i found a few items - curious what they are exactly. also - how to determine age?

another item.

last item, thanks for any help!

First one is a great looking grooved axe. Very Nice. Not sure the type on second one , Third is a middle section of a point. Tip and base broke off. Usually need the base to determine a type. Nice finds.Grooved axes are usually a few thousand years old in the archiac time period.

thanks for the help - my nephew happened to step on the axe head while we were hiking in a creek. so i went back and found the two other items. the axe has a groove all the way around it and in great condition. found a ton of other rocks/artifacts. hard to tell with most of them.

Nice ax. Good looking material.

You have a grooved axe there./ Second pic looks like a possible scraper. Third looks like a broken point. Would of been a nice one, too. My suggestion and opinion is to go back to your creek and look some more, Very good chance there is plenty more to find. Hope to see some more stuff outta that creek soon! Happy hunting! btw...that axe you have is a KILLER, AWESOME find...keep it up

might be a dumb question but the above items where laying right on top in the stream. is there certain areas of a streem where I should look most? when you guys hunt do you rake up areas and sift them? there's a ton of rocks in the area and where the axe was found - a lot of darker stone material. any suggestions would be appreciated!

a few more rocks? found in the same area. a couple of them have some notches on them so you never know - and i have no clue

mrsportsguy wrote:
I do a lot of creek hunting myself, looking on all the gravel or sand bars and the shallow waters. Also look along the banks and edges where the sides are being eroded by high water. I try to keep up with the rains because every time the water rises and lowers, more stuff turns up or erodes from the sides. I've never sifted in the stream, but I have thought about it, and will probably do so in the dry season. I would also look outside the creek on the lowland flats and knolls, if there are any, there may be a camp site close. Great finds for a beginner, especially the axe! Keep looking and post us some more pictures. Good Luck, Paul

Hey Jeff in Indiana DNR officers would consider the rake idea as digging and your only allowed to surface hunt. Check your States law regarding artifact hunting. Look around the tops and sides of the creeks bank where high water pulls them from their hiding spots! Nice finds...Daniel

Jeff - That 2nd pic looks like it may have been a blank or an unfinished point. You're on the right track - hunting and asking questions will surely keep you on path. Also - Daniel is right about checking on your state laws. Better to be safe than sorry. Welcome aboard and happy hunting. Keep posting your finds. ---Chuck

mrsportsguy wrote:Don't see any of them being artifacts except may the top left peice but would need a few different angles.

if I'm on private land - with permission would digging/raking be okay?

Jeff, in Indiana it is not, in Iowa? one of the folks from Iowa will probably eventually chime in, but you should be able to find that info on the net at your state government.