What are a few good arrowhead books?

[all_atv]

I'm looking to buy a few books to start studying up on what I've colected over the summer. I would like one with a lot of different types and time periods. One on the material types and flaking styles/paterns. Also maybe a general book on the everyday life of indians in my area (midwest, Iowa). Thanks

 

[uniface]

For your area especially, the Perino series.

Selected preforms, points, and knives of the North American Indians

Three volumes, as I recall.

 

[ohioaxeman]

Lar Hothem has plenty of books with lots of pictures.

 

[Neanderthal]

By far, the publications that uniface mentioned are the ones to search for. However, I doubt you'll be able to find all of them (or they'll cost you 3 legs if you do). You can still get vol. 2 &3 on occasion. I may be getting some volume 3 to sell before long.

Before Greg put out the large 3 volume set, he done a smaller 4 volume set with Robert Bell. They are still available, and for a good price. Go to this website http://www.ou.edu/cas/archsur/oas/publications.html and it is the "OAS best seller". This is a must-have set of books for any collector.

I HIGHLY recommend checking out your state Arch. society and the publications they offer. You can also get an Overstreet book, just don't put too much stock into the accuracy of it. Unfortunately, it's that way with a lot of publications out there.

If I can offer one piece of advice, it's to scrutinize and take much of what you read with a grain of salt. You will find that many "references" are nothing more than unlearned opinions. I commend you and wish you the best of luck in your studies.

 

[joshuaream]

In my opinion, any of the overstreet books will show you the range of flaking, material, sizes and variations of the major point types/clusters. As Matt pointed out, it's chock full of errors, but overall it'll give you lot's of pictures of a lot of authentic artifacts (and some really good fakes if the rumors are true about a few pieces.)

The Perino books are great, but don't come cheap and might be more info than you want (I love these books, but they aren't exactly page turners.) Like Mooreheads Bannerstone book, or the Birdstone book by Townsend, they are great investments that have increased over the years. They have that great detail that can only come from black ink drawings of points (great for understanding how authentic artifacts were made.)

For the general collector, I like any of Hothem's books. Lot's of pictures, stories, details, going from paleo to historic all readily available from any big book store, or Amazon. They aren't books that'll take you through the technical differences between the lance forms that might be found in your area (Angostura, Rice Lanceolate, Agate Basin, Hell Gap, Nebo Hill, to name a few), but it'll help you recognize the common point types, tools, and misc. artifacts you are likely to find or see.

If you are thinking about buying artifacts, I like Bennett's first book. That book, plus some basic magnification and your own field finds in hand for study and comparison, will save you a lot of money over the coming years.

 

[Jonnyreb]

I was about to suggest Perino's three vollume set as well, but I was beat to the punch there. I was lucky enough to live 20 miles from Mr. Perino, and bought the set from him at his house. The first two first, he was still working on the last one, but I bought it too which I got him to sign for me for posterity.
Hothem books would be great for you. Most of his stuff does concentrate on the Midwest and its full of great photos and such. As Matt said, the vollumes that Perino and Bell coauthored together are MOST excellent. They cover everything from the early fluted paleo forms to metal historic period points.
Good luck with your addicting hobby.