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How to Locate Stone Tools

Finding prehistoric artifacts is much more likely than you might imagine. During the Stone Age and later, people all over the world made very effective simple tools from sandstone, chert, flint and other rocks. In one small area there could be hundreds of thousands of these tools still waiting to be found. Ancient stone tools such as arrowheads, axes, hammers, knives, throwing stones, scrapers and various blades might on first glance look like any other stones. However, there are clear signs that they were made by humans if you look more closely.

Things You'll Need

Binoculars
Camera

Instructions

- 1
  Go to the library and research your state's history. You have most chance of finding stone tools in places known to have been prehistoric sites. A local archaeological society might be able to tell what kind of stone tools are most common in your area. Bear in mind, however, that many prehistoric sites probably haven't been found yet, and you have a good chance of finding a new one, especially in a relatively unstudied region.
- 2
  Scan the area you have chosen to search and take your time. Look at the geographical layout and think about where people might have thrown away old tools in the past. Many of the tools weren't useful any longer and were essentially prehistoric litter.
- 3
  Look out for rocks that are unusually shiny, sharp or rounded. Binoculars help you to search a large area. When you find a suspected tool pick it up and examine it more closely. Look for signs the rock had been chipped, flaked, or carved.
- 4
  Check the area more closely if you are certain you have found a stone tool. It is very likely there will be more. Once you find each stone, take photographs of it from several angles before putting it back.
- 5
  Tell your local archaeological society or university about what you found. They might want to investigate further and can confirm from your pictures that you really did find stone tools. Unless you get the thumbs up from an organization like this it is better not to take stone tools home for souvenirs though.

Artifacts