New England Newb

[Looks2Much]

I just wanted to say hello. It has been a lifelong goal to find an arrowhead and it took me 36 years to achieve the goal! Thats not say I was actively searching for all that time, I just had no idea where to begin. Earlier this fall a friend of mine mentioned that his friend used to find arrowheads "all the time" at a location less than a mile from my house! It took me four trips to the spot to find my first one, a broken point that appears to be a Levanna. After that I was hooked, I spent several days hunting that same area and came up with four more broken points. Then I looked for another spot with the same basic features and I found a few more. Researching online taught me to look for flakes and chips and one day while fishing (my first obsession) I noticed a lot of chips all around my feet below the waterline... 40 minutes of searching uncovered two nearly perfect points - what I believe to be a Squibnocket Triangle and a Squibnocket stemmed. Now, I can't stop going. And when I'm not out there, I'm reading up in local history or pouring over maps. I always thought any arrowheads I might find would date back to the Pilgrims, I had no idea they'd be thousands of years old. I'm sick with obsession, I think I need help! I'd be interested to know what you guys think the typology of the points in my pics are. I did my best to identify them, but there are so many that look similar. I guess that's a long enough introduction! Lol. -Dave

[CMD]

Welcome from Rhode Island. Are you from Massachusetts? Nice finds. I would agree with Squibnocket Stemmed on the one. Not sure on the triangle. It depends if the base is ground. By definition, Squibnocket Triangles display no grinding, that is to say, smoothing of the base to prevent cutting the lashing, but Snappit points do show some grinding. Triangles are tough because we do have untyped Archaic Era triangles.

[Hi-Lo]

Welcome from southwestern southern Ontario.

[Looks2Much]

CMD, I am from Massachusetts but I'm in RI all the time. As mentioned in my original post, fishing is a major part of my life and it takes me everywhere. The thing I think about most now that I know what to look for is, "how many of these things have I walked right by over the years?!"

[Looks2Much]

Also, how do I identify grinding?

[SDhunter]

Welcome to the site. It's good to have you here.

[SDhunter]

Also, how do I identify grinding?

Take a magnifying glass, and look close at the base. It should look smooth and feel smoother, but with beach finds that are water worn, I think it could be a little more difficult than that.

[Looks2Much]

Thanks Gary, this was found in a small pond, so I think I'll be able to see what you're describing if it exists.

[CMD]

Also, how do I identify grinding?

It's like SDhunter said if it's a beach find. Otherwise, do as he suggested, or just rub the interior of the concave base with the tip of a finger. If it feels slick, smooth, not sharp enough to cut lashing, then it's probably ground. If it feels sharp enough to cut lashing, it's probably not ground. Snappit points are Middle Archaic, about 7000 years old. Squibnockets are Late Archaic, but also extend into Woodland times. Snappits can easily be confused with Squibs, so the presence or absence of grinding is used to distinguish. I think it can still be confusing though, as I feel I have found classic Squibs that seem ground. Snappits often show serrated or erose blade edges as well.

[CMD]

CMD, I am from Massachusetts but I'm in RI all the time. As mentioned in my original post, fishing is a major part of my life and it takes me everywhere. The thing I think about most now that I know what to look for is, "how many of these things have I walked right by over the years?!"

That's cool. As far as fishing in RI, you will find points on the bays and estuaries, coves, etc. As long as the beach has the right size rocks. Where streams enter the bay, even better. Where you will seldom, if ever, find points are on our Atlantic beaches. At least we have never found a point on any of our beautiful Atlantic beaches. We save those for sun and fun in the summertime:-)

[JoshinMO]

Welcome to the forum Dave!

[Hoss]

Hey you made it! LOL good to see you here. Like Gary and CMD have said look at the base but it is the edge of the base that would be smooth.

[CoachG]

Welcome from Tennessee.

[CMD]

Hey you made it! LOL good to see you here. Like Gary and CMD have said look at the base but it is the edge of the base that would be smooth.

Yeah, that makes more sense. With Snappits the lowest blade edge should be ground, but the interior concave base is also ground on Snappits. Since Snappits often( not always) have erose/serrated blade edges, I always just found it easier to feel the concave base to see if that is ground. By definition, Squibs display no grinding, but I have always questioned that because I find what seem to clearly be Squibs, not Snappits, that are ground. But I assume I must be mistaken since Boudreau does make clear that Squibs should not show grinding on basal edges or interior concavity.

Well, I just noticed in Boudreau's revised typology that he states lack of grinding on the base of Squibs is "not foolproof", and that may be why I have seemed to notice exceptions. Which will obviously lead to uncertainty in identification.

Also, on his page showing Snappit points, Boudreau shows 3 points from a Squibnocket Complex site that show Snappit-like traits, and he observes: "If there is no observable grinding, without a dated association, positive identification of Snappit points is simply not possible". This from the revised typology, which has not been published......

He also suggests that Snappit points may be descended from the Hardaway-Dalton(New England variant), and eventually developed into the Squibnocket Triangle.

[Scorpion68]

Hey Dave - Welcome Aboard. You're off to a good start with this thread. You've generated a lot of conversation and through that we all learn. Thanks for joining us and keep up hunting. ...Chuck