Info on this obsidian point?

[8_Way_Santa]

I am a total rookie - you may recall my first find, which I posted here on Treasurenet in this link: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/north-american-indian-artifacts/636225-puebloan-stone-tool-toy.html . This obsidian point is my second find and I just want to know more about it from forum members, so any and all advice is certainly more than appreciated.

I found this as-is on a mesa in McKinley County near Ramah, NM. It was fully exposed after a rain. This was found not far from the ruins where I found the object linked to above.

I see quite the amount of damage to this. Is it possible to tell if this point broke while being worked?

Does this represent any particular style?

Can a possible era be determined?

Total greenie here, trying to learn what I can from this forum, so I'll take ANY comments or feedback!

Thanks!

 

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[Tdog]

Hello friend. I'll take a shot at some things I'm seeing. Since it's serrated, those serrations were placed there lastly during manufacture. From pics 2 & 3, I believe the tip sustained an impact fracture by the way it is broken. It was hafted to a shaft at one time. Due to it's small size, I'd say it is a projectile and not a knife--likely an arrow point and if so, it would be no older than approx. 1,800 years. If I think of anything else, I'll update this thread. Congrats on the find.

 

[Garscale]

As usual TDog is accurate. True archery point so less than 2000 years old. Damage is classic to have been the result of a shot . Cool piece of history. Its neat to be the first one to see it in a thousand years.

 

[8_Way_Santa]

I understand a certain level of skill was involved in making these, but does this look well-made? Bog standard? Made in haste? How can you tell this?

 

[Tdog]

One made in haste would not exhibit that quality of craftsmanship. The flake removals were done with precision and it appears to be symmetrical, thin and delicate. If it were 100% intact, one could determine whether it was stemmed, corner-notched or side-notched at the hafting area. This would further facilitate determining how old it is. I'll bet it had a tip as sharp as a needle at one time. As I suspect you already know since you already ID'ed the material, it is made of volcanic glass--obsidian.

 

[8_Way_Santa]

I thank you both Tdog and Garscale for your help! I hope to uncover more things soon to ask about on this forum - I've been in Mexico since November and am looking for this and that whenever I can.