American Digger Vol 14, Issue 4

Investigating Ohio’s 1790s-era Ft. Jefferson Site

When a group of unpaid amateur archaeologists chose to explore what lay under the surface of this 1790s-era Ohio fort, they did it the right way. Through their work, and an author’s imagination, a fascinating story unfolds.

By Ian “Mac” McAtee

A First Time For Everything

It was the author’s first time at an organized relic hunt... or any relic hunt, for that matter. Yet the rare button he found at the Diggin’ in Virginia XL event will be hard to top in a thousand hunts. 

By Ethan A. Spieles

They Are Where You Find Them

Sometimes Native American stone artifacts can be found in the darndest places. While many come from remote plowed fields, others are found beside roads, parking areas, dumps, and fence lines. 

By Ray Culter

Four Plate Day

The site sounded promising until the farmer talked about all those who had previously detected his land. Even so, a group of eight hunters scored four Civil War accoutrement plates. Not bad for a day in a “hunted out” site. 

By Steve Moore

Stevensburg in Their Own Words

The spring 2018 Just Go Detecting relic hunt was held at a site once occupied by both Confederate and Union forces. Here are a few of the finds made during the three-day hunt, as described by those who found them.

Research 

With the technology available today, finding an old house site or picnic grounds to metal detect is easier than ever, if you know how. This article explains how to do it.

by Sonya Harshman

Wet Behind The Ears: Pt. III

Our series of water detecting concludes with instructions designed to get you into the water with your detector safely and successfully.

By Steve Zazulyk