How to Identify Midwest Arrowheads

Document the location where the arrowhead was found very clearly, including the depth at which it was buried in the ground and the presence of any other artifacts found at the same site. Request these same details whenever you purchase an arrowhead, and make a concerted effort to discern whether the information you have been provided is reliable. Develop a system of tying this providential information to all arrowheads you sell or give to others to both maintain the value of the object and to preserve its historical significance.

Educate yourself about the most commonly used materials for arrowheads in the Midwest---often flint or other types of chert. Learn what to look for in samples of each type of stone or other material used and how to differentiate between these types. Remember that many of the early Indians who used arrowheads were long-distance traders who may have brought in arrowheads made from unusual material from somewhere else.

Familiarize yourself with the variety of terms that are used to describe an arrowhead's shape and detailing. Pay special attention to the patterns that were created by flaking unwanted material away from the final stone point. Focus your attention on the method used to haft, or attach, the arrowhead to the arrow shaft, which is often a basic diagnostic detail indicating its time period. Use a magnifying glass to closely examine and identify the stone type and any small construction details.

Consult one of the many books and charts to determine into which classification your arrowhead most likely falls. Seek confirmation from other experienced arrowhead collectors in the Midwest region to verify your preliminary assumptions. Compare your arrowhead with other known specimens of the same time period, particularly if you are able to directly view a museum collection or well-documented private collection. Bear in mind that older information may have been superseded by newer publications that have incorporated newer finds and research---use the most recent sources you can find.

Contact your state's official archaeologist (most states have one) if your particular arrowhead defies identification with the easily accessible criteria and if none of your local experts can identify it. Be prepared to provide information regarding where the arrowhead was found and to provide a clear photograph (including a known item for determining scale) of both sides of the arrowhead. Permit the state archaeologist to physically examine the arrowhead if photographs are not sufficient, and allow him to document your find for other historians to study in exchange for assistance in identifying it.