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True Arrowheads
- Thread starter Nicodemus
- Start date
White Horse
Senior Member
Making replicas is a big subject and a sore spot for some.
There are a bunch of people making flint points and associated tools. As stated above most knappers have enough integrity not to pass replicas off as antiques, though there are some who do. And, after a replica has been through several hands the current owner may not know that it’s 5 years old instead of 5,000.
Likewise, there are several crafts people who make replicas from historical times, including silver work, quill work, parfleche, etc., and their work has sometimes appeared in the big auction houses as an antique.
Bill and Kathy Brewer make very fine replicas, mostly of Plains Indian artifacts from the 19th century. They have a long movie list; almost any movie of the last 30 years that has Plains Indians in it has some props that were made by the Brewers. They mark every piece, but their works have shown up for sale with their mark obliterated. They also keep a record of each piece with photos, and they watch the auctions. Sometimes the PhD’s can hardly believe that they have been fooled by the Brewers.
GLS
Classic Southern Gentleman
tens of thousands of dollars have been spent on fake "vintage" duck decoys sold at auction as authentic. Gil
KentuckyHeadhunter
Senior Member
Some of my true arrowheads from eastern Kentucky. 
westcobbdog
Senior Member
Do the points that are complete true arrowheads have a name? Also what period would they be from? Thx.
They`re from the Mississippian Time Period, and have various local names. Around here they`re called Mississippian Triangles. Some folks like to call them "bird" points, but they were used on everything up to and including bison, elk, bears, deer, people, everything.
crackerdave
Senior Member
I imagine the arrow makers held a high place in the tribe.
Wonder if they had a union?
Wonder if they had a union?
KentuckyHeadhunter
Senior Member
Actually yes. All artisans and specialty craftsman were held in high regard in most primitive societies. It was a gift from the gods. For example in my research in the Solomon Islands only a male infant born with the umbilicus wrapped around its neck was chosen to be a woodcarver.
I always referred to them as bird points myself . I may dig some of mine out later
True arrowheads probably started in the Woodland period with the Yadkin point, but most of them are Mississippian. There are a lot of different type names for them, but they are often redundant, so that's why I also just call them Mississippian triangles. What is called a Caraway or Madison here might be called something different in Georgia or FL, even though it is pretty much the same point from the same time.
Triple C
Senior Member
One of the ol' timers on here that seldom posts anymore @Al33, has killed the GA Big 5 - deer, bear, turkey, hog, and gator, with points he knapped, river cane arrows he made and shot out of a self bow he made himself.
Killed a deer at my place with a point that I thought was too small. Deer piled up within 20 yds.
Deadly in the right hands.
Killed a deer at my place with a point that I thought was too small. Deer piled up within 20 yds.
Deadly in the right hands.
Something to remember, that the Timucuans and Calusa learned when they encountered the Spanish Conquistadors. Take the foreshaft and point off the arrow and shoot them with just the fletched rivercane arrow. A flint or coral point will shatter against chain mail. A rivercane shaft will splinter and all those splinter will penetrate the chain mail and enter the body.
Just a little information we`ll never use....
Just a little information we`ll never use....
Pig Predator
Useles Billy’s Fishel Hog Killer ?
In some old photos of warriors you see them with armor that they've made. They have horses. I often wonder if they had armor like that before they encountered the spanish?
Florida Indians with armor? Post some of those photos if you can.
Pig Predator
Useles Billy’s Fishel Hog Killer ?
I think they were western Indian photos.
Aside from straightening the joints, would I need to fire treat the river cane or is drying sufficient for this purpose?
Drying and straightening is plenty good. You get a good bit of heat tempering just by straightening the joints. You can heat temper them more, but I don't think it's necessary. I usually also scrape the rind off.
Which tribe was it that still used the atlatls that were skewering the Spanish with them? I remember reading about it, but don't remember exactly which ones. I think it was somewhere on the Gulf coast?
KentuckyHeadhunter
Senior Member
Wonder why they were still using them?
