Creation Date

9000 BCE – 500 CE

Description

Framed collection of 71 arrowheads. They range in size from a half inch to about 4.5 inches. In 2015, Archaeologists from the Minnesota Historical Society visited our museum and identified several of the pieces in this collection. The large, dark spearpoint is middle woodland. The white spearpoint is Agate Basic Paleo from 8-10 thousand years ago.

Notes from Mike Michlovic in 2023:
The artifacts in this case consist mainly of projectile points. The larger of these were probably meant as tips for spears (cast or thrust by hand) or darts (used as tips for atlatls, also known as spear throwers). Smaller points were probably used more often for arrows. The bow and arrow may not have been introduced in the region until around AD 500, so the smaller tips may be later in time than the larger ones.
Projectile points are classified as ‘types’ based mostly on the configuration of the haft element, or the base of the point. The haft might be simply thinned, so that the point is an elongate shape (lanceolate), given a stem (stemmed), or in many cases notched, either on the side on at the corners of the base (side-notched or corner-notched). This case includes many larger points which have the characteristic shape of projectile tips made in the Middle to Late Archaic and into the earlier portion of the Woodland period. This would be from about 4500-1500 years ago (2500 BC – AD 500).
The dark brown lanceolate point in the top of the case has an off-center ‘flute’ scar, from the base to the interior of the point. This is typical of the Paleoindian period, prior to about 11,000 years ago.