Author Topic: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?  (Read 3588 times)

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Offline hillbill

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anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« on: February 23, 2011, 02:33:35 PM »
my gfren found this stone point while we were planting onions in the garden.ive found tons of arrow points here where i live but this on is 5 inches long! is it a spear point and what era do yu think it came from? must be a spear point but ive never found a spear point here.any info or opinions would be appreciated.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2011, 02:55:33 PM »
my gfren found this stone point while we were planting onions in the garden.ive found tons of arrow points here where i live but this on is 5 inches long! is it a spear point and what era do yu think it came from? must be a spear point but ive never found a spear point here.any info or opinions would be appreciated.

What you have appears to be a style called Pontchartrain type II. It is from the Woodland period, 3,400 - 2000 BP ( Before Present ) It has a Woodland flaking pattern and is base notched. If not for the tip break, value would have been aprox $200. Any breaks usually devalue a piece by 60%. To me pieces have more value than money wise though. Types are usualy named after a phase, period of when made and used, the first person to discover a type or the place first discovered. Your piece is not a spear point. If you'll notice, one edge is curved much more than the other. That is the cutting edge and what you have is a knife. Any piece with one side more curved than the other is almost always a knife. Pieces can be aged by the flaking pattern, size, and type of hafting; stemmed, corner notched, side notched, un-notched and stemmed lancelet shaped.  Nice find. Congrats.

   A few of my knives along with a few blunts and a turtle back scarper uper right corner.


An original Paleo blade set into a deer antler handle in the traditional fashion.



Offline hillbill

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2011, 03:32:43 PM »
well thank yu SPIRITHAWK! i knew i could rely on yuall to let me know what it was.so basically it is a primitive hunting knife?if thats true it is so cool.ive got some nice rough sawed red oak im goin to frame it under glass and put it on the wall.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2011, 04:08:08 PM »
well thank yu SPIRITHAWK! i knew i could rely on yuall to let me know what it was.so basically it is a primitive hunting knife?if thats true it is so cool.ive got some nice rough sawed red oak im goin to frame it under glass and put it on the wall.

You are most welcome. More than happy to help. I'll garauntee you it's a knife beyond any doubt. During the Woodland period they were hunters and gatherers, not much into growing crops yet. Next came the Mississipian period and the mound builders. I'm sure you are familiar with Cahokia Mounds. Just at a glance you can tell it's Woodland by the random chipping pattern. The size, type of notching and base, and over all shape identifies it. Being Cherokee I have a keen interest in collecting and learning all I can about artifacts. Been doing so for around 25 years and I have a fairly nice collection myself. A book that would realy benifit you is the Overstreet Price Guide for arrowheads. It runs about $20 and is worth that and much more. It will show you how to identify pieces, gives their ages and both gives values and teaches you how to set values and age points yourself. I highly recomend it to anyone who collects. Feel free to ask any artifact or culture question and most likely I can answer it. If not I know folks who can. :) Keep an eye out in that garden. It could be a single find of a piece that was lost but it could also be a campsite too with much more to be found.

PS, don't use wire to mount the piece to a backing. That just further damages the point as does glue. I use sticky backed velcro. Doesn't hurt the point and you can easily take it out to examin it and easily put it back. The periods in order oldest to present are, Paleo, transitionl Paleo, Archaic, Woodland, Missisipian and Historic. Between each phase there were many transitional pieces that show charectoristics of the previous and the newer phase.

Offline Pat/Rick

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2011, 06:56:27 AM »
Thanks for confirming my suspicions Spirithawk. Alot of times folks really find  what is known as "hafted knife" "blades" rather than "points". Not everyone used "arrowheads" but almost all used "knifes". Reasons that more should be found than any other tool. Not real sure about the eastern "points", here in the pacific northwest books by Emory Strong are the basis for most descriptions/definitions.

  Always have liked handling artifacts, wondering who the peoples were who used it, what task they were doing that led to them discarding or loosing, where they were heading, their families, the whole thing about, and around  it. Maybe some cedar incense and a deer hoove rattle would get me "closer"   ;).

Offline Swampman

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2011, 07:21:14 AM »
Many points are for atlatls and not arrows I'm told.  In the east what we've always refered to as "bird points" are actually arrowheads from what I'm told.  Nice find.   Fun to find, fun to make, and fun to hunt with.
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Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2011, 12:05:50 PM »
Stop to think about it. How far do you think an arrow shaft would fly with a two inch plus rock tied on the end? Not very far. "Bird Points" were true arrowheads but were also used as points on darts fired from blow guns. I've got many that are less than 1/4" long. Atlatl points ranged between 1 and 2 inches and were usually quite triangular. They were set into a featherless small diamiter shaft which in turn fitted into a much larger diamiter shaft. That way when a target was struck they could pull the heavy shaft free and reload another smaller shaft. Knives were extremely important and yes, what many think of as arrowheads, are really knives. Also, most tools were multi purpoused like todays Swiss Army Knives. That was to conserve flint and lesson the need for a large number of seperate tools. Knives, scrapers, and drills will often outnumber the amount of true arrowheads you find on a site. Little was thrown away and tools, usualy drills, scrapers, awls and gravers, were made from broken larger pieces. Paleo and Archaic cultures relied heavily on hunting almost exclusively, and the game hunted was much larger, so you'll find more spear points of those time frames. During the Woodland period effort was divided between hunting and gathering of wild food sources. During the Mississipian period, the mound builders, more effort went towards growing crops and ceremonies. Tools reflect the needs of each phase. Actually, the older points tend to be better made because more time and effort went into making them. As man evolved more time went into gathering and growing food as well as ceremonies. That provided less time to spend on making many of the previously needed tools and the quallity reflects it with the exception of the Mississipian period where many stone objects were ceremonial. Often pieces were deliberately broken after use to free the spirit of the stone. When I find a piece I thank the Grandfathers for guiding me to it and I always leave a pinch of tobacco or corn meal in it's place. That is to show both respect and give thanks. As a result I often find pieces, that to me are in plain sight, that others simply don't see. Many times I pick pieces up right at their feet. :)

"Bird Points", paddle drill & Thunderbird Drill ( made from a broken knife ), ceremonial fish hook


Left to right starting at upper left corner angled facing down are three atlatl points, knife, atlatl point, knife, and two more atlatl points the second from the right being a reworked Adena Dickson knife



Excepeptionaly nice bird point 3,000 years old


Offline goofyoldfart

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2011, 12:52:11 AM »
SpiritHawk : thank you very much for the info. I live in Indiana and there are certain areas that were loaded with points, knives and spear points. there was a large area around the the Columbus , Knawbone and Nashville areas that were mound areas. I'm 66 yrs. old and can remember going with my friends and digging up a lot of points in these areas when I was about 7 to 11 yrs. old. one of the older Gents that I respected highly told me to stop doing this as these were burial grounds and that it was disrespect to the dead. He also told me to go back with tobacco and to apologize for my lack of understanding and disrespect. My parents were somewhat upset when I asked Dad to get me some rolling tobacco :o, but when they were explained to by the friend (old man), Dad did so and I made my amends to the dead. Since then I won't touch a burial mound. I think that I wouldn't like someone digging up my gravesite in the future to find "goodies" to take home. thank you for the book info. I feel that if I find it while doing a garden or something similar it is OK.

                                GOF aka goofyoldfart.

Offline JBlk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2011, 02:43:14 AM »
You might want to look a little closer for them.You will be surprised when you discover what collectors will pay to own them.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2011, 05:00:13 AM »
GOF, you are quite welcome. I collect because they are a part of my heritage and to preserve them. I'll give a piece away but I won't sell one and I value them only for insurance purposes. I look at sites after heavy rains and along gravel bars. Never, ever touch a burial ground! How would you like someone digging up your great grandfather for a ring on his finger? GOF, the old guy told you right and you did good buddy. When you unexpectedly find one it was meant to be. :)

Offline Pat/Rick

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2011, 07:21:02 AM »
Artifact removal is illegal in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area where I live. Burial sites, absolutely, stay out! Some of the folks here would bury under rock overhangs and a guy was caught "digging" a few years ago, He was injured when discovered by native americans. I think he got of pretty light really. I would only pick up along gravel bars or like areas. Sometimes beads can be found downstream side of gravel/sand bar "tails" in rivers, think of it like prospecting.

 Spirithawk, thankyou for your expertise and cultural views. You have some nice "boards" there. I have also received good lessons from you . Thanks  ;)

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2011, 04:23:28 PM »
Artifact removal is illegal in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area where I live. Burial sites, absolutely, stay out! Some of the folks here would bury under rock overhangs and a guy was caught "digging" a few years ago, He was injured when discovered by native americans. I think he got of pretty light really. I would only pick up along gravel bars or like areas. Sometimes beads can be found downstream side of gravel/sand bar "tails" in rivers, think of it like prospecting.

 Spirithawk, thankyou for your expertise and cultural views. You have some nice "boards" there. I have also received good lessons from you . Thanks  ;)

Thanks and you are most welcome my friend. Feel free to ask if you ever have any questions. I'll do my best to answer them. Between talking with Elders of various tribes, reading tons of books and just plain common sense I've learned a lot. The flint fishook shown with the bird points is one of only 5 known to exist and a prized piece, as are my drills. Here we can hunt on private land with permission of course, but burial grounds, caves and some waterways are off limits. I can look at an area from a distance and tell you with 95% certainty if there's artifacts there or not. I can usually tell where they will be concentrated too. Try this, simply imagine yourself them. What do you need in a campsite area to survive. Get good at that and you'll see what I mean. Here's a lesson; Water is the biggest need. The camp will be close enough to easily carry water but high enough up to avoid flooding. Practicly anywhere two streams come together you'll find a campsite. Respect those that made them and the pieces themselves and you'll do good. Good luck hunting. :) PS. Another couple  interesting pieces is the small pinkish one, right side center of the last frame, that looks like a blunt but actually is a fire starter. A blunt is worked on both sides of the edges. A flint fire starter is heavily beveled on just one side. In the upper left corner is a very interesting blunt that I think had some ceremonial purpose. What is unusual about it is that if you'll notice the base is stemmed, and side notched both. I've never seen another just like it.

Offline The Hermit

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2011, 05:10:28 PM »
Spirithawk, nice collection, thank you for sharing.  I was privileged about 35 years ago to meet a farmer who had land on the banks of Lake Ontario, near Long Point NY. While plowing, he often found large areas of charcoal circles and hundreds of arrow heads and stone tools. He was told by old timers that the indians used this area to catch and dry salmon. He pointed out to me some stone burial sites(mounds) on my own property and said that in winter times when an indian died up here in the hunting grounds, that they buried the person on the flat rock and covered the body with a huge pile of stones to keep the animals away. We never disturbed the area and he left an offering of tobacco at the site, a practice I continue to this day.
He gave me several arrow heads and I would never sell them. To be able to hold something in your hand that was made by a fellow hunter eons ago, is a priceless thrill.
I believe that this respect has been returned to me many times by things that happen here and hopefully explains small colored stones that I occasionally find on my steps.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

The Hermit

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2011, 05:30:44 PM »
Spirithawk, nice collection, thank you for sharing.  I was privileged about 35 years ago to meet a farmer who had land on the banks of Lake Ontario, near Long Point NY. While plowing, he often found large areas of charcoal circles and hundreds of arrow heads and stone tools. He was told by old timers that the indians used this area to catch and dry salmon. He pointed out to me some stone burial sites(mounds) on my own property and said that in winter times when an indian died up here in the hunting grounds, that they buried the person on the flat rock and covered the body with a huge pile of stones to keep the animals away. We never disturbed the area and he left an offering of tobacco at the site, a practice I continue to this day.
He gave me several arrow heads and I would never sell them. To be able to hold something in your hand that was made by a fellow hunter eons ago, is a priceless thrill.
I believe that this respect has been returned to me many times by things that happen here and hopefully explains small colored stones that I occasionally find on my steps.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

The Hermit

When you show the proper respect it's amazing the good luck you will have. People can scoff if they like but it's a fact that I've proven many times. No one that knows me doubts it one bit. Often, polished colored stones were kept in medicine bags. That could be what you're finding. Should you ever find a piece that is polished, heavily beveled on three sides, flat and smooth on the bottom, and looks like a much too thick flint for a flintlock firearm, then you've found a Shaman Stone used by shamans in ceremonies. Often they get tossed when found because the uneducated see them as just flakes. They are quite rare but I have two.

