Good Places to Look for Arrowheads in Georgia

Georgia has a long history of human habitation, with ancient structures and artifacts dating back at least 4,000 years. Pottery shards found in Georgia are among the oldest remnants of ancient human life to be found anywhere in the country. Arrowheads are a particularly common item among the state's many artifacts of Native American cultures, Small enough to move with water and land erosion, the tiny points can be found throughout the state.

Walking along creeks and rivers is a fairly effective way of searching for arrowheads. In addition, by searching along rivers, you're unlikely to upset an important historical site, as any arrowheads you find have already traveled far from their original location. Inspect the gravelly banks of streams and creeks, where the water deposits arrowheads and other artifacts amid the stones. Typically, you'll find the most close to the headwaters, where the mouth of the river more rapidly washes large items onto the shore. You can find smaller items along quieter stretches, though it may be harder to spot them among large gravel and stones.

Just as the movement of water helps to uncover ancient arrowheads, you're also more likely to find arrowheads in places where the earth has recently been overturned. Sites of recent excavation or building tend to yield good results. In rural areas, farmland is a good place to hunt. When farmers turn over the land each year for planting, arrowheads regularly come to the surface. The best times of year are directly after tilling in the spring or in the late fall. Before looking on building sites or farms, get permission from construction or municipal authorities and the owners of any private property.

Various regions of Georgia offer different types of arrowheads, fashioned out of different stones. In northern and central Georgia, arrowheads are typically made of quartz. While the hard stone is a fairly challenging material for fashioning an arrowhead, those that you do find are usually expertly made. In southern parts of the state, you can also find arrowheads made of chert or crystal.

While you can find ancient arrowheads in many parts of Georgia, a few counties and areas have a particularly rich history of big finds. The soils of Bartow County have offered extremely old arrowheads. In the coastal plain and Piedmont areas of the state, many ancient artifacts have been found, including arrowheads form Dade and Murray counties. Of the state's geographical features, the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers both yield arrowheads.