You know that feeling when a shovel hits something solid in the dirt? First time I found a chunk of old pottery, I thought it was a rock. Kept digging.

Compared my reaction to a buddy on a dig last month in Santa Fe. He found a broken arrowhead. Stopped immediately. Called the site lead. Marked the grid. Me? I jammed the shovel in harder. Almost shattered it. Difference was patience. He knew what to look for. I was just hacking away like a plumber chasing a leak. Now I carry a trowel and a brush. Has anyone else accidentally destroyed something good before realizing what it was?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly.robin13d agoMost Upvoted

Dug a whole spear point out of a creek bed in one piece because I slowed down and felt for the shape before yanking. My first few digs I shattered three pieces of what turned out to be a clay pipe. Now I keep a wooden skewer in my kit. When I hit something hard, I poke around the edges first. That little change saved me from trashing a perfectly good flint scraper last month.

rowanbennett13d ago

That "feel for the shape before yanking" part hit home @kelly.robin. I did the exact same thing with a half dozen arrowheads before I learned to take my time and gently brush instead of grab.