Rock Shelter Digging

[@jamesburleigh5995]

It makes perfect sense why they wouldn’t make points where they sleep and walk bare footed. Great site! You are lucky.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you

[@johnnydoe9874]

My dad bought a house in FL. In a housing development n we found flint taking out a tree stump. Dad dug down 7ft in back yard (70 x 68ft) for a 1 year n 3 months n found 11 good points back to middle archaic, broke smoking pipe, pottery designed n plain n tools. He loved every minute of it. It's in his blood n he is always out looking. I know how much you must love it too.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Artifact digging is a super enjoyable and fulfilling hobby. It sounds like your dad found some really cool stuff down there in Florida! I’ve never found a pipe and that was a really cool piece for him to have found. Thanks for watching and hope you keep tuning in to see some more of my digs!

[@scottnock5241]

Buddy I watch ALOT of artifact Chanel’s, arrow head hunting videos, etc. I especially love shelters and I have to tell you I love what you’re doing and the way your going about it!!! I love the ancient history and trying to put the complex puzzle together. I love your history on the property especially with the well it is cool as hell… there isn’t anybody to take their house apart board by board nail by nail straighten the nails and move their house by Mule these days! That’s what hard work and American juice used to be back in the day! And you telling the story just added to it brother! I love it. I’m thinking about all the Flint on your hillside and I just have to say I wouldn’t stand or sit on that hillside and nap points all day long and I’m sure you’ve thought of this as a possibility of just a Flint dumping ground because that’s what I would think it is they napped everything in the shelter and then threw it over the hill. I subscribed because I wanna follow along!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks Scott, I appreciate that so much! I feel like it’s important to tell stories like that of my friend moving his family home. Things like that don’t happen anymore and it is truly a bygone era that should be remembered. And I also feel like it’s important to add plenty of context to my surroundings and to what I’m doing in my videos so that y’all can feel more like you’re right there too, seeing things through my eyes. As far as all the flint on the bank, you could be right. Personally, the more I dig there the more I think they were actually sitting on that steep bank flintknapping. I’ve found a really big nut stone down there which is a sure sign of a work area. I’m beginning to think there could’ve possibly been an old growth tree that fell there and they were all just climbing up on it for a seat. Still a lot of unanswered questions about that site. Thanks for your comments and so glad to have you following along!

[@scottnock5241]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 Hey no problem I really enjoy you saving the history and your Kentucky heritage it’s awesome! I’m gonna give you my opinion on what I call pitted stone and I don’t believe it was just for cracking nuts and you as a Flint napper might have the same opinion but those round holes on those stones in all the different sizes and all the different depths and as massive as some of those stones were in my opinion or mostly used for sharpening antler velvet for napping I don’t know what your opinion is on that I think it was a friction-based tool I believe they did crack things in those inground things in those but if you look at all the napping tools of all the different sizes what was a better way to touch those tools up and sandstone!

[@lancetaylor866]

Very nice video. I. Love. Stuff like that

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you for watching

[@elainecole6264]

I so enjoy watching a dig, please do more of them!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback! I intend to start doing more dig site videos and posting them. That just gives me one more reason to go digging now lol.

[@troyholley6231]

Good video and a beautiful farm!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you!

[@bigbrain2156]

The flint below accumulates from erosion. Don't underestimate how far things can travel over a thousand yrs of rain and ice. To me, that's THE REASON flint is always found below shelters, and often on the first terrace that halts their decent. I would check that area of hillside all the way down to the bottom. Nice video !

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching and for sharing your opinion with us! Always enjoy hearing what others think about stuff like that.

[@johns4584]

Amazing to think of someone moving an entire house board by board. Thanks for a great video, you are fortunate to have such a cool spot to hunt relics. I'm in Ohio and that area looks a lot like the southern part of our state. We use a leaf blower to clean up our hunt sites, doesn't disturb much but the leaves and saves a ton of time.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you John, I realize I am lucky to have a good spot like this one. I’ve thought about trying a leaf blower like you mentioned but I usually have a full rucksack plus a pretty good hike to get there so that extra item to carry deters me lol. Thanks for watching!

