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Stone Arrow Heads

  

Category:  Fields and Streams

Via:  dave-2693993  •  7 years ago  •  70 comments

Stone Arrow Heads

Has anyone made stone arrow heads? What tools did you use? We started off the old way using antler after striking a couple stones to get some flakes. But we later switched to a flat file without a wooden handle. This worked very well.

Any other ideas?

When I get better I will try to get pictures of some we found and some we made.


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dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993    7 years ago

 Maybe tomorrow I can get some pics.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika     7 years ago

Looking forward to seeing some photos of the arrowheads dave.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

I'll try again tomorrow. They are fantastic. Both the ancient ones and the ones we made. They are made from chirt, quartz, obsidian and the bottom of an alkaseltzer bottle.

We have buckets of arrow heads we have found. but these are good examples.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

BTW some people say chirt is the same thing as flint and others say they are 2 different things.

 
 
 
Dowser
Sophomore Quiet
link   Dowser  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Geologically speaking, they are very similar.  Chert is a very fine grained silica material that is hard, able to be shart an retain the sharpness, but can also be crumbly.  Flint is a more pure form of chert and is rarely crumbly.  You can heat flint and make it ever more fine-grained, and was often used for those pieces used in arrowheads.  Chert is somewhat softer, and doesn't always have the characteristic breakage of flint.  Flint has a conchoidal fracture, like quartz, and chert isn't quite so conchoidal.  (A conchoidal fracture is like glass-- think of bullet holes in a window...)  Other words for similar stones, (similar in composition, habit, etc. is agate, porcelanite, etc...)  Flint can also explode, if placed in the fire, due to water contained in the rocks itself.  Usually, being hit by red-hot chips isn't that much fun!  Also, flint is also deposited as "vugs" in limestone, chert is more of a thickness of cherty materials at the bottom of a limestone column.

I don't know where you're located, but at Lake City, KY, down by KY Lake, there are cliffs of chert, with flint nodules near the bottom.  The beaches up and down the lake have a lot of flint and some chert of them.  Be careful building a fire down there!  The chert and flint are the remnants of limestone formations that have worn away, leaving the silica/quartz component, while the limestone is calcium carbonate...

I hope this helps.  thumbs up

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Dowser   7 years ago

Thank you so much Doweser. I wasn't feeling too well the past few days and much of today. But I really appreciate your incite.

It is very helpful.

 

 
 
 
Dowser
Sophomore Quiet
link   Dowser  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

I hope you are feeling better!

Thanks for your kindness!!!

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Dowser   7 years ago

Thank you.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Sounds great dave, looking forward to seeing them.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

I appreciate your interest Kavika.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993    7 years ago

Here are some that we have found. Forgive the arrangement. I have had difficulty with the camera and my health. Finally figured out how to reset the camera.

The dark ones on top are made of "chirt" and were found along the upper Patuxent. Our research indicated a tribe in that area traded with some tribe in the New York area and beyond for the material.

The white ones are quartz and were found along the Patomac. Some are damaged, but they are very old and have been used.

I hope this works.

IMG_0618_a.jpg

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

IMG_0618_a.jpg

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
link   Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

These are great, Dave! I did a lot of artifact hunting in the Shenandoah Mtns when I lived in No Virginia, which was the homeland of my Maternal Cherokee ancestors. I did find a few arrowheads, some pottery and stone hide scrappers. Whatever I found I turned over to the local museum that had a collection of Native American artifacts.  

But, it was fun to see what we could find. (smile)

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing   7 years ago

That is a good idea. Maybe when my father passes we can turn the bucket loads of artifacts we have found over to that museum. It will be a discussion between me, my brothers and sisters though. Where is the museum?

We have bucket loads.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
link   Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

It's been a while since I lived there and can't remember the name of the museum right off now, but, let me do some checking and I'll get back to you. 

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing   7 years ago

Great, thank you.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
link   Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Okayyy....I think this is the one that I donated to. I don't know if they are still taking in such artifacts at this time, it's been over 15 years since I lived back there, so it might be a good idea to check with them first to see if they are taking any donations like the arrowheads at this time. However, there are a good many museums in the area and some of the others might like to have them if the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum does not take them.

They are located in Winchester VA, and here is a link to the museum so you can find out more about them.

I hope this helps. (smile)

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing   7 years ago

This helps a lot RW.

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
link   Raven Wing  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Great! thumbs up

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Raven Wing   7 years ago

Thank you.

 
 
 
TTGA
Professor Silent
link   TTGA  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Dave,

If it's possible to remember in that much detail, or if you kept records, the location where each type was found is also very important.  Different tribal groups used different designs.  If the different designs can be located, it helps track travel patterns of the groups.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  TTGA   7 years ago

It would take the family to try to figure out the history of the items.

Most items came from along the Potomac just south of Sugar Loaf mountain. 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

photo is to small dave....the setting for size should be xxlarge512.

I'm referring to the first photo, the second one is great and very cool arrow heads. 

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

Thanks Kavika. Now I am tryiny to get a photo of some we made.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Looking forward to seeing the ones that you made dave.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Here are some we made. The camera is having difficulty. It keeps loosing its settings. I just do not have the energy right now.

