Projectile point date and type

[Nedhawks]

I found this point in Surry County Virginia near hog island. I believe it to be from the early archaic but could possibly be late paleo, and it was probably used with an atlatl. It seems to be a quartz rock type and is about 2" long and equally wide. Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

 

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[uniface]

Much later, IMHO.

 

[Quartzite Keith]

The width at 2 inches and shape of the base make it very likely a Late Archaic Savannah River variant called Cattle Run or Island Swamp. The ones from central Virginia are almost exclusively quartzite. It is short for a typical example. Maybe resharpened, or broken and repaired. This form represents (in my opinion) the absolute best quartzite knapping done.

https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/points/cattle-run/

 

[Tdog]

Worn down Eva type I possibly...

Eva Projectile Point

 

[MAMucker]

Great info from Quartzite Keith!

Thank you for providing that link.

Sure is unique. 2” Long and Wide. That would have been a big-wide broad point especially if it has been reduced over time.

I would have leaned towards a Morrow Mountain designation, if not for those prominently (vertically extended) barbed shoulders and the Quartzite material, but I’m not positive that those disqualify.

Very interesting piece! I’m sure we’ll get more info and hear from others located near you.

Just a question on the post though...
What is the clue that tells you “it was probably used with an atlatl”?

Interested in hearing.

Thank you.

 

[Nedhawks]

Well I dont know alot myself, however I knew it was too big to be an arrowhead, then i showed it to an old timer who said what I stated in the original post. I do alot of hunting but usually not for Points, so this was a fun find and even more fun to research it. Thanks for all the help with my mystery, appreciate it.

 

[Nedhawks]

Thanks, I for some reason hadn't even thought about the worn down and reworked possibltiy.

 

[Tdog]

Just a question on the post though...
What is the clue that tells you “it was probably used with an atlatl”?

The "Bow & Arrow", in what is now the continental U.S., did not arrive until around 1500-2000 YBP. So, if the point is late Paleo/Early Archaic in age, the "Bow & Arrow" was not available at that time.

Edit: ADOPTION OF THE BOW IN PREHISTORIC NORTH AMERICA

http://anthropology.ua.edu/reprints/22.pdf

 

[Quartzite Keith]

Well I dont know alot myself, however I knew it was too big to be an arrowhead, then i showed it to an old timer who said what I stated in the original post. I do alot of hunting but usually not for Points, so this was a fun find and even more fun to research it. Thanks for all the help with my mystery, appreciate it.

Ones that wide were almost certainly knives. As a rule a projectile point should not be any wider than the spacing of the ribs it needs to pass through to get into the vitals. In Virginia we had Bison and elk up until contact period, which on full grown adults gives you about 1.5 inches between ribs. Of course, at one time there were mega fauna like mastodons, but even the average paleo point in Virginia is under 1.5 inches wide (many can be found right about at 1 inch wide). Going back to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources website, compare Morrow Mountain I and Morrow Mountain II. MMI is a knife type form, MMII is narrower and thicker, designed to punch all the way through the chest cavity.

 

[MAMucker]

The "Bow & Arrow", in what is now the continental U.S., did not arrive until around 1500-2000 YBP. So, if the point is late Paleo/Early Archaic in age, the "Bow & Arrow" was not available at that time.

Edit: ADOPTION OF THE BOW IN PREHISTORIC NORTH AMERICA

http://anthropology.ua.edu/reprints/22.pdf

I understand that the bow and arrow came at a later time period. Therefore it could have been used as a Knife or Spear Point as well.

 

[MAMucker]

Ones that wide were almost certainly knives. As a rule a projectile point should not be any wider than the spacing of the ribs it needs to pass through to get into the vitals. In Virginia we had Bison and elk up until contact period, which on full grown adults gives you about 1.5 inches between ribs. Of course, at one time there were mega fauna like mastodons, but even the average paleo point in Virginia is under 1.5 inches wide (many can be found right about at 1 inch wide). Going back to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources website, compare Morrow Mountain I and Morrow Mountain II. MMI is a knife type form, MMII is narrower and thicker, designed to punch all the way through the chest cavity.

Again, excellent information!

 

[Tdog]

I understand that the bow and arrow came at a later time period. Therefore it could have been used as a Knife or Spear Point as well.

My point exactly. Would have been a really short, nubby knife. Looks like it's symmetry was maintained as evident with obvious resharpenings in his pic. That's why it was thought to be launched with an atlatl I suppose.

 

[Nedhawks]

Found this one today at the same site. Looks like I found a good place to hunt. It's about 1.75" long. Not sure you can tell from the pic but the tip definatley broke off and was reworked.

 

[Nedhawks]

Found another one today, but I am running out of ground on this spot. Broken spear tip?

 

[CHUDs]

That last one looks like an adze or Celt.

 

[arrow86]

Nice , I’d say it was probably a large knife blade

 

[Quartzite Keith]

The second one is very cool. No known chert deposits anywhere near where you found it, so somebody trucked that thing in from a ways off.

The most recent one, could you show a picture of the edge of the base? I can't tell if it's broken or not.

 

[Nedhawks]

Thanks for the info on the chert piece. It's my second favorite artifact. But a question for you, do you think the first larger one could of been ceremonial or even a toy gift for a child or something, from a really good point maker? From what yall say it doesnt seem to show purpose other than to look good! Idk just an interesting thought.
And yes it is a broken point in the third picture.

 

[Nedhawks]

And here is another shot of the wide point.
Marble for scale.