Symbols in the woods: Ancient artifacts point to Native American history

A homeowner in Johnston County found himself with a bit of a mystery on his hands when he started discovering arrowheads and other Native American artifacts in the woods behind his house.

Arrowheads and burial mounds left Sam Seline and his neighbor David Cawthorn convinced their backyards were historical Native American lands, but pinning down which tribe or nation proved to be harder than expected. 

“I had intellectual curiosity,” Seline said. “I'm not a geologist or archaeologist, but I started doing a lot of research and connected some dots ... it took us 17 years to find the right people to talk to.”

By Rachel Boyd

Sam Seline stands with Tuscarora tribe members and other homeowners with an interest in the land. (Photo: Rachel Boyd)