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How to Find Indian Arrow Heads

Made of stone, ceramics or bone, arrowheads are important historical artifacts of what Native Americans used in their daily lives. The arrowhead was normally mounted upon a spear and formed the primary weapon for hunting. To find an arrowhead, you'll need to search in locations where Native American populations lived and also places that have been recently disturbed by building or excavation. Study common arrowhead features and shapes before you start digging so you'll know what to look for.

Things You'll Need

Notebook and pencil
Topographic map
Plastic bags
Flashlight
Camera
Water
Snack (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the places where you will search for arrowheads. With few exceptions, public land is off-limits to arrowhead hunting. You can do research online and at your local library to find places of Native American settlement in your geographic region.
- 2
  Contact a professional archaeologist for the ethical implications in finding arrowheads. Your discovery may contribute towards more knowledge about Native American lore, so proper documentation is essential. Further, your arrowhead find may lead to a new historic site. Archaeologists will be able to tell you more information about the arrowhead's age, usage and other historical facts.
- 3
  Choose a day to hunt after a strong rainfall, since rain contributes to soil erosion and may expose previously buried arrowheads. Start early in the day for the best light.
- 4
  Bring a notebook to document the arrowhead, precisely where you found it and make a sketch. Those arrowheads lost during a Native American hunt could be found near other native artifacts or by themselves, so their exact location is important. In addition to a notebook, you'll also want to bring a topographic map, plastic bags for collecting, a flashlight, water, a camera and maybe a snack if it's going to be an all-day expedition.

Fossil Collecting