Phil from Maine

More than likely what you have is an arrowhead. The arrowheads came in many different shapes and sizes. Think about it they beat them out of rocks. It also looks as though the part used to tie it on with has broken away from it. You can see where the notch in it was started.
With so many broken ones as you state they most likely were making them there. Spearheads normally run 5 to 10 inches. They find them here around some of the beaches as the Passamaquoddy tribe traveled by canoe up this way. There is a lake up here with a cove named blood cove after 3 tribes came to battle there. They have an old burial ground there. Farther down where the stream runs out of the lake is a place where National Geographic did a photo shoot of the carvings on the rocks.
Congrats on your find.


Be carefull though as a tribe in your area would want to do some archilogy work there if they find out that there maybe more there.

This is an Native American knife way back then.

AquamanPSD

Thanks for all the information. The one I have definitely isn't 5 inches long so I guess it is probably a knife or a arrow head. It does look a lot like the stilwel that you posted. I can really see what you mean about the serations. Do you know what tribe those typically come from or what period? I have a friend that I don't really talk to much anymore that is really big into arrow head hunting. He has found a lot of points that are obviously not from around here because they are made with materials not available here, such as obsidian. I would be interested to know if this is a arrowhead from a tribe that was native to this area. It was made with typical flint that is readily available around here but it had some chert , sorry for the spelling, that you can see on the little pieces that were broke off the back. I'm not sure if there is any of that around here.

swampbuster

Very cool find congrats

snapper1982

not all knives were made like that. alot were also made with notches. dovetails (st. charles) are one example that were used as knives.

rogerstv

I'm no expert, but the end appears to be shaped for tying to something. I don't think it's a knife. I have to guess spear as I can't imagine their bows strong enough to fling an arrow with a point that large. Just a wild a$$ guess.

I must add that I love to find artifacts. They're precious as they aren't making anymore of them.

snapper1982

again. yes it is notched. yes that helps tie it in place but that does not mean it is not a knife! they had to be secured in place just the same as an arrow point or a spear! and yes it is possible that this particular point was actually used as an arrow point. but with all the reworking done on it from tip to base it was most likly a knife.

Mojotex

Found in Kentucky I am guessing from your profile?? This appears to be a knife blade. Knife blades are usually more rounded on the tip that lance or dart points, as this one is rounded. Often time larger points that are damaged are reworked, and it is not unusual to have a long lance point turned into a knife blade. The workmanship looks very good, though I'd like to see both sides and a profile. The better skilled makers' points and blades are often relatively thin and extremely symetric.

From the length (guessing 2 1/2" - 2 3/4") , the shape of the tang and the very slight seration, I am leaning towards a style known as "Decatur", but frankly I do not get all caught up in style unless it is truly one of the rarer, classic points. This is a very nice point and I'd certainly cherish it. It is a great find.

If you are not aware there were once upon a time 4 major groups of Native Americans that resided in Kentucky. The Shawnee once were found across about 75% -80% of the state with the Chickasaw in the far SW of the state, Cherokee in NE and the Yuchi in SE. I am not expert enough to know which might have made this point.

AquamanPSD

Yea this was found in the northern part of the state, penelton county to be exact. Here is a picture of the profile and also a picture of another on I found two years ago that a deer dug up for me at a mineral site! It sounds unbelieveable but I promise. I dumped a bucket of Lucky buck on the ground and two weeks later I walked up to it and the white colored one was sticking out of the ground at the bottom of the hole! That one was definitely a arrow point.

Wilcam47

Talk about needle in a haystack!....If its just a hunting site I'd search more...if you found an indian burial ground I'd leave it alone...just my thoughts on it...

Phil from Maine

While I also admit not to be any kind of expert on this matter. I still firmly believe it to be an arrow head. By looking at the side of it, it is to thin for a knife..