Welcome to Prehistoric Americanonline-the official website of the Genuine Indian Relic Society, Inc. (the G.I.R.S.).  The G.I.R.S. is a non-profit organization of collectors and other interested persons devoted to the promoting of friendship and trust among persons interested in the preservation of authentic prehistoric and historic North American artifacts.  These worthy goals are being advanced through this collector-oriented website and through the regular publication of the Society’s journal  Prehistoric American, a high quality publication produced by the Society and mailed to members once every three months.  We welcome all new members willing to abide by the worthy and unselfish goals of our organization.  To join, please review our membership form included in this site.

                Prehistoric American is an excellent medium for sharing educational ideas and photographs of some of the finest prehistoric and early historic Native North American artifacts in either public or private collections.  Each regular publication is filled with excellent articles on Native North American artifacts, and they are written by a devoted group of editors and members.  The photographs included in each journal are   in color and black and white, and they are a constant source of entertainment and education.  Occasionally, the society will also publish special collector issues that either highlight particular types of artifacts or collector favorites.  Past special edition publications have covered fine arrays of pipes, pottery, dovetail flint points, birdstones, bannerstones, flint points and implements, axes/celts, pendants/gorgets and copper.  At other times, special publications are printed featuring collector favorites.  Prehistoric American is truly a special publication and the society makes every effort to make it the best publication for prehistoric Native American artifacts in the world.

                 The G.I.R.S. was founded in 1964 by a group of fellow collectors who joined hands to combat the ever-growing manufacture and sale of reproduction Native American relics.  The founders recognized that such fraudulent practices hurt good, well-intended collectors who wish to enjoy our hobby without being victimized by such unscrupulous practices.  In November of 1964, a group of thirteen collectors met in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the purpose of laying the groundwork for the formation of a new national organization of collectors and museums to combat fraudulent artifacts and to document genuine artifacts.  After incorporation on December 15, 1964, the “founding fathers” of our organization set forth the following goals of our society: