By Melanie Gibbs
Native peoples occupied the land that is now the state of Georgia for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. At the time European settlers moved in, 50,000 to 100,000 Indians may have already been living in the area. As they moved around or simply died out, it is not surprising that they left their mark behind, sometimes by abandoning relics such as arrowheads. If you think about where the Indians might have spent their time hunting, fishing, farming, cooking or camping, those sites could be fair game for an arrowhead search. But be mindful of local laws that govern where you may collect them.
Near Bodies of Water
Indian groups would have spent much time near Georgia's many rivers, lakes and streams, even if they were merely camping for very short periods of time or traveling along them. Naturally, they would have left behind arrowheads or other relics. Such artifacts might be revealed after water levels go down. For example, one report about Lake Blackshear says that when the lake was lowered in the 1970s for some work, archaeologists found 212 Indian sites in the area.
Farmland or Construction Sites
Locations where earth has recently been turned--for example farmland or property where earth has been moved for construction--could expose arrowheads that have been buried for centuries. Similarly, a heavy rain at such locations might bring relics to the surface or wash them into view.
Private Property
You may collect arrowheads on the surface of private property, but if it's not your own property, you need to obtain written permission from the landowner. If you want to dig or use metal detectors on private property, not only do you need written permission from the owner (if the property isn't yours), but you also need to give advance notice to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Public Property
If you want to collect artifacts at all (either on the surface or by digging) on state property, you need to have a permit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Likewise, to collect on federal property, you must obtain a federal permit. This means that while river bottoms, historic sites, wildlife refuges and the like are promising arrowhead sites, you must first have a permit to look for them there.
Resources
About the Author:
Melanie F. Gibbs is a freelance writer and editor who has lived in the metro Atlanta area for more than 30 years. Currently she contributes to a variety of magazines, web sites and newspapers on topics ranging from education, real estate and religion to profiles, travel and family-oriented activities.
