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Interpreting Broken Arrow Points

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

William Engelbrecht
William Engelbrecht*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 (engelbwe@gmail.com)
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Abstract

This paper compares unnotched triangular arrow point refits (conjoined fragments) with whole points from the Eaton site in New York. The differences between the two samples are significant, suggesting that point typologies based on whole points may be misleading. Refits tended to have greater length to width ratios and lower thickness to length ratios, rendering them less durable. While lack of durability is generally considered to be a negative characteristic of stone points, fragmentation of a projectile in an enemy or hunting prey creates a large internal wound cavity, which is desirable. Also desirable is a point base that makes a cut wide enough to prevent drag on the arrow shaft, but narrow enough to have a good chance of passing through the ribs of the target.

Résumé

Résumé

En este trabajo se comparan las puntas de proyectil re-ensambladas (fragmentos que remontan) con las puntas enteras procedentes del sitio Eaton, New York. Los resultados muestran que las diferencias entre las dos muestras son significativas, lo cual sugiere que las tipologías basadas en puntas enteras pueden ser engañosas. Las puntas re-ensambladas suelen tener may ores proporciones de longitud y anchura y menores proporciones de longitud y espesor lo cual les hace menos duraderos. En general se considera una característica negativa lafalta de durabilidad de las puntas, sin embargo la fragmentación de un proyectil dentro del cuerpo de un enemigo o de la came de la presa crea una gran herida en la cavidad interna lo cual es deseable. Otra característica esperable es que la base de las puntas realicen un corte lo suficientemente ancho como para prevenir o evitar la fricción en el asta de la flecha, pero asimismo suficientemente estrecho para que tenga una buena probablidad de pasar por las costillas del blanco.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 80 , Issue 4 , July 2015 , pp. 760 - 766
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2015

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