Projectile Point and Hafting Design Review

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calvin D. Howard
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Change ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Continuous Change ◽  
Design Review ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Design Variation ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Comparative Nature

Design review provides insight into possible factors influencing the rapid change of lithic point types and their associated hafting technology during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The contribution of foreshafts, fluting, notching, and point morphology to weapon system performance was reviewed. Comparison of functional characteristics of lithic projectile points versus rod-shaped points of calcareous materials suggests a prehistoric preference for lithic points that was primarily due to the comparative nature and hemorrhage characteristics of the wounds produced. The design review indicates that the technological chronology observed in the archaeological record is far too complex and non-linear to be envisioned simply as a continuum of functional and maintainability improvement, but is best explained as the result of experimentation and design variation in response to continuous change in hunting conditions, methods, and emphasis.

Points in Time: Direct Radiocarbon Dates on Great Basin Projectile Points

2013 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey M. Smith ◽  
Pat Barker ◽  
Eugene M. Hattori ◽  
Anan Raymond ◽  
Ted Goebel
Keyword(s):  
Great Basin ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Primary Means ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Cross Dating ◽  
Age Estimates

AbstractTypological cross-dating is the primary means by which archaeological sites are placed into chronological frameworks. This approach relies on the assumption that artifacts at undated sites—usually projectile points—are coeval with similar artifacts found at Other, dated sites. While typological cross-dating is necessary in regions dominated by open-air lithic scatters, the approach can be problematic when undated and dated sites are separated by significant distances. Here, we present radiocarbon dates on projectile points with organic hafting material still attached or found within organic storage bags. Our results provide unequivocal ages for various morphological projectile point types at several Great Basin locales and should be useful to researchers seeking local age estimates for those point types, which often involves relying on chronological data from more distant sites. The results also highlight potential issues with uncritically applying typological cross-dating using typologies based on metric attributes, and in two cases, suggest the need to revise the age ranges for certain point styles in the western Great Basin.

Stone Artifacts

1949 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 152-178
Author(s):  
Alex D. Krieger
Keyword(s):  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Stone Artifacts ◽  
Stratigraphic Position ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Three Phases

With some exceptions, notably the projectile points, the various artifacts of stone, flint, and pigment are simple in nature and will be but briefly described. Figures 53-61 provide illustrations of nearly every descriptive grouping, specimens having been selected to show ranges of variation; the more variation —as in projectile point types—the more specimens are shown.Tables 17-18 show the stratigraphic position of all stone artifacts and pigments found. Ordinary household artifacts such as milling stones, hammerstones, hones, knives, scrapers, and gravers were but sparsely represented in the mound, as might be expected. But since the mound provides our only sure stratigraphic control, the general dearth of utilitarian artifacts in it renders their occurrence in the three phases of occupation uncertain. That is, absence from one or more of the mound phases could be due to chance where only ten or a dozen (or fewer) specimens of a particular group came from the mound.

The Earliest Cultures in the Western United States

1962 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex D. Krieger
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Chipped Stone ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Geological Position

AbstractNearly all writers on the antiquity of man in America assume that the oldest archaeological sites contain chipped-stone projectile points and therefore cannot exceed an age of some 12,000 to 15,000 years, the estimates usually given to such projectile-point types as Sandia and Clovis. Suggestions of older sites, with radiocarbon dates ranging from some 21,000 years to as much as “greater than 37,000 years,” with simpler artifacts and an absence of stone projectile points, are generally viewed with suspicion if not abhorrence.A recent paper by E. H. Sellards considers seven localities in the western United States and Baja California which, because of geological position and radiocarbon dates, are probably too old to contain stone projectile points. The writer agrees with Sellards that these localities are archaeological (except for that at Texas Street in San Diego, California), but disagrees that those in coastal locations are different from those in inland locations for “ecological” reasons such as food supply and availability of stone. The differences may be explained in that those sites on the shores of extinct lakes were never covered by overburden, whereas those which were covered by alluvium or sand are known to us now only by varying amounts of exposure by erosion or excavation (or both).

The Burin-Faceted Projectile Point

1963 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremiah F. Epstein
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Indian Point

AbstractA series of Paleo-Indian and Archaic projectile points with burin facets at either the proximal or distal end is described. Most of the points come from Texas. The burin facets appear to be intentional products of the burin technique, used either for the production of burins and burin spalls, or for modifying the shape of the point itself. Paleo-Indian point types with burin facets include Clovis, Cumberland, Folsom, Plainview, Meserve, Angostura, and a number of variant forms. The data suggest that the burin or the burin technique may have been widespread throughout North America during early fluted-point times.

Aspects of Culture Change in the Late Prehistoric Period on the Northwestern Plains

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-332
Author(s):  
Caroline R. Hudecek-Cuffe
Keyword(s):  
Culture Change ◽  
Late Prehistoric ◽  
Stylistic Variation ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Late Prehistoric Period ◽  
Northwestern Plains ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Point Type

Stylistic and temporal differences in projectile points have long been used by Plains archaeologists to establish chronologies of cultural complexes for the Northern Plains. This practice is often extended to using changes in projectile point types as indicators of culture change. However, since culture is a multivariate phenomenon, culture change cannot be based on a single variable such as a projectile point type, but rather, all aspects of culture as represented in the archaeological record must be considered. With regards to the culture changes between the Avonlea and Old Women's phases of the Late Prehistoric Period on the Northwestern Plains, archaeological evidence of lithic and ceramic assemblages indicates a general continuity between the two phases rather than a distinct break. Thus, any differences between the two phases should not be regarded as involving major culture change but rather as a sequential transition with gradual stylistic variation in projectile points and ceramics.

