MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE VARIETIES AND DISTRIBUTION OF PRE-CONTACT COPPER ARTIFACTS IN NEW JERSEY

Copper artifacts are relatively rare in New Jersey and to date have received little systematic study. This preliminary study provides an overview of the types of copper artifacts found on precontact Native American sites in the state. The temporal and spatial distribution of the artifacts is described. Evidence for trade in copper and local production of copper items is discussed. Suggestions for further research that might help clarify the provenience of the raw material used in these artifacts are made. The artifacts described are housed in the New Jersey State Museum, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Smithsonian Institution, and the National Museum of the American Indian. Although copper tools and ornaments were never common in New Jersey, they were prized and highly sought after artifacts. Their study has the potential to provide new information about Native American trade patterns, metallurgy, and belief systems.