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Types of Early Arrowheads

As American Indian warriors set out to hunt for food or fight another tribe, weapons had to be made from whatever materials were available. Arrowheads became popular because the stone used to make them was strong, and they could be carved into whatever size or shape was needed. As time passed, arrowheads became more intricate, based on whatever design worked best. Many arrowhead types are named for their design, the region where they were used, their inventor or a well-known user.

Corner-Notched Point
- Corner-notched points have a notch toward the bottom of the arrowhead that held the sinew, or strong muscle tissue, that was used to tie the arrowhead to an arrow. The notch also helped the arrowhead stick inside an animal that was being hunted. These arrowheads were used from 500 to 700 A.D. on the U.S. east coast.
Barbed
- These were used more often in battle. The barbs on these arrowheads made removing them more difficult, and pulling them out would make the wound worse. Fighting between Indian tribes changed when trade with the French and Spanish introduced guns into their battles.
Agate Basin
- Leaf-shaped Agate Basin arrowheads are named for the Agate Basin region, which stretches from Montana to Mexico. They were used from 10,500 to 800 B.C.
Steel Points
- Steel points were made much like stone arrowheads, in similar shapes.
Four-Bevel
- A four-bevel arrowhead is a smaller version of a spearhead. These stone arrowheads were sharpened on both ends, so they could be rotated if one tip became damaged.
Clovis Point
- Named for the Clovis people who used them, these arrowheads are long and don't resemble the arrowheads we think of today.
Delhi
- Delhi arrowheads are long and pointed. They have been found all the way from the top of the United States down to the Gulf of Mexico. Paleontologists believe they are about 3,500 years old.

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