The ones in the top row are made from obsidian using the antler of a buck.  The large one is just ceremonial. Obsidian and glass are pretty much the same.

The middle one is made from an alka-seltzer bottle I found at a fishing hole in the 60s. The chipping tool was a 2" flat file. The 2 white ones one the bottom were chipped using the same file.

IMG_0621_a.jpg

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Those are great dave, well done my friend.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

Thank you.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
link   JohnRussell  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

The middle one is made from an alka-seltzer bottle I found at a fishing hole in the 60s.

When did you actually make the arrowhead?

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  JohnRussell   7 years ago

Back in the 70s.

 
 
 
LMC-D
Freshman Silent
link   LMC-D  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Thank you for sharing. L

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  LMC-D   7 years ago

You are welcome.

 
 
 
Dowser
Sophomore Quiet
link   Dowser  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Great pictures!  Thanks for them!

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Dowser   7 years ago

Thank you so much.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient    7 years ago

I have to admit I have never made any arrowheads, However, learning a bit about the technique of making them is interesting. I guess that making one from an Alka-Seltzer bottle is not something that was commonly done before the white man came to America (LOL).

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

It is exactly the same as using obsidian.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Of course.  I wasn't thiinking of it being a glass bottle, I was thinking plastic.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

It is glass.

 
 
 
Dowser
Sophomore Quiet
link   Dowser  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

We call a lot of those, parts of the fossil Beerus bottlius ...  winking

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Dowser   7 years ago

LOL

That is funny.

 
 
 
Dowser
Sophomore Quiet
link   Dowser  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

thumbs up

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

It was interesting learning, The research pulled us into history 

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
link   A. Macarthur    7 years ago

It's always a positive to see unique subjects done well … particularly when so much negativity appears in media these days.

Please continue to share this and other articles, Dave.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

Thank you.

 
 
 
Spikegary
Junior Quiet
link   Spikegary  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

I watched an episode of 'Mountain Men' on the History Channel a week or two ago, and the gentleman in Wyoming (Tom Oar) made a bow and arrows back in his wilderness camp/home.  He's one of my favorite charac5ters on this show as he explains the many things he creates.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Spikegary   7 years ago

Very interesting. I don't watch TV, but if I can watch on youtube, I would love to.

 
 
 
Spikegary
Junior Quiet
link   Spikegary  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Should be able to or go to www.historychannel.com and you might be able to stream Mountain Men through that site.  Please let  me know if I can help you with the details.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Spikegary   7 years ago

Great. I will look that up.

Thank you.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

Maybe tomorrow, I will have the energy to show a long bow made from stone tools.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

Let me say, made from wood but carved using stone tools.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

That would be great, I would love to see it.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

I will try.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

I'm curioius to see what the string would have been made from, and what kind of wood is best - I would assume it should have the right amount of flexibility, not too much, not too little.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

This particular bow was made from locust. We aged it 25 -30 years.

It is pretty stiff at 120# draw. At my age and physical condition right now I could not string it. I still love it.

When I was younger we had 3 bows.  An 85#, a 100# and a 125# Bear Kodiak. The 85# and 100# eventually split so we retired the 125#.

My father got a 49#  locally made recurve  which was a was a fantastic hunting bow. I got a 65# Browning recurve which was also fantastic. 

We release with our fingers and do not use sights. 

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

Same string as any bow string. You just keep looping it.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

What is the length of the 49lb recurve dave? 

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
link   Buzz of the Orient  replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

What would have been used as string before the white man came?

 
 
 
TTGA
Professor Silent
link   TTGA  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

What would have been used as string before the white man came?

The same as what was used everywhere before any form of industrialization.  They used the sinews of animals.  These are the white threads of connective tissue between the muscles.

Later, when the methods of spinning wool and cotton thread became known, they used that because it didn't rot.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  TTGA   7 years ago

We also used some plant fibers and the inner bark of some trees, basswood was popular among the Ojibwe.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  TTGA   7 years ago

Sorry, TTga also gave us insight.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  TTGA   7 years ago

The same as what was used everywhere before any form of industrialization.  They used the sinews of animals.  These are the white threads of connective tissue between the muscles.

I could be wrong, but I believe the ancient Turks created the laminated recurve. I wonder how folks turned sinew into bowstring?

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Buzz of the Orient   7 years ago

Kavika gave us our answer.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

Ttga also gave a lot of information.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993    7 years ago

I would have to go to my dad's house. I am really not up to that.

It is not very long. But is very smooth and quiet.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
link   Kavika   replied to  dave-2693993   7 years ago

I have an eastern woodland recurve bow with a 35 # pull...5 feet 6 inches.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

I think this was shorter.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  Kavika   7 years ago

It was a local custom bow baker.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993    7 years ago

Oh, that makes sense.

I left all that to my dad.

That ,might take some research.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
link   A. Macarthur    7 years ago

It is encouraging to see so much activity with regard to a new subject and new member.

Too often the site gets bogged down on the FP where issues are seldom if ever resolved and the disagreement persists.

Thanks to Dave for a refreshing change.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
link   seeder  dave-2693993  replied to  A. Macarthur   7 years ago

I am tired of  the political nonsense. Neither party is interested in any of us. I am feeling terrible right now and need to go back to the things that are easy for me to speak about.

Thank you.

 
 

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