Author Topic: arrow head find...what do you think?  (Read 2003 times)

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Offline brownhillboy

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arrow head find...what do you think?
« on: February 27, 2010, 03:53:52 pm »
This is an arrow head(maybe spear) that my oldest son Kolton found in a mud hole in our driveway about 8 years ago when he was 4.  We've kept it safe ever since, but we've never gotten any opinions on it from anyone that knew anything about this type thing.  Anyone have an idea about what tribe it may have come from and whether it's an arrow head or a spear head?  You can see the size in the pics.  The pic without the tape measure is the opposite side from the pics with the tape measure.  The last pic is taken from the tip end.  It weighs in at 488g. on my digital scale.  We live outside of a little town called Ferrum, which is between Roanoke and Martinsville, VA.  Let me know what you think.

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south central VA

Offline leapingbare

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2010, 10:22:41 pm »
Im guessing its a Thebes and if thats the case it early Archaic.
Mililani Hawaii

PeteDavis

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2010, 12:59:49 am »


Big Sandy. 1000 B.C. My Virginia guess.

Nice find.


Offline Bill Skinner

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2010, 01:09:21 am »
I don't know anything about the stone in your area, so I don't know if the points you find in that area are all that thick.  The point is fluted on both sides, there does not seem to be any evidence of any pressure flaking except for the notches.  My guess is late Paleo to early Archaic.  About 10,000 to 8,000 years old, at a guess.  No real tribe, ALL people were hunter/gathers then.  It looks like it would do well as a thrusting spear.  It could be a Paleo point that has been reworked by a later knapper, he would have made it into a point he was more familiar with.  Bill

Offline jamie

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2010, 10:42:25 am »
awesome find
"Man is a tool-using animal. Without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all."

waterbury, ct

Offline mullet

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2010, 01:00:28 pm »
 I'm with Bill. I think it started out Paleo and then was reworked during the Woodland period. And it was down to it's last resharpening.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline brownhillboy

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2010, 04:58:38 pm »
That's really cool info guys!  Thanks a lot!  What are the odds of finding a point that old that is still intact?  How rare do you think this is?
« Last Edit: February 28, 2010, 10:59:44 pm by brownhillboy »
south central VA

Offline Bill Skinner

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Re: arrow head find...what do you think?
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2010, 10:52:38 pm »
There is no way to tell how many points were re-worked later.  The later knapper could thin or narrow the point and in the process, he would have removed all the previous identiying marks.  It is only when they touched up an older point for their use that you can tell they re-worked a point.  Bill