Arrowhead - can anyone please tell me more about it?

[staggart]

Hi,

My son found an arrowhead here:http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.343811,-120.629277&spn=0.003672,0.003889&t=h&z=18&om=1

It seems to not be made out of obsidian like most I have ever seen from around here - seems more like slate but perhaps it is just worn so much? I have attached a picture.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Scott

 

[oldcoyote]

Whether this gadget is a cutting tool or a "projectile point" kind of depends on what the guy who made it was doing with it, and ascertaining That is kind of iffy. Some of the confusion regarding identification and age stems from the fact that a "typical" artifact from one region at a particular time range can be very similar to a typical artifact from somewhere else in a different time frame. You are right to suggest local universities or publications as likely the best sources of information. I'm not very familiar with artifacts of the far west but I notice this one is similar to what has been called a "Cascade" projectile point found in the pelvic bone of the so-called Kennewick Man skeleton from southern Washington. See http://www.kennewick-man.com/index.html Radiocarbon dates suggest that KMan lived a bit over 9,000 years ago. The bow and arrow were not in use at that time and the "projectile" in question was likely a heavy "arrow" or dart propelled from a throwing stick or "atlatl." Google up "Atlatl" for good info on those. *My* suggestion is that you do *Not* return it "to the ages" but rather keep it along with your data on where it came from, etc., and allow your curiosity to be stimulated by it. Who knows ... maybe the boy will become a famous archaeologist whose direction started from all this.