How to Identify Different Stone Arrowheads

Finding Arrowheads

• 1

  Read books on Native American history for the area in which you plan to hunt for arrowheads. Know what kind of points the tribes in the area made and what materials they made them from.

• 2

  Study the topographical atlas and compare it to locations that you know, or maps that are in the books you read. Look for old sloughs, river channels and where small creeks or streams might meet. High ground near these locations was often the sites of old Indian villages.

• 3

  Hunt in areas where the surface of the land has already been exposed by erosion, farming or construction. Ask for permission if you will be hunting on private land. Most public land is off-limits to artifact hunters.

• 4

  Sketch a rough map of the area in which you will be hunting. Mark it to keep track of areas you have already searched and of locations where you make a find.

• 5

  Examine every piece of stone on the surface that looks like it may have been worked. Arrowheads were often chipped from flint or chert, but they were also made from bone, ceramic and other stone materials.

• 6

  Move rocks and stones with a long, pointed stick to avoid constantly bending and stooping.

• 7

  Pick up any piece that may be an arrowhead or other artifact and place it in a snack-sized plastic bag. Number the bag and place a corresponding number on your map so you know where you found it.

Cleaning Arrowheads

• 8

  Soak any possible arrowheads made of stone in warm water, then clean them with a soft bristled brush.

• 9

  Brush any artifacts that may be made of wood , shell or bone with a dry soft bristled brush.

• 10

  Let any possible arrowheads or projectiles air dry on a cloth or paper towel.

Identification

• 11

  Open your field guide on identifying arrowheads to the section most likely to relate to Indian tribes that once occupied the area where you found your specimens.

• 12

  Study the arrowhead carefully in good light to determine what it is made out of. Decide whether it is stemmed and if so look at the shape of the stem. If it is stemless, check to see whether it is fluted. If it is notched, verify whether the notches are on the side, or from the corner.

• 13

  Consult your field guide to match your arrowhead with identified specimens. Label the bag until you are ready to mount your collection.