What do you call this style of spearhead?

[Plumbata]

This is a field-find chert spearhead from Peoria County, IL, 3 5/16 inches long with the curved edge of the base nicely smoothed, what is the proper name for this style?





Thanks!

 

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[Hippy]

I forgot to add a pic earlier, but here's a representation of a variety of different basal configurations and notching styles for Dovetails. Some of the notches can be very fine, where as the "hip-roof" style truncated base variety are much wider and "V" shaped. There's a few additional variations in notching styles not shown including the Ocala or Hardove style which are almost basal notched.

As you can see, the Dove making folks utilzed a bunch of different styles to make notches. You can find most of the subtypes on the same sites. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme nor reason to why some are shaped the way they are?

 

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[ToddsPoint]

Thank you all for your thoughts, though I must admit I feel just as perplexed now as I was before posting the question! For clarification, I'm from Peoria and got it in Peoria, and while I haven't had luck finding intact knapped pieces there, that chert seems to have been very widely represented among the broken pieces and debitage I've picked up.

I was brainstorming, and suppose deep thin notches would have been difficult without a copper or metal knapping tool like modern practitioners use, but guess a sharpened skinny antler tool could have been used? The expert almost fully circular flakes taken off the root of the notches also seem impressive to my untrained eye, is that normal?

I have washed the piece and will upload some additional pictures, and while I don't have a binocular microscope I do have a 60x loupe and handheld pocket microscope that goes up to 250x. What exactly are the surface deposits I should be looking for? just little raised grains or are there other features? What criteria should I be evaluating for it to be "obvious if it is fake or real"?

Thanks again!

If done right, the flakes that come out of the notches look like little sea shells. Yep, that's normal from an expert knapper.

Mother nature adds deposits of minerals and also organic deposits. Rust spots from implement touches. A faker can't add the variety of things usually present. A fake looks very "clean" under magnification compared to an old point.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I forgot to add a pic earlier, but here's a representation of a variety of different basal configurations and notching styles for Dovetails. Some of the notches can be very fine, where as the "hip-roof" style truncated base variety are much wider and "V" shaped. There's a few additional variations in notching styles not shown including the Ocala or Hardove style which are almost basal notched.

As you can see, the Dove making folks utilzed a bunch of different styles to make notches. You can find most of the subtypes on the same sites. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme nor reason to why some are shaped the way they are?

View attachment 1687531

Nice frame Hippy. You must be from Ohio, you display your point tip down. Gary

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Nice frame Hippy. You must be from Ohio, you display your point tip down. Gary

Hes from Indiana or Illinois I believe and I'm from Ohio but don't display point down. lol

 

[newnan man]

Hippy, that is a beautiful frame of points!

 

[rock]

It was 5 bucks at a flea market, the woman was selling modern household items and no other artifacts or antiques, and said her husband just found it a few days before in a Peoria Co field. She seemed completely innocent and honest and didn't know anything about "arrowheads" so there was no suspicion of deceit, plus it has some tiny fresh fleabites showing a much more "white" chert versus the more patinated beige surface so seemed legit to my untrained eye. I know that patina and polish can be faked by more sophisticated forgers but sincerely doubt that she would have gone through all that trouble to fake a damaged point to sell for 5 bucks. It still has the dirt on it as-purchased, and it appears as though the left 75% in the first pic was the rain-washed exposed portion when picked up.

I have no idea what the notching should or shouldn't look like but it seemed OK to me. Thanks for your thoughts!

If you want your $5 back send it to me and I will give you the money. Id take a $5 chance on it any day

 

[catherine1]

i don't look at flea markets for artifacts, But if i found one like that one for 5 dollars. I would search some place else....

 

[arrow86]

If you want your $5 back send it to me and I will give you the money. Id take a $5 chance on it any day

I’ll help you out and you can double your money I’ll give you $10 for it ..... sorry rock lol