How to Identify Arrowheads & Points

Steps to Identifying Arrowheads and Points

• 1

  Take a good look at the object to get an idea of the type of material from which it is made. The majority of points and arrowheads are made of stone, whether obsidian, flint or cherts. More rarely, projectile points were fashioned out of bone or ivory.

• 2

  Examine the tool for its shape to ensure that it is a triangular and pointed--this is the general form of arrowheads. Points vary widely in shape, but they should always be sharpened, two-faced pieces of stone, ivory or bone.

• 3

  Research the area where you found the point or arrowhead during a trip to an actual or virtual library to determine whether the region was once a habitation of Native Americans or other historic tribespeople who may have used the artifact in question.

• 4

  Distinguish between an arrow point and a dart point by noting the artifact's size and weight. Dart points are larger and heavier than arrow points, which native people once used to tip arrows. Another sign differentiating the two types of projectile points is the width of the hafting area (where the point would have been fastened onto a stick to create a weapon). The greater this width is, the more likely that you have a dart point on your hands.

• 5

  Identify the point in question more precisely by consulting a reliable book on projectile points identifications and values. See Resources below for an example of such a book.