SALEM, Ore. — Archaeologists have unearthed rare Native American artifacts in Oregon after a landowner discovered them while building a pond on his property.
The unidentified landowner reported the find to the State Historical Preservation Office, which led a dig at the Willamette Valley site in June.
The 15 obsidian hand axes are the first recorded Native American tools of their kind to be found in the region. Assistant state archaeologist John Pouley says the tools, known as bifaces, are rare. They are an estimated 1,000 to 4,000 years old.
The unfinished tools were found on the traditional territory of the Santiam Band of the Kalapuya, which stretches between present-day Portland and Roseburg. Pouley says they will help archaeologists better understand prehistoric trade networks in the Pacific Northwest.