Shaman Stone and 3 game balls. Two clay and center one is yellow soapstone and very rare.


Offline The Hermit

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2011, 06:10:43 PM »
Holy Moly !!!  I have almost an exact copy of the stone on the left in your picture. Mine is in the shape of a tear drop. It is about 1 1/2 inches long x 3/4 inches wide x 1/2 inch thick. In its surface is imbeded 8 different colored stones about 1/32 inch in length. There are 5 around the top and 3 around the bottom.
Its also interesting to hear you mention medicine bags as that is where I keep all the stones that have appeared. I am the last in my family to practice the old Strega ways and at 75, I have failed to find anyone to pass it on to, which is kind of sad. Kindred spirits are hard to find.
I have 2 indian made necklaces strung with colored beads. One has a turtle and the other has a wolf, both carved from bone, that I received from native americans as gifts. Treasures, both.
The turtle is symbolic of mother earth and the wolf is from the wolf clan, which I realize you already know that. Over the years, it has proven to be powerfull medicine indeed.  I am humbled to have recieved these gifts.

The Hermit

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2011, 06:30:07 PM »
Holy Moly !!!  I have almost an exact copy of the stone on the left in your picture. Mine is in the shape of a tear drop. It is about 1 1/2 inches long x 3/4 inches wide x 1/2 inch thick. In its surface is imbeded 8 different colored stones about 1/32 inch in length. There are 5 around the top and 3 around the bottom.
Its also interesting to hear you mention medicine bags as that is where I keep all the stones that have appeared. I am the last in my family to practice the old Strega ways and at 75, I have failed to find anyone to pass it on to, which is kind of sad. Kindred spirits are hard to find.
I have 2 indian made necklaces strung with colored beads. One has a turtle and the other has a wolf, both carved from bone, that I received from native americans as gifts. Treasures, both.
The turtle is symbolic of mother earth and the wolf is from the wolf clan, which I realize you already know that. Over the years, it has proven to be powerfull medicine indeed.  I am humbled to have recieved these gifts.

The Hermit

It's a real pleasure to meet you. You might enjoy knowing that the North American continent was known to us as Turtle Island. I wish you enough my friend.

Offline Mohawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #16 on: February 26, 2011, 06:29:47 AM »
 What were those rounded points used for? What was the purpose of making the points rounded?

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #17 on: February 26, 2011, 06:37:36 AM »
What were those rounded points used for? What was the purpose of making the points rounded?

If you're asking about the larger pieces with rounded tips, those are hafted scrapers used for scraping fat and tissue off animal skins in the process of tanning them. Some people use to think, wrongly I might add, that they were stunner type arrowheads. Some were made from scratch but most were made from broken knives and atlatl points. If you mean the small tear drop shaped "Bird Points" those were true arrowheads and dart points. The rounded ends being the bases set into shafts.

Offline blind ear

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #18 on: February 26, 2011, 06:51:51 AM »
Spirithawk where did you learn about the shaman stone and other impliments not common to recognize? I have a book that identifies stone tools, mostly points and knives,  and it is confuseing there are so many different classifications that have such small differences in most cases. ear
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Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #19 on: February 26, 2011, 07:27:37 AM »
Spirithawk where did you learn about the shaman stone and other impliments not common to recognize? I have a book that identifies stone tools, mostly points and knives,  and it is confuseing there are so many different classifications that have such small differences in most cases. ear

