I have always wanted to find an arrow head. I always tend to keep my eyes trained to the ground whenever I'm walking in the woods, looking for wildflowers, cool rocks, and natural plunder as part of my nature. So, I have to confess to having been a bit envious of those who have found arrowheads right in the same places where I have walked hundreds of times.
Saturday, I was finally rewarded with this beautiful example of a quartz arrowhead, in very pristine shape. It's unusual to find quartz arrow heads, just because they were harder to make. Quartz is very brittle and shatters easily - usually in straight, square pieces, due to it's crystalline nature. However, Native Americans in this part of Virginia did use quartz at times, just because it was so plentiful. and it is very hard (6.5 - 7.5 on the MOH scale).
In truthfulness, I had my eyes trained for ferns. I was looking for ferns from my in laws creek to dig up and transplant to my flower bed back home. As I leaned over to check out some fiddle heads, a flash of a gleaming white triangle caught my eye. I stopped, scooped, and to my wonder, held this beauty pictured.
Anyone who knows me by now, knows I would have to do something "beady" with it. Since I didn't want to do anything to the arrowhead to damage it, I chose wire work. Wire work allowed me to create a simple cage that shows off the simplicity of this pendant. The wire work also allows a way to create a pendant, without gluing or drilling the arrowhead.
The web site below gives some information about the Native Americans of Pittslyvania County VA. I found this arrowhead in Halifax County, not far from the Bannister River and the Pittslyvania County line.
http://www.victorianvilla.com/sims-mitchell/local/native/index.htm
I'd also like to add that Bill Hathaway, who is referenced at this web site was a huge influence on me in the 1990's, when I took a class with him and Dr. Fisher at Averett. The class, "Local Flora" was an advanced identification course on the native and introduced plants in Pittslyvania County and nearby areas. Mr. Hathaway was a self taught man, who had a love of learning and enthusiasm. Pretty much everything I know about wild flowers, I learned from him. I know that my photography, bead work patterns, and art in general has been heavily influenced by his infectious love of learning and nature.
I find myself thinking about about how long ago this arrow was last fired (300 years ago?), what was it fired at (deer?), and what sort of person made it or carried it? Did the hunter fire and miss, losing this arrow in the woods, and go home hungry that night? Things to ponder and wonder about as I wear this small piece of history.
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2 comments:
Personally I think you should of given the arrowhead back to a Native American Indian because technically it is not yours since one of their people made it. Like you said Quartz arrowhead are hard to make. Besides they have suffered greatly under the White Settlers. The kind of people invade other countries and taking away land from the Indigenous tribes.
Finders Keepers is not always the case. Do you even why China demand all their Antiques back, much of it was stolen the countries. Being Chinese myself, I get miffed over Americans who make stupid comments about China and the unusual dishes.
Sorry to rant in your blog. I wanted to put my point across. I also love bead and started using the latest version to turn my drawing into chart. I have stone arrowheads brought from a site called Latitude imports. Living in the UK means almost impossible to buy Native American craft materials.
I regret you feel this way, but I do not feel the same.
While I have many reasons for disagreeing, this is not the place to discuss them.
As for giving the arrow head to a Native American - while I look very "white," my grandmother was half Cherokee.
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