and provide no new insights. Pre-United States history could always use bolstering so there must by some way of verifying useful artifacts vs those that provide no concern-able information, like the cups JERMM found. Not exactly of any historical significance. But either way, shouldn't there be some type of authority on the matter to verify your finding with them to make a call whether it's a historical artifact, junk, eligible to take, or some other status. Either by alerting of the location of the item(s) or recording the location if the item could be safely removed, brought to said authority to make the call and proceed from there. Say someone found a bone of some creature that we didn't know was on this continent but they just left it, and it covered back up and was lost for another 1000 years. Or I would be mad if i was digging 1000 years from now and found something and what like "oooo, oooo, i think i got something here. Look, it's a... santa coffee mug. crap" Then you have iron objects that if they aren't picked up now, they're just going to be nothing but a pile of unrecognizable rust in 50 years. Especially anywhere that has plenty of rain. There's an old car in the woods at my grandfather's house, it's probably a 1950, or so, Ford. It's been out there as long as i can remember. I checked it out not long ago and it's almost completely gone into a pile of rust. Just random thoughts.

[mweinstone]

finders keepers!

[mweinstone]

kidding. big ease is not only a thruhiker, hes an archeologist who digs before roads are built if they find stuff and then reinterns it. he made me theses flints while i watched. dont even think about takeing stuff from my trail. not a feather. i will hunt you down, and politly tell you its way uncool. in the morning your pack will have been ransacked and the mark of the cherokee death by bacon will be across your tent.

[Luddite]

finders keepers!

I have a whole bag of charcoal

[mweinstone]

um, thats not coal. its absidian, or what ever you call flint. the real stuff.

[Ron Haven]

Has anyone ever found any artifact along the AT? Thanks, TW Weasel the Chunky Gal Mountain is home to some of the worlds most beautiful gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and at least 5 others. If anyone has seen that movie on the travel channel about Franklin being one of the richest places on the planet for corundom and gemstones.It's nickname is The. Gem Capitol of the World (http://www.blueridgedigest.com/fall05/articles/franklin.html). Many hikers has shown me stones they have found in the Muskrat Creek area.

[Bucherm]

um, thats not coal. its absidian, or what ever you call flint. the real stuff.

"Hank Hill, you should not take that which belongs to another man."

"John Reeeeeeedcorn...."

"Ah, well, food for thought."

[WisconsinHiker2011]

:-?

If people are going to insist upon taking 'artifacts' from the trail, I suggest that once done hiking the items taken are appraised and the hiker either:

A: Pays the appraised value;

B: Return the 'artifact' to the exact spot obtained.


Come on people, leave the damn stuff on the trail. If everyone takes takes takes, soon the trail will have no 'artifacts' and even less character. :-?

These items add ambiance:cool: and mystery to the trail.

[mweinstone]

i cant tell you witch trailys have what gems. but ive been sitting at a dinner on the trail when my friend you all know pulled ut one of several gems he found on his propperty and his prize was a natural emerald.

[The Weasel]

Gems or stones are not 'artifacts' (which are created items), but may be restricted by state or federal law also.

TW

[mweinstone]

worlds endin. you need as many arrow heads as you can lay your greedy hands on. truth aint pritty.

[mweinstone]

lmao.
im looking for someone who will grubstake me to pan for gold along the trail.

[mweinstone]

ill bet this ecomomy sees an upsurge in artifact blackmarkets. not to mention the unmentionable creepy act.....

[Newb]

Hiking around the back country in Utah, its hard not to find things. I like all the cave painting. They all have penises and I have always wanted to know if the penises were made by drunk kids or the original Indians.

It was probably the equivalent of the original native's teen kids drawing on the wall, lol. Our drunk kids or their drunk kids...teenagers!

[Newb]

lmao.
im looking for someone who will grubstake me to pan for gold along the trail.

Everyone should drop into the gem museum in Franklin...that way you'll know what to keep an eye out for...

[sherrill]

An old still near Roan. I left it.