[@johnnyallen5736]

That is such a pretty shelter and location! Awesome that it is in your family so you can take your time and dig it right. That makes it very special I would think. Your digging stick looks like a great idea. I sure have broken artifacts with the metal. Good luck and please show more videos from this bluff in the future,too!!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

So glad you enjoyed watching! That shelter is a very special place to me and I’m glad I decided to start filming my digs to share with others. That pointed stick is a tried and true method in my opinion, I’ve not yet broke the first piece with it so far. Definitely planning on doing some more dig videos at this site as well as a few more sites I’ve got up my sleeve as soon as we get some nicer weather. Thanks for watching and hope you keep tuning in!

[@BluegrassBushcraft]

Really enjoyed this video. Been a long time since I got to do this. Looking forward to seeing more videos from you. Thanks for sharing and God bless.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you Robert, I believe this is my favorite video so far. I got a few private dig sites I have permission to go on so I’ll definitely be recording more dig videos. Might even do some episodes where I showcase the artifacts I’ve found from each dig. Thanks again for watching!

[@edoranplast]

Liked your video bud. Artifact hunting is one of my favorite hobbies as well. Haven't done a whole lot of overhang digging tho mostly creeks and fields in and around greenbrier and monroe counties in WV. keep em coming bud and good luck.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you sir! I love artifact hunting too and I’m fortunate to live in an area that’s got a few cliff lines although most of them have already been dug out. I’ve gotten pretty good at finding stuff that others diggers have forgotten or overlooked. Good on luck on your artifact hunts over there in West Virginia!

[@tommygreist9560]

Great video...Did you see the oblong rock up hi when you first were filming the site😮....it has circular marks carved into the rock.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

No but that does sound interesting!

[@ridermak4111]

I usually don’t make it all the way through videos like this. I was bummed when this one ended. Watching your patience and hearing that calming southern drawl is quite pleasant. 🤜🤛

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks man, I really appreciate the compliments! I do pride myself on being a patient and meticulous digger, the accent just comes natural though lol. Thanks for watching, I’ll be posting some more dig videos and hope you tune in!

[@kellyfrost1052]

Thanks! Great teaching!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you!

[@coyotearrowheadhunting3083]

.Incredible all that amount of finds. It was populated for a long time. There must be some really good stuff out there my friend. Blessings.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yeah several good artifacts have been found there and I believe there are still some more to be recovered. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@chucklee347]

I wonder if they washed down in rain. Or the trash pile where they slung the flint or used rock out. Great place. I was born and raised in boon North Carolina. Looks like home. I live at Myrtle Beach now. But ill always be a hillbilly at heart 😅

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

It does favor the woods of North Carolina. Still don’t know if gravity and time washed those pieces down or they were thrown

[@ToddWittenmyerBackwoodsLiving]

Now I know what the dig looks like! LOL! Cool! Interesting finds there buddy! At least the weather is agreeable for it, right now. Take care Josh!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks Todd! We need to schedule a day to go back and dig our site where we found some points. You take care too buddy, and be safe out there trapping.

[@derickhudson4753]

build your sifter out of 1x4 or 1x6 then put eye-bolts on each end so you can use rope to tie it up between 2 trees. then bring a 5 gallon bucket with you to fill, then carry it to your sifter. easer digging. good luck.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for the tip

[@JamesJones-cx5pk]

I've got a mound in Mississippi where we find heads in the field above. No pottery, zero, nada. I think it's old. Your spot is too.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I’d agree that this site is pretty old. I’ve found mostly Woodland period stuff here and some decent size pottery shards. I’ve also found a few points there that look Mid-Archaic which would make them possibly around 4,000-8,000 years old. Thanks for watching and good luck out there hunting!

[@wingsandbeaksbirder2312]

Thanks for sharing.😊

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching

[@unearthingappalachia1947]

I getting ready to start digging outside the drip line of one I am digging here in Kentucky you will find some killer stuff over that hill in front of it.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I’ve found a few nice relics on that slope already, so you are definitely right. Thanks for watching and good luck on your dig!

[@davidhenderson4195]

That's a nice story about your friend

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I know that one’s hard to believe but its sure true. I think about that guy and his family moving that house every time I pass by there. Thanks for watching and the kind comment!

