Archaic Period Hemphill Point Arrowhead
In Native American history, the Archaic Period refers to the time between 9500 and 650 BC. This period encompassed a long span of cultural development that transformed small Paleoindian groups into the larger and more complex societies.
During the thousands of years following the Ice Age, populations increased and humans settled into a range of environments. Generally speaking, Indians in the Archaic Period lived in hunter-gatherer communities that hunted wild animals, fished, and collected plants for food. In some areas, Indian communities became stable and sedentary, and ritual or sacred locations were marked with mounds and earthworks. Instead of nomadically moving to use natural resources directly, some groups traded raw materials and craft objects across wide areas. As these communities became more established, the Indians of the period started domesticating plants that later became staple grain crops of farmers.
During the Archaic Period, the habitats the Indians lived in contained far more plant and animal resources than were present during the preceding Ice Age. As a result, the Indians developed new technologies for obtaining food. Hunting animals continued to be important, and hunters used stone-tipped darts thrown with the aid of spear throwers (“atlatls”).
During the thousands of years following the Ice Age, populations increased and humans settled into a range of environments. Generally speaking, Indians in the Archaic Period lived in hunter-gatherer communities that hunted wild animals, fished, and collected plants for food. In some areas, Indian communities became stable and sedentary, and ritual or sacred locations were marked with mounds and earthworks. Instead of nomadically moving to use natural resources directly, some groups traded raw materials and craft objects across wide areas. As these communities became more established, the Indians of the period started domesticating plants that later became staple grain crops of farmers.
During the Archaic Period, the habitats the Indians lived in contained far more plant and animal resources than were present during the preceding Ice Age. As a result, the Indians developed new technologies for obtaining food. Hunting animals continued to be important, and hunters used stone-tipped darts thrown with the aid of spear throwers (“atlatls”).
|
The item in my collection is a Hemphill point arrowhead from Greene County, Arkansas. It measures approximately 2-1/4” X 1-5/16”. It is made from Penters Brescia Conglomerate and is dated from the mid to late Archaic Period. An evaluation certificate from Baker Authentication accompanies the arrowhead.
|
|