STOP! - Arrowhead Collecting On The Web

ACOTW
Arrowhead Collecting On The Web
Arrowhead Collecting On The Web
TM
How Can We Tell The Difference Between An Ancient Arrowhead
And A Modern-Made Reproduction Point? Let’s Take A
Look At Some Of Each Side By Side And Note The Differences.
These two points are magnified
about six times their actual size, so
that we can look closely at a few
details which can help us note age
and authenticity.
The first thing which we can
observe is the surface of the stone
from which each point is knapped.
The agate point on the left has a
surface patination wich makes it
appear aged. It has changed color
from exposure, since we can see
the true color of the stone at the
very tip of the point, where there
has been a tiny break. The tip was
split when found. A remaining
portion came off after the point
was found by the author in 1963
or 1964 in western Oregon.
The Texas flint arrowhead on the
right shows a number of thin,
clear hinge pieces still holding on
at the end of the pressure flake
scars. In an ancient point most of
these would have fallen off due to
uncounted freeze/thaw cycles.
Any remaining hinge flakes
would also have soil or mineral
deposits accumulating at the
hinge line, in the notches and even
under the remaining flake ends, as
with the agate point. This point
was made in 2009 by the author.
Volume I, Number 7 10
November 2009