A Wisconsin man’s metal detecting hobby has reportedly unearthed a remarkable piece of history in the form of an ancient spearhead, according to a Saturday report.
Dick Banaszak, a 65-year-old Public Works employee found a 3,000-year-old Copper Culture spearhead along the Root River in Racine, according to Newsweek. The find is particularly noteworthy given its location in the southernmost part of the Great Lakes region, where such discoveries are rare. (RELATED: Archeologists Uncover 3,600-Year-Old Hoard Of Weapons, Other Items)
Banaszak found the spearhead while using his metal detector, a hobby he has enjoyed for three decades. “I went and sat under a tree,” he told Newsweek. “Just sat there, picked the dirt off it and was like, ‘Wow, this is thousands of years old, it was amazing, and now I have it in my hand.’”
The man says he brought the spearhead to a local university’s archaeology department which identified the artifact as a socketed-tang spear point.
Retiree Finds 3,000-Year-Old Spearhead in Wisconsin.
https://t.co/u21GXxYLLx— Murf (@MurfAD) August 10, 2024
Archaeologists made another significant discovery in Wisconsin in May, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. They unearthed ten dugout canoes going back 4,500 years in Lake Mendota. The first two were found in 2021 and 2022, which led to further searches in the region. Researchers recently found the other eight vessels. The findings indicate that the lake was once a significant site for ancient peoples, with different eras being represented, including the Late Archaic, Middle Woodland, and Late Woodland, the outlet noted.
Banaszak plans to keep the spearhead and pass it down to his son, who also shared his metal detecting hobby. “It’s something I’m pretty passionate about. I’d like to see other people get out and enjoy what I like to do,” he told Newsweek.
