Indian spearhead/arrowhead ?

[tcurrier]

Just moved and noticed that I had saved something that I found 50 years ago when I was a kid.
It looks to me like an Indian spearhead. Am new to this forum. Just wondering if anyone has any
opinions as to what it actually is. Its surface is smooth and appear to be made of flint. Thanks for
any opinions. (it was found in upstate NY and it is 3 1/2 inches long)

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Not a spear...Can we see other side....?

 

[tcurrier]

Other side:

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Nice knife.......

 

[quito]

Yep, very nice Knife. Good find!!

 

[tcurrier]

Wow, neat.... I never thought of it as being a knife. Makes sense though, with the indentations
being toward the front of it. I found it when I was about 10 years old, but I knew at the time
that it was something special. Thanks for identifying it for me. Is there any chance that this
could even pre-date the Indians, like something pre-historic ?

Side view:

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I don't believe indentions have anything to do with purpose of point. Chip on bottom of second picture appears to be damage, one on top is flaked....

 

[Americus]

Nice find. Thanks for sharing.

 

[old digger]

Welcome to TNET!

Nice halfted knife! The notches are where it was latched onto a handle.

 

[tcurrier]

Thanks, the term is actually 'hafted ', right? I'm assuming that there is no way to estimate the 'manufacture' date of the artifact or even if it was of Native American Indian origin, correct?

 

[coinman123]

Thanks, the term is actually 'hafted ', right? I'm assuming that there is no way to estimate the 'manufacture' date of the artifact or even if it was of Native American Indian origin, correct?

Based on the style of knife it is you can roughly get an idea on age. I'm just not good at doing it

 

[creekhunter]

Looks to me like a Turkeytail that was broke at the tip and reworked into a scraper, JMHO

 

[T.C.]

I think you nailed it!!

Looks to me like a Turkeytail that was broke at the tip and reworked into a scraper, JMHO

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Welcome aboard tcurrier.

It looks like what you have is a basic Knife form used for pretty much through every culture. The indentations you see, as Treasure Hunter pointed out, are one from damage and the other looks to be use wear that was rechipped.

Where was it actually found? Did you find it in Florida? The material looks very similar to some Ohio Flint called Coshocton. As far as age, that type was used in Archaic times as well as Adena and Hopewell. It doesn't look to have the beveling one would expect to see on an Archaic Knife of that type so my best guess would be Woodland in age which would put somewhere between 1000 BC and 1000 AD. If you had other pieces found in the general area with it we could probably narrow it down more.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I think you nailed it!!

Sorry, I have to disagree. Those aren't notches and that isn't the base. It is clearly use damage on one chip and probably plow damage on the other.

 

[Charl]

Thanks, the term is actually 'hafted ', right? I'm assuming that there is no way to estimate the 'manufacture' date of the artifact or even if it was of Native American Indian origin, correct?

Yes, it is Native American. You asked if it pre-dates Native Americans. No, they were here first.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

IMO one "notch" is recent damage, there is no re-flaking, the other "notch" is old damage or usage that was re-flaked to sharpen... Not a turkey tail or hafting...

 

[quito]

The basal thinning makes it obvious which end is the base. IMHO anyway.

 

[T.C.]

We can agree to disagree....

Sorry, I have to disagree. Those aren't notches and that isn't the base. It is clearly use damage on one chip and probably plow damage on the other.

 

[Charl]

Sometimes these extra features on knives, etc. are tool surfaces in their own right, and deliberate for a specific purpose. Here is a pipe bowl reamer with a snapped base and the indentation seen is likely a spokeshave. At least it seems to show such usage. But I can't tell you if that's the case with your knife or not. Interestingly, opposite the indentation on this reamer, the very beginning of another was being worked in, if I am seeing things correctly. At any rate, when I see knives like yours, first thing I try to determine is if chips as seen on your tool were there for a reason, or simply damage, or resharpening, etcetera....