[@davidcurry9292]

They probably set on the dead rotten tree that had bumblebee lived in maybe? I always wondered why some my best finds are below the overhangs not underneath them. Maybe better lighting maybe?

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes I’d guess that lighting definitely contributed to them depositing stuff outside the overhang. Someone who’s flintknapping, sharpening a piece of bone, or doing anything tedious would need a good degree of lighting to do so. Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed!

[@davidcurry9292]

I went to overhang on my property this morning,found a 3”ish perfect point and several half’s and backpack full of hand tools and flint shards,haven’t unloaded pack yet and inspect stuff

[@nickcreager8847]

I enjoyed your video very much . I myself am from ky . I do a lot of deer hunting on the Ohio river . I have often seen outcrops of overhanging rocks and though to myself , what a view to the river and that would be a nice camp spot for anyone . I think I’m going to take a play from your video snd try to do a dig , Thanks and good luck with your channel . I will keep you posted on my findings , Question ?? Are you close to a stream or a river . FYI I did subscribe snd gave you a thumbs up hope it helps ,

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching and subscribing Nick! Man there’s some killer artifacts close to the Ohio river. If you can get into those cliffs to dig there’s no telling what you could find there. The quality of our artifacts here in the mountains are nowhere close to the quality of stuff around the Ohio and Cumberland rivers. And to answer your question, yes that dig site is a few hundred yards from a small creek. A dig site close to water is usually more productive than one in a dry place. Good luck on your dig and thanks again for watching and subscribing!!

[@T-Ashley]

The digging stick is a great idea but it just occurred to me deer antler might work better. Great video , subscribed.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching and subscribing T!I don’t know about using antler to dig with because in most cases antler was the very tool that native peoples used to sharpen and flake their stone points with. I always appreciate hearing others input tho, that’s how we learn from each other.

[@JoeandAngie]

Used to be employeed in Unicoi County, tn...Unicoi means "beautiful valley" in Cherokee . Right on E TN and W NC border. Indian haven along the Nolichucky River. Grandparents, etc would die and lickity split, the kids would sell property. It would just tear me up inside cause it'd usually get bulldozed soon after. Keep at it, boys! (My old veteran friend would always say, "you see a boy, you give him 5 dollars!" Cracked me up Edit: subbed! I like yer mellow delivery and the way you tawk lol. Just like home

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Glad you enjoyed the video and the mountain twang lol

[@thegreatowl4912]

Hey man, good video. You must be doing something right cuz KZbin recommended this one to me. Glad they did. So much so that I subscribed right away. Keep up the great work and I look forward to the next one.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks and glad you enjoyed it so much! Artifact digging is my favorite hobby and I’m thankful for the opportunity to get to share it with others who are interested as well. Glad I could earn your subscription and hopefully you’ll keep watching to see what I dig up!

[@cleggsadventures]

Maybe try one of those Wiggle Picks. Love the shelter digs!👍

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I’ve seen other guys use em, but I believe I’ll stick with the stick lol. Thanks for watching buddy, hope you enjoyed it!

[@daronkillins4832]

Looks similar to a overhang I dig sometimes! The deeper you go the older the points!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yep, I’m still waiting for the day when I roll that big Clovis out! Thanks for watching and good luck to you on your dig!

[@daronkillins4832]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 iv found a 3 inch white fluted Clovis in a cave last summer while digging it

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

@@daronkillins4832 That’s awesome!

[@crawwwfishh3284]

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Hello old buddy. I’m a digger.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Awesome, and thanks for watching!

[@EastKYancients]

Elliott County digger here. I dig the cliff shelters on my family place too. Im gonna try the stick tool instead of my metal diggers. I have broke stuff. Thanks good damn video brother. Keep it up!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching Richard and glad you enjoyed it! I always enjoy hearing from other diggers, especially in eastern Kentucky. Man you sure can’t go wrong digging with a stick in my opinion. I’ve dug up very fine bone and flint artifacts and never chipped the first one yet using a stick. Good luck digging over there in Estill!

[@briaginter4837]

Just found your channel glad I did

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@rysrelics]

Cool video!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you!

