Arrowheads vs spearheads vs blades?

catman529 · Mar 13, 2012

I was under the impression that arrowheads are around 1.5" to 2" long and spearheads are around 3+ inches long. I know almost nothing though. My friend swears arrowheads are no bigger than 1 inch, anything bigger is a spear head (according to his dad who has collected an immense number of artifacts). I'm confused now... if I find a point that is 1.75 inches long which seems to be average size, is it most likely an arrowhead, spearhead, knife blade, or what?

pressfit · Mar 13, 2012

I dont know.. but.. the ones I have picked up that are over 1.5 inches long weigh so much I doubt a osage orange bow could shoot them fast enough to kill anything.. but like I said.. i dont know and would be interested in the answer..

redlegs07 · Mar 13, 2012

I have been told before that some of the bigger heads that are not quite spear big and people usually call arrowheads were actually used on an "ATLATL" weapon. Thats spelled correctly (and not yelling, i put in caps to differentiate between i's and L's) Which is a kind of spear thrower deal. It is my understanding the small light bird point deals were really "arrowheads"

Maybe that's right, IDK. I do know them big heads would hafta fly like chit shot outta a long bow.

redlegs07 · Mar 13, 2012

Took me a few mins trying diff spellings in google to get that spelled right. I had never written or typed it just knew what i called it "atta lay", lol

CATCHDAWG · Mar 13, 2012

redlegs07 said:
I have been told before that some of the bigger heads that are not quite spear big and people usually call arrowheads were actually used on an "ATLATL" weapon. Thats spelled correctly (and not yelling, i put in caps to differentiate between i's and L's) Which is a kind of spear thrower deal. It is my understanding the small light bird point deals were really "arrowheads"

Maybe that's right, IDK. I do know them big heads would hafta fly like chit shot outta a long bow.

Yep, and the really large ones are knife blades, not spear points.

geezer · Mar 16, 2012

Most surface finds are knives. The little "bird points" where the arrow points, but most used weapon was the atlatl or throwing stick. Check youtube out for atlatl, might be something we should make and start hunting with!