Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: MW on March 13, 2008, 09:46:00 PM

Title: Stone Blunts
Post by: MW on March 13, 2008, 09:46:00 PM
I was at the library today on a field trip with my kids to learn about the Dewie Decimal System well anyway after a quick search we turned up #930.1 which happens to contain a book "Arrowheads & Stone Artifacts" by C.G. Yeager.

On page 34 he talks about a Stunner.  It is an arrowhead often called a blunt and apparently rare to find.  It looks like a head with the tip broken off but there are obvious makes of being worked to that rounded head shape.  

Anyone out there using these for small game?

Mitch
Title: Re: Stone Blunts
Post by: knife river on March 13, 2008, 10:54:00 PM
Mitch, every "stunner" I've seen began life as an atlatl point, not an arrow point.  I haven't read a use-wear analysis of the things, but I'd bet dollars to donuts they were used as hafted scrapers (they're all unifacial).  Arrowpoints were generally tiny little things -- far smaller than what we'd consider effective.  However, folks made meat with them for thousands of years.  Sounds like you've got rock fever pretty bad...  Welcome to the club, buddy!    :jumper:
Title: Re: Stone Blunts
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 13, 2008, 11:24:00 PM
Mitch... back in the sixties I participated in some state organized rabbit hunts that drew guys from all around Missouri.

There was a bunch from the Bootheel area that used crescent shaped stone heads which were probably small scrapers, but none the less were the perfect size and weight for arrowheads.

Those boys could really sling a mean arrow and accounted for many rabbits on those hunts. The heads were crescent shaped with a short "tang" and nocked the beejeebers out of a cottontail.

Apparently there were no shortage of the heads in the southeast portion of the state as they all had bucketsful of them.
Title: Re: Stone Blunts
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on March 13, 2008, 11:43:00 PM
would like to see one of them.
Title: Re: Stone Blunts
Post by: MW on March 14, 2008, 12:03:00 AM
Interesting Charlie.

Woody,

The rock thing has me right now.  In the last few weeks I have built a big respect for you and others proficient at this craft.  I think by far this is the hardest trad skill I have attempted.

Heading out to a quary in the am to get more big rocks to break into small ones.

Mitch