Identifying Dart and Arrow Points in the Great Basin: Comment on Smith Et Al.'s “Points in Time: Direct Radiocarbon Dates on Great Basin Projectile Points“

2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan Hockett ◽  
William R. Hildebrandt ◽  
Jerome H. King
Keyword(s):  
Great Basin ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
New Information ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Large Side

Smith et al. (2013) provided important new information concerning the ages of a variety of projectile point types found in the Great Basin. Two of their interpretations, however, deserve further discussion. Smith et al. (2013) concluded that the Nicholarsen (or Nicolarsen) Cache contains both dart and arrow points. However, our application of methods developed by Hildebrandt and King (2012) to distinguish dart and arrow points, indicates that the Nicholarsen Cache contains arrow points exclusively. In addition, we suggest that the two ca. 6,800-year-old “Elko-Eared” points identified by Smith et al. (2013) are Large Side-notched points.

Projectile Point Typology and Chronology in the North Central Sierra Nevada

2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-183
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Morphological Variability ◽  
Western Slope ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
The North ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
American River ◽  
Point Types

Despite years of concerted research, no well substantiated projectile point chronology for the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada has been established. Several reasons for this have been identified, including a lack of datable contexts, stratigraphic mixing, and excessive morphological variability resulting from material constraints and regular tool resharpening. Existing projectile point typologies, while accommodating the full range of morphological variation, have proven cumbersome due to large numbers of distinct types and sub-types. Further, chronological control has relied on inferences drawn from other regions, with little local support for inferred point sequences. To address these problems, the following study employs a large assemblage of projectile points from three stratified archaeological sites in the American River watershed. Projectile points are segregated using two common measurements—neck width and proximal shoulder angle. The newly defined types are then compared to regional stratigraphic patterns, revealing a consistent sequence of dart and arrow point types spanning the middle through late Holocene.

Size and Shape Variation in Late Holocene Projectile Points of Southern Patagonia: A Geometric Morphometric Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Charlin ◽  
Rolando González-José
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Morphometric Study ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Southern Patagonia ◽  
Point Types

AbstractSince the beginning of systematic archaeological studies in southern Patagonia (Argentina and Chile), projectile points have played an important role as cultural markers. A sequence of projectile point types was established according to their changes in size and shape. These stone tools, along with others cultural evidences, served to differentiate a series of “culturai periods” which were, for decades, the frame of reference to understand the cultural evolution in southernmost Patagonia. Although later researches have questioned several of these assumptions, the classical typology of projectile points continued in use until the present day. The goal of this work is to evaluate size and shape variation in two late Holocene projectile point types, known as Fell, Bird, or Magallanes IV and V points or Patagónicas and Ona points, respectively. These two types are compared using geometric morphometries and multivariate statistical analyses. The reliability in the discrimination between types is tested at the light of reduction. The analyses have shown a major incidence of reduction on shape rather than on size, and on blade rather than on stem. However, in average, types IV and V can be distinguished in terms of size, and stem shape despite reduction. Thus, even though successive cycles of use, damage and resharpening have a great influence over size and shape of projectile points, resharpening techniques are specific enough to maintain the differences of size and shape between types, a pattern that is probably related with functional requirements.

Darts, Arrows, and Archaeologists: Distinguishing Dart and Arrow Points in the Archaeological Record

2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon M. Erlandson ◽  
Jack L. Watts ◽  
Nicholas P. Jew
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Western North America ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Bow And Arrow ◽  
Point Types ◽  
Santa Rosa Island

AbstractUsing several methods to distinguish dart and arrow points, archaeologists have suggested that the bow and arrow appeared in various parts of the world between ˜65,000 and 1,000 years ago. Hildebrandt and King (2012) proposed a dart-arrow index (DAI) to help differentiate dart and arrow points, rejecting claims that the bow and arrow was introduced to western North America prior to the Late Holocene. We used the DAI and other methods to evaluate ˜11,700-year-old projectile points from Santa Rosa Island, obtaining mean values below the threshold for darts, comparable to several North American arrow point types. We have no direct evidence that these small points were used on darts, arrows, or hand-thrown spears, but faunal associations suggest that they may have served as harpoon tips used on atlatl darts to capture birds, fish, and marine mammals. The DAI and other methods for discriminating between dart and arrow points are based almost exclusively on ethnographic and archaeological specimens from interior regions. Our analysis suggests that such methods should not be applied universally, especially in coastal or other aquatic settings, and that archaeologists should continue to critically assess the antiquity of the bow and arrow and the function of projectile points worldwide.

scholarly journals Assessing Prehistoric Chronology in Piedmont Contexts

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-59
Author(s):  
Michael D. Petraglia ◽  
Dennis A. Knepper
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Projectile Point ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Projectile Points ◽  
Site Occupation ◽  
Point Types ◽  
The Relationship

The chronology of six prehistoric archaeological sites in piedmont contexts of northern Virginia are evaluated. Timing of site occupation and regional chronology is assessed on the basis of commonly accepted projectile point styles and radiocarbon dates. The relationship between projectile points and absolute dates is examined. Three projectile point types, the Lobate, the Piscataway, and the Woodland Site-Notched, are evaluated with regard to their possible temporal contexts. Methodological issues and problems relating to the presence and quality of chronological data are explored.

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