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JohnDomenicisaselfdescribedcollectorofNativeAmericanartifacts.SuchabriefdescriptionofJohn’shobbydoesnotadequatelydescribethequalityandquantityofartifactsthathehasacquiredoveralifetimeofcollecting.AnafternoonvisitwiththegentlemanrevealsaquietpassionforfindingandinterpretingobjectsthatwerepartofNativeAmericanoccupationsintheregion.

HishobbybeganonthefamilyfarmlocatednearMcCoole,Maryland.“Mydadstartedfindingartifactswhenhewasaboyworkingonthefarm.Then,dadgotmestartedwhenIwasabout12yearsold.Next,mymotherstartedtohuntwithus.WeallenjoyedfindingartifactsandourfarmwasagoodplacetolookbecauseitwasaNativeAmericancamp.”

TheDomenicfamilycollectionspansmorethaneightdecadesandincludesthousandsoflocalartifacts.“OvertheyearsIfoundcelts,groovedaxes,points(arrowheads),pottery,flintawls,scrapers,pipes,hammerstones,cupstones,stoneandshellbeads,beavertoothchisels,atl-atls,shellpendants,necklaces,andevenabonefishhook.”IntheprocessoffindingNativeAmericanartifacts,Johnalsolocatedinterestingitemsofgeneralinterest,includingoldcoins,buttons,tools,CivilWarbullets,andgunflints.

Someoftheartifactsyieldinformationaboutthecom-merceoflocalNativeAmericans.Glassbeads,manufacturedinEngland,wereinitiallytradedwiththeSusquehannocks,whosubsequentlyusedtheminbarteringwithothergroups.TheglassbeadseventuallymadetheirwaytoWesternMarylandpriortoarrivalofwhitesettlers.John’sdiscoveryofmarginella,marineshellsfromtheGulfofMexicousedinmakingnecklaces,indicatesthatafarreachingnetworkoftradewasestablishedhundredsofyearsbeforeEuropeansarrived.Varietiesofflintandothermoreexoticmaterialsnotfoundintheregionalsoidentifytradepatterns.

Whilesomeartifactsidentifyplaces,othersestablishtimeperiods.John’scollectionspansthefullrangeofNativeAmericanoccupationinWesternMaryland,fromClovistoLateWoodland,atimeframeofabout10,000years.AccordingtoJohn,themoreexoticmaterialssuchasJasperweremoretypicalofearlyinhabitants,whilethemorecommonmaterialssuchaschertarelikelytobedatedlater.“Whensomeonefindsasmallcrudearrowhead,theysome-timesassumeitisreallyold.Thatusuallyisn’tthecase.

Collecting From The Past

A Family TraditionJohn Domenic, Collector of Native American Artifacts

Written by Dan Whetzel Photography by Lance C. Bell

Facing page: John with his fluted Clovis spearpoint.

Below: Some of the many stone tools in John’s collection – Celts, Grooved Axes, Cup Stones and Scrapers.

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foundatthefurthestpointwestintheBartonConservatory.ThisistheoldestcompleteClovispointfoundinWesternMaryland.”ThefindissignificantbecauseClovisartifactsaredatedbacktocirca8,000BCE.Thelargepoints,liketheflutedClovisones,areusuallyeasiertoseethanthetinyartifacts.“Thehardesttofindareglassbeads.Youreallyhavetolookcarefullybecausetheyaresosmall.”

JustliketheNativeAmericanswhoundoubtedlyhadfavoritehuntinggroundshundredsofyearsago,Johnpreferscertainsites.“MyfavoriteplacesaretheKeyserIndustrialPark,Patterson’sCreek,Ashby’sFort,Cresaptown,andtheBartonsite.”

WhileJohnhasspentalifetimefindingartifacts,theoneshewillnotuncoverareburialsites.“Burialsitesareneverdisturbed.”Nordoeshedigforrelics—onlysurfaceartifactsarecollected.