My father was full blood Cherokee and I learned much from him. I've also spent years talking with Elders of variouse tribes and have read more books than I can count. I eventually found pictures of a Shaman Stone in an archeology book about Missouri artifacts. If I remember right I think they are also described in an issue of the Overstreet Guide to artifacts. Every now and then I run accross something I've never seen before. I don't try to put a label on it right off but instead will hold it in my hands, turn it in them untill it seems to fit and the answer will become obvious. There are many stone objects that are ones of a kind such as effigies and some where a person was simply practicing a type of flaking. What can help you identify pieces is to try and understand the peoples needs back then.  Hunting, skinning, scraping hides and materials such as wood, drilling or punching holes in materials, weapons, tools for planting and digging, fishing, sewing, ect. were their needs.  Ask yourself what of those needs might a piece be able to accomplish, keeping in mind that it may just accomplish more than one use. That skill combined with looking at all the artifacts you can, reading all you can and asking questions of those more knowlageable than yourself will get you to a point it becomes quite easy to identify a pieces purpouse. If you have a piece you are unsure of just post a pic and I'll try to identify it for you.

Offline Pat/Rick

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #20 on: February 26, 2011, 09:30:11 AM »
Some of my favorites
Vancouver,BC Canada -The Museum of Anthropology
Neah Bay, Washington- Makah reservation, the tribal museum
Vancouver,WA- Ft Vancouver and Museum
Stevenson,WA- Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center- A good display of Emory Strong and antyhropology exhibits
The Dalles,OR- I don't remember the name of the Interpretive Center there (sorry)
Casa Grande,AZ small but VERY choice exhibits in their museum on the grounds of Casa Grande
AZ- The Grand Canyon good displays and sites and lectures (talks) by the rangers scattered along the rim.
So much to see and learn.  Good luck to all hunters.


Offline Mohawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #21 on: February 26, 2011, 10:09:39 AM »
Thanks, Spirithawk. That makes sense. That would be quite a useful tool to remove fat. Kind of like a rounded putty knife. I found an arrowhead one day at my ranch, near Marble Falls, TX. I think it was the Caddo tribe, maybe. Not sure but it is near  dead smooth. I have it on the cabin table. Been there several years. Amazing folks would have hunted on my same land hundreds or thousands of years ago. Quite humbling, actually. Wish I could hunt with them now. 

Offline powderman

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #22 on: February 26, 2011, 03:45:26 PM »
Thanks for all the pics and history guys. Our kids trashed most of my arrowheads, hardly anything left. I have found those round stones like in the pic but didn't know what they were. I had what I believed to be a grinding stone, it too disappeared. Theres a sink hole just below the house with a good piece of ground several hundred ft long and accross. I used to plow all of the ground around it including that bottom. It is surrounded all the way around by higher ground. We have found arrowheads all around that bottom on the higher ground, but never in that bottom. I've always suspected that that bottom was at one time a small lake or natural pond that a village was built around and that maybe the great earthquake opened up that sinkhole on the end, don't know. I used to love walking the plowed ground looking for arrowheads. It's all in hay now. POWDERMAN.  ;D ;D
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Offline Shu

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #23 on: February 27, 2011, 10:50:45 AM »
Thanks for the education.
In the late 1980's I was asked to protect a site until the local tribe elders (Piutes) and the government could come to terms about entering the site and checking the remians. (wanted to make sure it was truly a burial site and not a body dump)
A road grader had uncovered the edge of it and there was some human remains visible.
The Shaman blessed the archeologist and I before we went into the site. It was truly a native burial site. There were all kinds of artifacts. The elders gave permission for the archeologist to photoghraph, catalogue and move everything to another more protected burial ground. I got to guard and escort all of it. That was a long 2 week process, very educational and interesting.

