888 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



The attempt is here made to segregate and classify arrowpoints, 

 spearheads, and knives. In Europe they have always been denomi- 

 nated arrowpoints or spearheads, determinable only by their size; in the 

 United States, by comparison with those of the Indian of historic time, 

 we have been able to draw the line of demarcation possibly with greater 

 accuracy. We have also discovered, through the prehistoric as well as 

 the historic Indians, that these implements may have been used as 

 knives; therefore, in the headings, they have been denominated by all 

 three names — arrowpoints, spearheads, and knives. 



No racial or tribal classification is here attempted from these imple- 

 ments. If classified according to material, and afterwards divided 

 geographically, they ought to tell of the difference in the various 

 peoples using them, if any such existed. This work the author has yet 

 before him. 



We have already seen that the material employed would be that 

 which would serve the purpose best and was nearest ami most easily 

 obtained. The elements of commerce and ease of transportation must 

 be regarded in ascertaining the locality of the material. To correctly 

 determine this, we mnst consider the known facts as to distance, qual- 

 ity, weight, and value of material transported. 



The present classification is based on the form and size of the imple- 

 ment. In order that the series contemplated by the present classification 

 shall be as complete as possible, those from Europe which belong to the 

 earlier epochs are included. The weapons of the Paleolithic period — 

 the Ohelleen im])lements, tlie Mousterien spear points, the Solutreen 

 leaf-shaped and one-shouldered i^oints, and the Madelainien points and 

 harpoons — have been already described, and we have concluded that they 

 may have served as spears, lances, javelins, or harpoons, but not arrow- 

 points or knives. The leaf shaped implements used as spear and har- 

 poon heads in the Paleolithic i)eriod continued into the succeeding 

 prehistoric periods, and were then used as arrowpoints as well as for 

 spears or harpoons. This does not clash with the theory that arrows 

 were not used during the Paleolithic period. 



A classification of arrowpoints and spearheads has been attempted 

 by but few archiieologists. Sir John Evans,' General Pitt-Eivers,'' Sir 

 W. R. Wilde,^ and Dr. Charles Ran are the principal ones who have 

 essayed a classification, but in their descriptions they scarcely employed 

 their own. The first two gentlemen made four classes. Some of the 

 classifications were arranged according to probable successive develop- 

 ment, thus: leaf-shaped, lozenge-shaped, tanged or steinined, and tri- 

 angular. Sir W. R. Wilde (and Sir John Lubbock follows him) arranged 

 them thus: triangular, indented base, stemmed, barbed, and leaf- 

 shaped. Dr. Edwin A. Barber* as follows: leaf-shaped, triangular, 



1 Aucicnt Stone Implements of Great Britain, pp. 328-364. 



2 Primitive Warfare, Jour. R. U. Service Inst. 

 ^Catalogue of Antiquities, Royal Irish Acad., pp. 19, 21, 23. 

 ■• American Naturalist, XI, p. 265. 



