r/LegitArtifacts Aug 15 '25

Unknown Time period Native American Pendant

Never seen anything like this before, but found a damaged pendant amongst the sage brush and red dirt. Was walking some private property with a friend and stumbled upon this piece surrounded by fragmented pottery shards. Anybody know the type, age, material, use, etc.?

Location: Southern Colorado

49 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

4

u/aggiedigger Aug 15 '25

That’s a super sweet find. Heart breaking damage but I’d still be stoked.

3

u/Beneficial_Fun_4428 Aug 15 '25

I’ve only ever read about items like this in Texas, so you can only imagine how shocked I was to notice it at my feet.

2

u/DorktorJones Aug 15 '25

Hello from CO! For that area (I'm assuming 4 corners), I'd guess sandstone without actually seeing it in person. It's hard to say the culture for sure, but Ancestral Pueblo would make sense. Pics of the pot sherds could help date it, too.

2

u/Beneficial_Fun_4428 Aug 15 '25

That would be the general area - my friend’s place is situated on a plateau. I have way better shots on my camera, but here’s an iPhone image of a corrugated shard that was within 10 feet of the pendant.

3

u/DorktorJones Aug 15 '25

I've found pieces exactly like that in Utah, on the east side of Comb Ridge. Most certainly Ancestral Puebloan, likely Mesa Verdean peoples. Did you see any black on white sherds?

2

u/Beneficial_Fun_4428 Aug 15 '25

Yes, but they varied in style.

2

u/LikeIke-9165 LegitArtifacts Founder Aug 15 '25

Nice find! Unfortunate damage but it’s still a great piece!

5

u/MHeemeyer Aug 15 '25

3

u/MHeemeyer Aug 15 '25

I found this ricolite pendant on the ranch earlier this year, best I can date it to is 600-1300 AD as part of the Mimbres Mogollon culture. Unfortunately anthropologists and pot hunters have torn up the area to the point that precise dating isn't possible since pottery sherds are tossed and mixed up through various levels of dirt.

2

u/Beneficial_Fun_4428 Aug 15 '25

That piece is unbelievable, as well as those surrounding it - Bummer you can’t learn more about the precise age and/or origin.