Help with 3 projectile points!

Digger99 · Jul 24, 2019

Hello! New here! I was told it would be best to ask this here! I have been trying to identify these three points from a private collection. I know they were found along the James River in Virginia. I have been going cross-eyed looking at characteristics of points, stemmed vs. notched etc. Any tips would be welcome! Do you recognize the material etc. THanks for any thoughts in advance and sorry I don't have something in the picture for a size reference!

arrow86 · Jul 24, 2019

I would say Appalachian or Guilford stemmed on the left one and center point , the point on the right id guess Brewerton they look to be made from Rhyolite and would fall into middle to late archaic time period (5,000-3,000 BP)

Quartzite Keith · Jul 24, 2019

Not sure what names to put on them either. The one on the left appears to be some kind of rhyolite, of which there is not known source in the James River valley, so must have been imported. The other two are quartzite which is common and abundant at various spots up and down the river.

Digger99 · Jul 24, 2019

Thanks so much for the tips! I will look into the Appalachian, Guilford and Brewerton possibilities!

redbeardrelics · Jul 24, 2019

The one on the left looks like a spotted form of rhyolite to me as well. On that one the short broad stem, it being made of rhyolite, and what looks like it could be the remains of shallow serrations, makes me want to suggest a Kirk stemmed, phasing into Bare Island type and era point. The two on the right look like nice varieties of quartzite to me also. The one in the middle also having the short broad stem, being quartzite, and having the narrower blade, makes me want to guess it is more of a pure Bare Island type point than the one on the left. I would guess that in your area the more southern Guilford Stemmed, and more northern Bare Island types overlap within the same time periods, and are probably the same points, along with the older Holmes point designation. The one on the right with the broader blade and expanded stem or "notched stem" base is probably of the late archaic Brewerton age, that seems to have then evolved into the broadspear types. I would guess anywhere from 6500 YBP to 3000YBP with them aligned oldest, to less old, left to right. Nice points they are.

Reanm8er · Jul 27, 2019

Welcome Digger,

It's been pretty well established that a major tsunami hit the east coast 10-12 thousand years ago. Archeologists have found
the remains of habitats out on the continental shelf. Dating points from before and after that era can be tricky. The points
you show look like quartzite to me which indicates they were likely made post that event. The ones on the left show a distinct
lack of sophistication. This event would have killed most of the toolmakers, buried the sites where the preferred types
of media (chert, flint and types of volcanic glass) were mined and totally destroyed the trade network. The point on the
right is likely to be much later than the others as it shows, obviously, more sophistication. When relic hunting in the
tidewater and piedmont areas look for pieces of green glass. When the Europeans came here they brought wine in
glass bottles that became a major source of media for small tools and points.

Best wishes and good hunting.