There are hundreds of types of Native American arrowheads which have been identified.
There are hundreds of types of Native American arrowheads which have been discovered and identified by archaeologists. Arrowheads were tools used by many ancient people, including Native American ethnic groups, for the purposes of hunting and fishing. These artifacts exist today as valuable relics of past civilizations. There are numerous types of arrowheads which were crafted for different uses. Identifying types of arrowheads can help us discover who made the artifact, where it was made and for what purpose.
Instructions
1. Examine the base of the arrowhead. Arrowhead types are generally identified first by the base shape. Clovis arrowheads, for example --- the oldest known Native American arrowheads found in Clovis, New Mexico --- have a concave base. Folsom arrowheads have a similar base shape. Cumberland arrowheads, named after Tennessee's Cumberland River, have a split base shaped like a fish tail. Stone Navajo arrowheads often show a notched base.
2. Look at the overall shape of the arrowhead. The tip of the arrowhead, known as the distal end, will be pointed unless it is broken off. The middle part of the arrowhead, known as the blade, may be wide or narrow, triangular, oval-shaped or cylindrical. The base may be stemmed, stemless or notched. Some arrowheads feature barbs on either side of the base stem. In many cases, just the shape helps to identify arrowheads. The Scallorn shape, for instance --- which resembles a Christmas tree --- appears in Native American arrowheads found in Arkansas.
3. Note the flaking style of the arrowhead. The tools used to flake (or sharpen) arrowheads leave distinctive marks which can be attributed to specific people and time periods. Certain flaking techniques can identify when the arrowhead was made and by whom. In some Paleolithic tribes, for example, a pressure flaking technique was used to create lateral marks across the blade.
4. Determine what material was used to make the arrowhead. Materials such as metal, stone, bone, antler or buffalo horn can help to identify and date arrowheads. Metal arrowheads date only after the arrival of Europeans on the North American continent.
5. Determine the location where the arrowhead was excavated or found. If you can discover where the arrowhead came from --- particularly what state or region --- this will aid you in the identification process.
6. Consult online resources with arrowhead identification tables, descriptions, pictures and other detailed information. Visit your local library or bookstore for books on arrowheads. Try to communicate with reputable dealers and other collectors. You can verify your identification clues with these credible sources or find additional help with identifying types of arrowheads.
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