About Arrowheads

History

• The first evidence of arrows was found to date back to 40,000 years ago. Many cultures have utilized this projectile technology. The Egyptians used bows and arrows as long as they have had Pharaohs. The Old Testament referenced archery being practiced by ancient Hebrews. The bow and arrow also existed in ancient Asia, Europe, and North America. Today, archery is almost exclusively used for recreation.

Function

• The head is the most important part of a weapon. This is the part of the arrow that penetrates the target of this missile weapon. The arrowhead can also be used to increase the accuracy of the arrow. Many of these projectiles simply have sharpened shafts, but arrowheads can add extra weight to the arrow. The extra weight per space of the front of this weapon causes the projectile to have greater momentum, which causes the projectile to fly straighter until gravity and wind finally pulls the projectile to the ground.

Types

• Arrowheads can be made of all sorts of materials and the types of points vary. They can be made out of stone, metal, horn or other types of wood. Some of these projectiles are actually blunt, often used for target shooting. There are judo points that can actually get stuck in grass and other vegetation, which allow the archer to find his arrows. Broad arrowheads have multiple blades, meant to be more deadly. Safety arrowheads are padded to reduce the risk that the projectile will accidentally injure someone.

Expert Insight

• Many collectors seek out ancient arrowheads. The best place to seek them out is in freshly plowed areas after a rainstorm. Lakes are good locations to hunt. A bad place to hunt for arrowheads are in the obvious places, such as Native American burial grounds and areas where these artifacts have already been sought. However, farmland is just one of many areas that can be fruitful grounds for arrowheads.

Misconceptions

• One misconception is that all triangular objects found at archaeological sites are arrowheads. Another misconception is that the size of the arrowhead can be used to determine what the projectile was used to kill. Also, there was no such thing as projectiles used to stun animals; the blunted arrowheads were really used as tools for other tasks.