The Original Native Americans of the Carter County Region
May we forever honor the original "Ken-tah-ten" peoples..
"In a past that is now lost forever, there was a time when the land was sacred
and the ancient ones were as one with it. A time when only the children of the great spirit were here,
to light their fires in these places with no boundaries. When the forests were as thick as the fur of the winter bear,
when a warrior could walk from horizon to horizon on the backs of the buffalo,
when the deserts were in bloom, and the streams pure as freshly fallen snow.
In that time when there were only the simple ways, I saw with my heart the conflicts to come.
And whether is was to be for good or bad, what was certain was, there would be change..."
"All varieties of American Indian Sign Language are currently endangered, but prior to the cultural
disruption caused by European colonization, it was commonly used across a large swath of North America
from the Gulf of Mexico to Calgary, Canada, an area of over 1 million square miles.
It spread so far because it was used as a lingua franca between Native American nations speaking at
least 40 different languages, but it was also used within native communities as an alternative
to their spoken languages and as a primary language for deaf people. The current number of signers is
unknown, but it is clear that there are still a number of users across North America, both hearing and deaf."
"Note that the video "Scotts Arrow Heads" is mislabeled. There are very few "arrowheads" most are atlatl dart points, spear points and knives.
From studies around the Tri-state area, it seems that the "arrow" was not introduced into KY until about 750 AD.
Thus the use of the term "arrow heads" is not correct when referring to a mixed collection.
It is more appropriate to refer to them at "points" or "projectile points". Matthew Maley
A Guide to the Proper Treatment of Archeological Artifacts (takes a moment to load)
Unless otherwise indicated, all artifacts and sites displayed here are in Carter County
Article from the Grayson Journal-Enquirer Newspaper of September 7, 1950
"The Real People"
Research and photos related to the 1950 discovery
1976 Newspaper Article on Found Artifacts
Artifacts relating to an ancient Native American village found near Grayson, June 9, 1993
Arrow heads and spear points on display at the Smokey Valley Truck Stop near Olive Hill, Ky.
Click here for an larger image of this photo.
No one I spoke with knew the source of these artifacts, but they are believed to be local.
Lick Branch Arrowhead Photos.
Analysis of clay deposits in the Olive Hill area
It is speculated that clay from this area was used to make pipes and pots by Ohio Native Americans
Olive Hill Clay Study.
Analysis of limestone, slate and sandstone deposits and a tour of the carter Caves area
Geology of the Carter Caves Area.
Images of points for sale on eBay.com, July 2, 2015.
Archeological Survey of Kentucky by W D. Funkhouser & W. S. Webb - Originally pubished in 1933.
A really interesting survey of the cultural remains of the Original Peoples of Kentucky.
I just finished this book and found it very interesting. It discusses research which traces ancient migration and language patterns
The "Genographic Project" is a National Geographic project, funded by donations and IBM. From the makers of "The Journey of Man" film.