The Old Copper Culture, Keweenaw Ancient Spear Points

(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 26, 2009 ) Milwaukee, WI - Artifacts of Â“The Old Copper CultureÂ” have for decades, been collected from sites along the Keweenaw Waterway. The Native Americans about 7,000 years ago, started using copper mined from the bedrock and glacial deposits located in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan.

The source of native copper was from the small fissure veins. A material simple to work, that needed Â“no meltingÂ” to make it into workable pieces.

Artifact types include copper knives, arrow and spear points, eyed and eyeless needles, chisels, gouges, hammer stones used to beat beat the rock from native copper ore. The Portage Entry section of the waterway, compared to the other sites, has produced the most Â“Copper CultureÂ” finds.

Native copper from this area was traded to other parts of the Midwest. Ancient mining pits are found in the peninsula from Keweenaw Point to the Ontonagon River. It is believed that nearly 2,000 Indian mining pits once existed, most of which became somewhat filled in over time, by erosion and plant vegetation or destroyed by mining operations.

The Chicago Natural History Museum has a collection of
about 33 copper artifacts, a large copper artifact collection obtained by purchase from Walter C. and Edward F. Wyman in 1893 and 1900. The 1893 collection was exhibited at the Chicago Columbian Exposition.

Tim Swenor opened a metal detector business. According to Tim, Â“my treasure hunting buddyÂ Jake asked me if I wanted to go on a hunt about 40 minutes from my homeÂ”. They could tell that this field (private property) had been hit before because of the lack of older targets. A spear point was then pulled out at 6". The point was stuck straight in the ground and the edge was the only thing for the Minelab Explorer SE to detect.

Tim said, Â“yes it is copperÂ” and thought it probably might be 300 years old. As it turned out, this point really is from a time period approximately 4,000-6,000 BC. It measures 4 13/16Â” in length, the blade 1/8Â” thick, 1 7/8Â” wide at the bottom, and 3/8Â” at the tip.

For more information, visit http://www.treasuresdownunder.com or contact Tim Swenor 1-269-445-2799.

RSMclick
Randall Mast
574-831-4448
randy2uclick@yahoo.com