Digging Up the Past: The Hunt for Colonial Relics and Native American Artifacts

There’s something about holding a piece of history in your hands that makes the past feel real. Not just words in a textbook, not just dusty artifacts in a museum, but something tangible, something that someone, centuries ago, dropped, buried, or lost. And if you know where to look, if you’re patient, careful, and just a little bit lucky, you might be the one to bring it back to the surface.

Treasure hunting isn’t always about gold and jewels. Sometimes, the real prize is a rusted buckle, an old musket ball, or a piece of pottery that tells a story no one’s heard in centuries. Because let’s be honest, every field, every forest, every stretch of land you walk on has a history buried beneath it. And if you’re willing to put in the work, you just might uncover something incredible.

So, let’s talk relics, what’s out there, where to find it, and how to make sure we’re not just digging up history but preserving it.

Colonial Relics: Pieces of an Early America

Long before the roads, the skyscrapers, and the fast-food joints, this land was wilderness. European settlers carved out their lives in a world that was wild and unpredictable. And as they built their homes, fought their wars, and laid the foundations of what would become America, they left things behind.

And those things? Well, if you’re in the right spot, they’re still there.

What You Can Find:

* Coins & Currency – Spanish reales, colonial coppers, and early American coins are just waiting to be unearthed.

* Buttons & Buckles – Clothing fasteners from the 1600s–1800s tell stories of soldiers, traders, and everyday people.

* Musket Balls & Gun Parts – Signs of old skirmishes, from the Revolutionary War to frontier conflicts.

* Pottery & Tools – Everyday items that hint at how people lived, worked, and survived.

Where to Look:

* Old Homesteads & Settlements – If you know how to read old maps, you can track down places where early settlers lived.

* Battlefields & Military Encampments – Some of the most incredible finds come from where history literally happened.

* Trade Routes & River Crossings – Anywhere people traveled and exchanged goods, there’s a chance for lost artifacts.

The Find That Changes Everything

Imagine this: you’re in a forgotten field, miles from the nearest road. The detector beeps, your pulse picks up, and after a bit of digging, there it is, a colonial coin, worn smooth by time but still bearing the mark of an era long gone.

It’s not just about value, it’s about connection. Someone held that coin, used it, relied on it, and now, centuries later, you’re the first person to touch it again.

That’s why we do this.

Native American Artifacts: Echoes of a Lost World

But America’s history didn’t start with European settlers. Long before ships landed on these shores, entire civilizations thrived here, building cultures rich in tradition, art, and ingenuity. And just like the colonists, they, too, left pieces of their lives behind.

Arrowheads. Ceremonial objects. Stone tools. Each one is a window into a world that existed long before anyone mapped these lands.

What You Can Find:

* Arrowheads & Spear Points – Tools of hunters and warriors, crafted from flint, obsidian, or chert.

* Pottery Shards – Fragments of daily life, each piece telling part of a larger story.

* Stone Tools & Beads – Signs of trade, artistry, and survival.

* Effigies & Carvings – Spiritual symbols, rich with meaning and mystery.

Respect the History

Finding Native American artifacts comes with a responsibility. These aren’t just old objects, they’re pieces of a culture that still exists today. Every artifact has meaning, and every discovery should be treated with reverence.

Some key things to remember:

*Know the Laws – Many areas protect Native American sites, and disturbing them can be illegal.

* Document, Don’t Disturb , If you stumble across a significant site, report it. Help preserve history.

* Understand the Cultural Significance, These artifacts aren’t just relics; they’re part of a living history.

Because here’s the truth: history isn’t ours to take, it’s ours to preserve.

Hunting for History: The Right Way to Do It

Treasure hunting is about more than just finding things, it’s about doing it right. Every artifact, every relic, every object you dig up tells a story, and if we’re careless, we risk losing those stories forever.

How to Be a Responsible Treasure Hunter:

* Get Permission – Whether it’s private land or a historical site, always get the go-ahead before you dig.

* Record Your Finds – Keep notes on what you find and where. You never know when that info might help historians.

* Work With Experts – Archaeologists and historians can decode the significance of your discoveries.

* Leave No Trace – If you dig, fill it back in. Respect the land. Respect the past.

Why We Keep Searching

So, why do we do it?

Why spend hours in the woods, battling bugs and mud, chasing signals that might just be another bottle cap?

Because every once in a while, it’s not just junk.

Sometimes, it’s an artifact that rewrites history. Sometimes, it’s an object that connects us to the past in a way nothing else can.

And sometimes, it’s just about the thrill of the hunt—the knowledge that something incredible is still out there, waiting to be found.

So grab your gear, keep your eyes sharp, and always dig with respect. The past isn’t as far away as you think. And if you listen carefully, it just might tell you where to look.