[@williamesselman3102]

I like this stuff

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Glad to hear it!

[@lmmull01]

Looks like a good dig!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Definitely! I plan on going back and filming more episodes there in the future.

[@rtoguidver3651]

The Archeologist here dug a trench about 4 ft deep up to the rock shelters so they could read the walls on each side for time period. They did this on 22 rock shelters along one creek and all but two had artifacts.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That is a good thorough dig strategy sounds like. I haven’t found anything down past about 1 foot deep at this site though but there could be stuff deeper. Thanks for tuning and and hope you keep following along with me!

[@rtoguidver3651]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 One dig site along the river, they went down 6 feet and were finding Paleo points.

[@tommyc9659]

Just stumbled across your channel subbed good stuff here.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thanks for watching and subscribing!🙏

[@eddielile7177]

Cool stuff they could have been roasting a small animal or big chunk of meat with that point on a stick and it popped on them !!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I wonder that too!

[@chrishuey223]

Awesome video!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@robbietizzle]

That fire blown up point was a spokeshave I’m pretty sure.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Could’ve been, I’ve found a few of those at that site.

[@robbietizzle]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 you got An awesome place to hunt. I don’t know if I could ever leave that overhang

[@chucklandry5588]

Wow about moving the house board by board

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

True story

[@coryeddy1026]

I bet below the overhang on the hill it washed down over time

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That’s very possible

[@SCouch-cw6je]

I have my best luck in the drip line and out front and over the hill

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I do too in most shelters

[@bobrinck1]

The Native people definitely had good quality chert to work.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes I’ve found a lot of different chert and stone types at that site. Anything from Breathitt chert, Tallahatta quartzite, and even hornstone from around the Ohio river. Thanks for following along with me!

[@a1971-d6d]

Indians, were just like we are. You were wondering why they on the hillside. Maybe times they were to many there to be comtortable under the ledge. Maybe the kids wanted their own place to sit around a fire without having to be around the rest of the family. Are they may have just wanted to make their tools away from their home, imagine how painful it would be to step on flakes of flint bear footed.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I’d say you’re right

[@briaginter4837]

A lot of times they fired there points to strengthen the chert.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes I’ve found several points at that site that have been heat treated. Heating also makes the stone easier to knap as well as changes it’s natural color. Thanks for watching!

[@richardtoston964]

When you knapp the flakes build up fast. And when you're barefoot you don't wanna walk on them. My pile is 5 by 5 feet wide and 2 feet deep. In just a year or two. Keep digging man

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you Richard! Hope you keep tuning in!

[@dirtlegchaser2424]

could the flint down the slope be where they threw out their trash ?

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes it sure could be. Just makes me wonder why I’ve found so many good artifacts down there along with the debitage though. One of them things that makes you wonder lol. Thanks for watching!

[@cleggsadventures]

I think a lot of those artifacts slide down the hillside over time with erosion.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Very well could. I also wonder how they get where they do in cases of being far outside the shelter like in this case

[@MrDXRamirez]

the rock shelter formation was present as we see it now a thousand years ago but the forest trees wasn’t. The trees we see in the your nice video are about 50 to 100 years old--is my bet. This would have made the slope where you are finding a bunch of stuff more exposed to the sun at one time, maybe when the point makers were there. Check the point’s age with the climate record. The rock formation provided shade and a place to work. Shelter a night. Shelter from rain. Safety from its angle overlooking the kind of forest there was at the time. What animals down in the ravine. When it got flooded by rainfall washed the material down settling in the slope. There it lay till you found them, cool. 33:20 ---Obsidian maybe?

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Very possible, hard to say but still as good of a guess as any. We weren’t around all those years ago so the best any of us can do is speculate lol. I’ve found lots of different knapping material there but not any pieces of obsidian. Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts about the dig site!

[@MrDXRamirez]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 your welcome...it was fun and educational.

[@SCouch-cw6je]

Russel fork in breathit I’ve found a lot. I just seen your from quicksand so you know all about it

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes sir

[@paulp1a]

Over long periods of time, debitage will flow downhill and collect up against old trees or rocks. Could be why your finding so much on the downslope above the sourwood

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yes gravity and time will definitely move stuff

[@daddyduck9454]

The thrill of the hunt

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Don’t act like you don’t know lol. Thanks for watching Snake!

