Projectile point

In archaeological terminology, a projectile point is an object that was hafted to a weapon that was capable of being thrown or projected, such as a javelin, dart, or arrow. They are thus different from weapons presumed to have been kept in the hand, such as knives, spears, axes, hammers, and maces.

Stone tools, including projectile points, can survive for long periods, were often lost or discarded, and are relatively plentiful, especially at

archaeological industry

or culture. Scientific techniques exist to track the specific kinds of rock or minerals that were used to make stone tools in various regions back to their original sources.

As well as stone, projectile points were also made of worked wood, bone, antler, horn, or ivory; all of these are less common in the Americas. In regions where metallurgy emerged, projectile points were eventually made from copper, bronze, or iron, though the change was by no means immediate. In North America, some late prehistoric points were fashioned from copper that was mined in the Lake Superior region and elsewhere.

History in North America

A large variety of prehistoric arrowheads, dart points, javelin points, and spear points have been discovered.

Paleo-Indian period, however recent evidence suggests that North American projectile points may date to as old as 15,500 years.^[2] Some of the more famous Paleo-Indian types include Clovis, Folsom and Dalton points.^[3]

Types

Projectile points fall into two general types:

atlatl javelins or darts and spears. Arrow points are smaller and lighter than dart points, and were used to tip arrows. The question of how to distinguish an arrow point from a point used on a larger projectile is non-trivial. According to some investigators, the best indication is the width of the hafting area, which is thought to correlate to the width of the shaft.^[4] An alternative approach is to distinguish arrow points by their necessarily smaller size (weight, length, thickness).^[5]

Projectile points come in an amazing variety of shapes and styles, which vary according to chronological periods, cultural identities, and intended functions.

Typological studies of projectile points have become more elaborate through the years. For instance, Gregory Perino began his categorical study of projectile point typology in the late 1950s. Collaborating with Robert Bell, he published a set of four volumes defining the known point types of that time. Perino followed this several years later with a three-volume study of "Selected Preforms, Points and Knives of the North American Indians".^[6] Another recent set of typological studies of North American projectile points has been produced by Noel Justice.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Selected North American types

Australia

Kimberley points

Africa

Gallery

Pre-historic projectile point from Lapa do Santo
Prehistoric Native American projectile points from York County, Pennsylvania.
A collection of stone projectile points from North America.
A knapped flint arrowhead.
Prehistoric stone arrowhead in situ.
Prehistoric stone (Lapa do Lago, Brazil).
Thonotosassa type, Lorida, Florida.
Little Gasparilla Island beach find.
Ancient spear heads.
Tanged projectile points from the Aterian stone tool industry.

Notes

^ Adapted from Ritchie, 1989
^ "Clovis People Weren't First in Americas, Texas Spear Points Suggest". The New York Times. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015.
^ Authentic Artefacts Collectors Association Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
^ Wyckoff 1964
^ Thomas 1981
^ Fraser 2005
^ Justice 1987
^ Justice 2001
^ Justice 2002a
^ Justice 2002b