Arrowheads: History of Native American Artifacts

Arrowheads have been used by Native Americans since ancient times as weapons and tools.

An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, that was used as a tool in hunting and as a weapon during warfare. Native American arrowheads were used during ancient times, specifically in the Stone Age.

When making arrowheads, Native Americans chose stones that could be easily chipped and sharpened. Most arrowheads were made from various stones such as flints, obsidian, and chert; however, wooden and metallic ones have also been found. Native Americans made arrowheads using a chipping process called flint knapping. After the flint was selected, the large piece was cut down to size by a blow to the edge with a piece of hard stone. This is called percussion chipping and was repeated until the piece was thinned and shaped. The piece was then pressure chipped using a sharpened deer or elk antler to get the final product to the right shape, size and sharpness.