286 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Of the points that might be safely termed arrowheads, there were 



but two that had notched shoulders^. With these exceptions all the 



arrowheads were triangular. The workmanship was good and most 



of the points were thin and evenly worked. The material in general 



was gray flint or chert but some points were found made from 



^ yellow jasper. Most of the points found 



/ ^\ on the eastern slope of the knoll were 



/ ' of this material. 



^j Of the flint blades, not arrow points, 



{ only two had notched shoulders. One 



; of these was a beautifully wrought 



blade, a spear or a knife, of white 





chalcedony. It is pictured in figure 41. 



There were several well-shaped oval 



blades and a few of the so-called '' leaf 



) ■ shape." Scrapers were fairly common, 



! i drills rather rare and spears rarer still. 



• There are a number of forms that may 



\ ^ ' safely be called knives. Plate 89 il- 



f lustrates the range of forms of the 



^, larger flints not arrowheads. 



^' J Triangular arrow points are com- 



~~" monly called '' war points " and notched 



Fig. 41 Spear ur knife of 1111 • j_ a 1 ^- • ^ ^ 



translucent chalcedony. The ^nd barbed pomts, huntmg pomts. 

 only form of this implement It does not necessarily follow, however, 

 found m the site. 



that these terms are correct, although 



quite popularly held. The Ripley Erie as well as those of other sites 

 were great hunters, as is manifest from the great quantities of 

 animal bones found in the refuse pits, and yet at Ripley only two 

 so-called '' hunting points '' were discovered. The great majority of 

 projectile points were of the triangular type, and these were found 

 in the ash pits among animal bones as well as in graves with the 

 bones of warriors and women. It would appear therefore that the 

 triangular points were used for hunting as well as war. Sites of 

 pre-Erian occui)ancy in Chautauqua county, and elsewhere in New 

 York. }ield only the barbed or shouldered " hunting ])oint," few tri- 

 angular arrowheads being found. Yet this fact does not point out 

 a ])eople who knew only of hunting and nothing of war. Specific 

 terms defining the use of such implements are, therefore, to be 

 avoided. They are more accurately described by their forms as,, 

 triangular, notched etc. 