[@SCouch-cw6je]

I figured if they where sleeping in a shelter they would make most of the stuff outside there sleeping area

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I’d say you’re right

[@johnmcelroy2120]

maybe the sunny side of it

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That spot faces northwest so it’s kind of a shady cool place all throughout the year. Thanks for tuning in!

[@smokeeater8387]

They probably did a lot of knapping on that spot to keep from stepping on all the sharp debotage in the living area. Awesome vid brother👍🇺🇸

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you!! I would agree with you on that point also. I wouldn’t want sharp pieces of rock all over my bedroom/living room either lol

[@birchcreekbandits8874]

What kind of rock is that cliff? Would they have used that type of rock for their points?

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That cliff is made from a type of sandstone which is not actually knappable. However, in some of the surrounding creeks in this area we do have formations of Breathitt chert, or what some folks call “Kentucky Flint Ridge” chert which they regularly utilized for tool and weapon making. Thanks for your questions and hope you continue watching!

[@mikewatts3615]

Maybe a cave near by where they might have got the material

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I think they were quarrying some stone from the creek near this site. I’ve found the same kind of rough chert on the dig site as there is in the creek. Thanks for watching Mike!

[@treasuretom13]

I think the reason you're finding alot of flints down the hill maybe because what you're finding look like failed points..they'd dump their failures down the hill!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That may be correct but I’ve found several good points down there too. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@DaveCollierCamping]

Very interesting

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

One of my favorite activities

[@jeffdowns8431]

Hello friend I wanted to comment I like your video,I too have a love for this .I wanted to say that my thoughts for you finding all the flint and chips down by the big sour wood I think is most of that stuff is really sharp,some being like razors. To me if I had kids there I wouldn't want things like that around where they might step on something and get cut bad.They lived under there like you said where it was good and dry out of the wind,some even put poles up in front and covered it with sticks and Mudd just anything to make it warmer in winter. That's just my thoughts,but really cool video and good luck man still a lot of good stuff to find there especially out in front of it. Later my friend

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

@@jeffdowns8431 I’d say you’re on the right track with your theory. I wouldn’t want razor sharp rocks in my living room either lol. Lots of material outside the shelter makes me think they were mindful of how dangerous all that sharp stone debitage really was. Thanks for watching Jeff, hope you keep tuning in!

[@bobb819]

You have to think about making a point or scraper or what ever. It breaks or a bad chip or? You just throw it over the bank.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Yeah we weren’t around back then to know what happened so all we can do is speculate. Thanks for watching!

[@cassidylockard1527]

What do you do when you hit sand stone

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

If it’s bedrock I brush it clean

[@codyduncan5414]

Is that site facing South?

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

No it is not

[@codyduncan5414]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 awesome! I've always heard they preferred South facing ledges and overhangs because of the sun but I guess it doesn't matter....shelter is shelter.

[@tillersartifactsappalachia1684]

👍

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank You!

[@SCouch-cw6je]

Where u from? I’m from eastern Kentucky

[@SCouch-cw6je]

I’m from Perry County and have dug and collected 30 years now

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Breathitt County

[@SCouch-cw6je]

@@quicksandoutdoors6538 looks like the south fork area. I’ve found a lot around flint ridge

[@williamesselman3102]

I imagine millions of years ago another race of beings who sifted through their world picking up all signs of a civilization we can now have no clue about. I think about the future and how those who are curious may never know of the Stone Age. There may be a time when humans think we have always been advanced. Similar to now and how we believe we were never Advanced before because we don't find the pieces.

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

That is an interesting thought about future archaeologists. One of those things that’s hard to nail down cause nobody knows what the future holds for humanity. Thanks for watching and hope you keep tuning in!

[@williamesselman3102]

We have the same future as those that were before us. Our awareness doesn't change, so much, our bodies will. So will our habits and gadgets. All of it is probably a retelling within a super Advanced computer simulation anyways.

[@cassidylockard1527]

Come to Arkansas and help me !!

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

I definitely would!

[@edoranplast]

Lik

[@quicksandoutdoors6538]

Thank you