I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't found the surface evidence ... snails... fire rock... one piece of a broken blade and the broken base of a Lange or similar type point. Right in the smack middle of Kerrvile.

I've given up on the other site for a while (hunting season restrictions I'm afraid), but I'll be back there eventually.

This new place looks promising, located on a creek about 1000 yards from the good 'ol Guadalupe. Assuming the landowners give me permission ( I don't think its going to be an issue), I'll get out there one day this weekend and get a test hole started and see what turns up.

I got an anonymous tip from a passer through that found a birdpoint that clued me in to the area. I'll keep ya posted with pics.

P.S. Michelle, which sites offer free web hosting that allow posting of hosted pics directly to this board?

Pendant?

Found this after work just hiking around an area near the creek mentioned above. It's a fossilized oyster shell, but the edges look like they've been dulled, the center has a really neat mother of pearl piece, and there is a mysterious small hole in the top. Found no other evidence near this at all so I'm not positive what it is to be honest.

Still havn't gotten around to finding a site that will allow hosted pic links directly in the post so you'll have to cut and paste the link.

http://zeplin669flea.angelfire.com/artifacts/thumbnails/400x300/IMG_0087.JPG

http://zeplin669flea.angelfire.com/artifacts/thumbnails/400x300/IMG_0088.JPG

Thanks RGS. Photobucket pics incoming!

Oky doke. Spent about 6 hours diggin a test hole this weekend. When I first got into it man I was excited! Tons of snails and fire rock but not as much flint as I'd like to see. The "mound" (if it is a mound) is only about 10 inches below the surface at its deepest as far as I've found. Under that the ground turns color and gets extremely hard/ claylike. The ammount of burnt rock is really amazing and every other pass I get a snail shell or two. The flint I have found is very small flakes; not alot of larger flakes or even pieces or cores.

Only the 3 items to the left of the quarter in the pic came out of the test hole. I thought for sure I'd be all over some nice pieces but I'm coming up short.

Included are pics of the test hole, burnt rock pile, and flint/shell pile. You guys think I'm wasting time if I havn't come across something decent yet?

Brad,
That hole looks kinda small. You are in camp. Try and locate the outer edge of that fire rock mound and dig within three to five feet outward from the edge. Work your way around it and as far down as is possible. Most occupation occurs outside of fire rock, not in it. Next time you are digging there determine how big around the midden mound is, that would be useful to know the scale of the rest of the camp.

Not sure how big the average midden is but judging by what I can see on the surface.... 25' x 25'... hard to tell to be honest but I'll definately try to find the edge next dig.

Thanks for helpin a newb again Paul.

P.S.

There is a huge ammount of rock; thus my small 'lil hole.. slow going as not to break anything.

You need a tool that will move large chunks of that rock at once, then sift thru it by hand or small hand rake. I have used the same tool for that job for a long time now and have maybe chipped two or three pieces in that time. I have some pictures somewhere of the one I made, or a wiggle pick like the ones used at Randy's dig are good for the job.

Cool, I got a welder at work, I imagine I can come up with somethin.

Found a new diggin tool today in my box (yeah I'm a grease-monkey). Anyhow I moved out about 10' in one direction and still found tons of rock in a small test hole. Moved 10' in another direction and only found a few fire rocks, no snails, but a ton of chips, one broken piece (had been tossed in fire at some point) and what looked like to me to be a core of some kind (general rough shape but not worked into a tool or point). Also I found two much larger pieces of flint that had big chunks knocked out of them. I assume I'm in the right vicinity now but I only got approx. 45 minutes to dig this evenin. I'll keep truckin till I find somethin of decent quality.

At this point I know it's a camp I just am not positive I am digging the right area yet. Buncha cedars are being a menace to me getting a big picture of the camp.