PRIZED POSSESSIONSIndian Artifacts Indians lived in this area for centuries before being forced out soon after gold was discovered in north Georgia. Earliest knwon were the Mississipians (mound builders), who were followed by the Creeks, then the Cherokees. Until fairly recent years, men and boys have frequently found arrowheads, stone axes, scrapers, and assorted other stone items crafted by these earlier inhabitants. Many items had been discarded by their owners because they were damaged. Others simply had been lost or misplaced. Most artifacts have been discovered at sites where hunting parties might have camped, usually near springs or streams, or in areas where early Indian villages existed. In later years Cherokee families lived in wooden cabins, so they often disposed of broken items near their dwelling. Pottery and religious items have been rarely found. These two items are traditional Cherokee pottery pieces. Tape Image To Enlarge! Artifacts crafted from stone have been rather commonplace in rural Murray County until fairly recent years. Tape Image To Enlarge! These served the functions of an anvil. Tape Image To Enlarge! Projectile points were used on arrows and spears. The Indians used chert, a very fine-grained but tough rock, common in the area, to create many of their tools. Tape Image To Enlarge! Stone axes were widely used. Of course, wooden handles were attached as needed. Tape Image To Enlarge! (Note: the metal bands shown are only to attach the ax to the display board.) Hammer stones served the same purpose as today's hammers. Tape Image To Enlarge! Butchering animals required a variety of tools. Tape Image To Enlarge! Tape Image To Enlarge! Stone scrapers and knives were used to scrape and cut animals into manageable size pieces. Why would a nutting stone have been important to Indians? Tape Image To Enlarge! Indians used a mortar and pestle to grind corn into meal. Tape Image To Enlarge! This is a stone that corn was ground on. Indians often used the tip of a deer antler to put the finishing touches on their spear points. Tape Image To Enlarge! There's a far wider variety of Indian artifacts than just arrowheads! Most of their tools were also made of stone, and a few of these have also been discovered in Murray County. People searching for arrowheads have often over-looked other items because they did not realize what they were. All of the foregoing artifacts were photographed at the U.S. Forestry Service facility near Free Hope Baptist Church. Tape Image To Enlarge! This collection of Indian arrowheads belongs to Milton Clark, who has them on display in Little Roma restaurant in Chatsworth. These were all found on the Plemons farm near Crandall. The following items are in a private collection in Murray County. Virtually all of these items were recovered from the Murray County side of the Conasauga River. Tape Image To Enlarge! Prized Possessions
Prized Possessions