NowaretireefromNewPageCorporation,Johnisabletoenjoycollectingashewishes.“Ijustenjoydoingitandmakingnewfriends.”Andwhatadvicecananexperiencedcollectoroffertonovices—“Youjusthavetokeeplooking.”

JohnisamemberoftheWesternMarylandChapter–ArcheologicalSocietyofMarylandandtheArchaeologicalConservancyofAlbuquerque,NewMexico.

Instead,itisusuallyacaseofdiminishingtechnology.ThesmalltriangularpointswerethelastexamplesofNativeAmericantechnology.Thefurtherbackintime,themorelikelyitisthatpointswillbelargerandhavebetterworkmanship.”

John’sknowledgeincreasedwitheachdiscoverybutwasacceleratedwhenhisfamilyrespondedtoacallfromarchae-ologist,Dr.RobertWall,toassistinexcavatingasiteatCresaptown.“IworkedwithDr.Wallin1984,andhewasgreatwithhelpingmeidentifyartifactsfromdifferenttimeperiods.Dr.WallalsohasfieldschoolswhereIvolunteer.Wehaveuniversitystudents,highschoolstudents,BoyScouts,andotherinterestedpeople.Volunteersarewelcome.”Dr.WallhasorganizedmanyarcheologicalsitesinWesternMarylandanddevelopedfriend-shipsamongthevolunteers.SomeoftheothersiteswhereJohnassistedwereBarton,SangRun,Ashby’sFort,Rosenstock(nearFrederick),andMexicoFarms.

John’sdiscoveriesarealsoofinterestbecausetheywereonceapartofpeople’severydaylives;now,mysteriessurroundthem.PartofthefunistospeculateabouthowoldobjectsarrivedinAlleganyCounty.Thediscoveryofonesmallmetalbuttonhasprovidedforplentyofspeculation.“MydadandIwerewalkingattheBartonsitewhereanoldlogbuildinghadbeenpushedoverbyabulldozer.Dadspottedabutton,andafterhepickeditup,wenoticedthatitwasmarkedwitharampantlion.ThebuttonturnedouttobefromtheRevolutionaryWar.So,howdidaBritishbuttonfinditswaytoRawlings,Maryland?IthinkthatitmayhavebelongedtoMosesRawlingswhowasinchargeofBritishprisonersatFortFrederickintheRevolutionaryWar.RawlingsmayhavetakenitfromaBritishsoldierandbroughtitbacktoWesternMaryland;noonewilleverknowforsure.”

Eachiteminthecollectionhasacompanionstory,andJohnquietlyandpatientlydescribeseachoneandthecircumstancesofwhereitwasfound.Oneunusualfindwasnotfarfromhome;“Ifoundacacheofpointsdowntheroadfromourhouse.Thepointswerepre-formedandmadeoutofchert.Thepersonwhomadethepointsprobablyburiedthemfiguringthathewoulddigthemuplater.Thereweresevenpointsinthecache.”

Whatishismostsignificantdiscovery?“ProbablymymostimportantdiscoverywasaflutedClovispointthatI

A sampling of artifacts in John’s collection: 1. a 2-hole drilled gorget; 2. carved stone turtle effigy; 3. opaque Chalcedony serrated point; 4. stone pendant; 5. Trilobite fossil;as well as examples of points (arrow heads) and spearpoints.

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Below: John’s mother, Carrie’s favorite point; Revolutionary War British brass button; and a carved

bone fish hook (all actual size).

Above: Some of the many triangular points in John’s collection.

Right: Fluted Clovis point dating back to circa 8,000 BCE; possibly the oldest complete Clovis point found in Western Maryland.

Below: Some of John’s bead and pendant collection: 1. shell beads; 2. European glass trade beads; 3. antler drift; 4. stone beads; 5. Copper tinklers; 6. Copper beaver effigy pendant; 7. Marginella shell beads; 8. polished bone beads; 9. shell beads; 10. bone or antler pendants & bone fish hook; and 11. shell pendants.

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