Our local area has some great petroglyphs and obsidian work. I have found both flint and obsidian tools. Never take from a burial ground, if you find a true burial ground it is an awesome thing. Leave it undisturbed and move on. Actually it is a federal crime to take anything from the burial grounds or destroy a petroglyph.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #24 on: February 28, 2011, 02:22:35 PM »
Thanks for the education.
In the late 1980's I was asked to protect a site until the local tribe elders (Piutes) and the government could come to terms about entering the site and checking the remians. (wanted to make sure it was truly a burial site and not a body dump)
A road grader had uncovered the edge of it and there was some human remains visible.
The Shaman blessed the archeologist and I before we went into the site. It was truly a native burial site. There were all kinds of artifacts. The elders gave permission for the archeologist to photoghraph, catalogue and move everything to another more protected burial ground. I got to guard and escort all of it. That was a long 2 week process, very educational and interesting.

Our local area has some great petroglyphs and obsidian work. I have found both flint and obsidian tools. Never take from a burial ground, if you find a true burial ground it is an awesome thing. Leave it undisturbed and move on. Actually it is a federal crime to take anything from the burial grounds or destroy a petroglyph.

That was an awesome privilage bestowed on you. Thank you for your caring. It is also a Federal Offense to dig in caves on state or government property, to pick up pieces on state or government property or to do either along National, or Scenic waterways.

Offline Shu

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #25 on: March 01, 2011, 01:56:57 AM »
I think a persons heritage is important. If we do not know our roots, how can we know who we are.
You are correct Spirithawk all burial sites , and cultural artifacts need to be treated with respect.

I have seen alot of the petroglyphs, they are very interesting, each tells a story of some sort as far as I can tell. There are alot of dessert bighorn sheep and people. There was one that looked like a wagon wheel or large spider web, about  6 inches in diameter not sure of what it was.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #26 on: March 01, 2011, 02:03:11 AM »
I think a persons heritage is important. If we do not know our roots, how can we know who we are.
You are correct Spirithawk all burial sites , and cultural artifacts need to be treated with respect.

I have seen alot of the petroglyphs, they are very interesting, each tells a story of some sort as far as I can tell. There are alot of dessert bighorn sheep and people. There was one that looked like a wagon wheel or large spider web, about  6 inches in diameter not sure of what it was.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Without actually seeing it I couldn't say for sure but it sounds like you are possibly describing a Medicine Wheel. I don't think you hijacked the thread at all my friend. On the contrary, I think what you've posted fits right in with the theme of the thread.

Offline Shu

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #27 on: March 01, 2011, 11:10:19 AM »
The petroglyphs are 50 miles away and only accessable by permission these days. I didn't think to take a picture back then. I thought I would always be there.

You would be suprised how many cultures used similar tools. I have heard flint knives could be made as sharp as a modern scalpel. That would require some skill in my opinion.
I am amazed at what can be created by simple hand tools.

Offline Spirithawk

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #28 on: March 01, 2011, 11:34:24 AM »
The petroglyphs are 50 miles away and only accessable by permission these days. I didn't think to take a picture back then. I thought I would always be there.

You would be suprised how many cultures used similar tools. I have heard flint knives could be made as sharp as a modern scalpel. That would require some skill in my opinion.
I am amazed at what can be created by simple hand tools.

I've read that flint knives have actually been used in some modern operations because of their sharpness and ability to hold an edge. Not a lot of skill to make it so either. Take a large rock and nock most any flake off another rock. I'll garauntee you the edge of the flake will be sharp as a razor. Remember, all that is required for it to be a knife is simply a cutting edge. In other words, something as simple as a flake off a stone can be used as a knife. If you stop to think about the ingenuity of primitive man, his abilty to make what he needed from natural sources around him, and the things he did make from them...........welllll, it's not long before he don't seem quite so primitive. Most people today would fall far short of being able to do so well. In a test skinning animals, one being a Grizzly Bear, the pro hunter's only complaint about using a flint knife was that he felt it was TOO SHARP!  :D

Offline Pat/Rick

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Re: anybody know anything about stone arrow heads?
« Reply #29 on: March 01, 2011, 12:52:58 PM »
I remember a documentary I saw about the NW coastal peoples.Modern times but they showed salmon being fileted with quartz chips about the size of a dime imbedded at the end of a stick. The gals doing the fileting, were doing just as good of job as if they had modern knives.