Show us your Arrow Points .......

[Ralph Bryant]

Here are a few frames of arrow points that I have picked up over the years, mostly in Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. Enjoy

[greywolf22]

Ralph
You sure have a nice collection. I almost bought a collection from Spiro from Carlos Black a number of years back. Here is a picture of the collection. Maybe you ended up with a few of these.
Jack
Spiro

[south fork]

Thanks Ralph amazing artifacts.

[Ralph Bryant]

Thanks guys. Jack, those would be the Tribute Points from Craig Mound. I believe there were a total of only 25 of those found all in one cache, the triangular ones with the serrated wing. Never did own one, but I think Ken Partain had one of them several years ago. Pete Bostrom also did a casting of one of the best examples. Those Alba points aren't too slouchy either...... That one frame of Spiro points above with the cardboard tag has several points in it that were found back in the 1930s long before I was born. They were wired to a piece of cardboard with the notation shown in the frame. The original finder appeared to be "T.J. Harrison" back in 1934. I never tire of reading or learning about Spiro. I always thought it was interesting that there are written records by members of the original "Pocola Mining Company", the first diggers at the mounds, of some human remains being found there that were reportedly between 8 and 9 feet in stature. Always wondered if that person was some genetic relationship to the "red-headed giants" of the desert southwest tribes. I also learned recently that there was a gentleman by the name of John Hobbs that resided for awhile here in the small Northwest Arkansas town where I live, but have not been able to confirm if it was the same John Hobbs who was one of the original Pocola Mining Company diggers back in the 30s. Still researching that.

[greywolf22]

Ralph
That is a very nice point, my o my. I have the book "The Spiro Mound: A Photo Essay" by Larry -and- Chris Merrian and Dr. Robert Bell. I am sure you have this in your collection. Its a great book for those who want to study Spiro.
There was a tribe of Indains that lived on the coast near Corpus Chrisit called the Karankawa with the male memebrs of the tribe well over six feet tall, well proportioned and muscular, much larger than other precontact tribes. This tribe practiced ritual cannibalisum and were the tribe that La Salle pissed off when he stole one of their canoes, and they came calling to get it back. The Spanish warred bitterly with them for years, the Mexicans made peace with them, then the Texans wiped them out after the Mexicans were removed from Texas.
There is a very good book on the Karankawa "The Karankawa Indians of Texas" by Robert A. Ricklis, published by Univeristy of Texas Prss, Austn. Dr. Thomas Hester was the editor on the book.   
Jack

[turkeytail]

Awesome stuff Ralph! Thanks for the peek!

[Neanderthal]

Absolutely stellar displays of points Ralph, I'm partial to some of the Sequoyahs in there.

[Ralph Bryant]

Thanks for the comments guys. Jack, I do have the Merriam Spiro book, excellent reference material that I would highly recommend to any collector. Some of those early photos of the digs are great, as well as the artifact photos.
Neanderthal, those Sequoyahs are some of my favorites too. Love the little serrated points. Some of those look like they must have used a straight pin as a flaking tool they are so small. That wild looking thing, third from bottom right in the 4th photo is an awesome variation, though I don't quite know what it would be called. Found it one rainy Sunday afternoon just outside the Spiro Mounds State Park. It was washed clean and sitting up perfectly on top of a clod of dirt like someone had just laid it down there for me to find. That's the way I like to find them........
Here's another good shot of one of those Craig Mound Tribute Points. If I were a betting man, I would say those more than likely were traded into Spiro from Cahokia, as triangle types in general did not seem to be made or used much there.

[greywolf22]

Ralph
I have one similar that was found along the Redriver in Northeast Texas. I also do not know what to call it. I showed it to Dwain Rogers and he said he did not know. Any idea what it might be? Very fine edge work.


Jack

[shartis]

Great looking points. Don't think they can get much better

[Ralph Bryant]

I would classify that one as a Haskell (arrow) Jack. The basal area is a little wider than most, but the distinct style is there. If you have Perino book 1, look at page 174 illustration second from the right on the bottom row. Very similar base with angular notching. The Haskell, Morris, and Sallisaw points are all very similar, with the difference in the angle of the stem barbs and the basal notch. The Haskell has a softly concave base edge and can be either corner or side notched, while the Morris is generally side notched and has a distinct base notch with basal barbs that sweep outward. The Sallisaw is corner notched and the basal barbs droop downward while also having a distinct basal notch like the Morris type. In this photo, numbers 13, 14, -and- 20 would be Haskell types, numbers 23, 34, -and- 35 would be Morris types, and numbers 21, 24, 26, 27, -and- 29 would be Sallisaw types. Point number 28 is the infamous "Agee-A", which in reality is a hybrid style somewhere between the Sequoyah and the earlier Scallorn. The Sallisaw and Collier (Dardanelle) types are both nearly identical with the exception of the base notch on the Sallisaw type, and both are normally found in close proximity to each other and rather common to the Spiro site.
Nice point you have there, and a type that extends down into northeast Texas. Looks like tan jasper material from the photos.

[CMD]

Boy, they made some amazing points out your way!  Thanks for sharing, Ralph.
Charlie

[CousinDan]

Real nice collection Ralph!

[Ralph Bryant]

Thanks Charlie,
We are lucky to be located where we are because these small arrow points (the longest of any of these shown is barely 2 inches in length) are second to none, even rivaling the northwestern "gem points" and Cahokia ceremonial or funerary pieces in many regards.  There is strong evidence of trading back and forth between the Spiro and Cahokia people here also.  These frames are mostly of the better quality "bird points" I have picked up over a period of nearly 45 years.  I still have hundreds of lesser quality pieces in old cigar boxes, broken, chipped, crude, or incomplete that don't pose well for the display case.  A few of these have been traded for, bought and sold with other collectors, but I still own most of them in my collection.  Like everyone else, I have regrets of ever selling any and wish I had all of them back again.  These days, I only trade or sell material obtained specifically for that purpose, and the little points I consider a "permanent" collection once behind glass.  For the most part, the smaller "birdpoints" tend to be of better quality and workmanship here than the longer darts, spears, and knives, and I have always had a fascination with the little ones since the day I found my first one.  Here is another tiny one I recently traded for, a white novaculite Hayes that measures barely 3/4 of an inch long, photographed next to a dime coin.  Even in such a diminutive size, the flaking on this tiny thing is out of this world beautiful.
Dan, thanks to you also for the cudos.  Glad you enjoyed the photos.
Ralph

[RyanVa]

Some PNW arrowpoints from Washington state and Oegon. There are some knife forms in this frame but the majority are arrowpoints. .