How do you identify a Clovis point?

Asked by: Erica Collier

Clovis points are wholly distinctive. Chipped from jasper, chert, obsidian and other fine, brittle stone, they have a lance-shaped tip and (sometimes) wickedly sharp edges. Extending from the base toward the tips are shallow, concave grooves called “flutes” that may have helped the points be inserted into spear shafts.

What do Clovis point arrowheads look like?

Clovis arrowheads have concave base and convex sides. The broadest areas for Clovis arrowheads are situated either in the near midsection or toward the base of the point. Clovis arrowheads are usually crafted out of stone or chert. Clovis arrowheads have typical slender blades and have parallel curved edges.

What is a unique feature of the Clovis point?

The most distinguishing feature of a Clovis Point, however, is the flute, which is a small groove roughly an inch long at the base of the tool. The purpose of the flute may have been to tie the point onto a shaft so it could be held without cutting the user.

Where would you be most likely to find Clovis points?

Clovis points, which were made early in the Paleoindian period, have been found throughout North America, most often associated with the bones of mammoths. Folsom points were made later, and they are found mostly in the central and western parts of the continent, often in association with the bones of bison.

How much is a Clovis point worth?

Star of the auction, the Rutz Clovis Point, sea green obsidian, 9¾ in, discovered by Les Ira Kreis in the early 1950s in a wheat field on Badger Mountain, near the community of Badger Creek Springs, Washington. Sold for $276,000.

Are Clovis points Rare?

Stanford says that Clovis points are rare, but it’s not uncommon to find them on beaches. However, usually someone goes looking for them, not the other way around.

Where are Clovis arrowheads found?

New Mexico

For many years, scientists have thought that the first Americans came here from Asia 13,000 years ago, during the last ice age, probably by way of the Bering Strait. They were known as the Clovis people, after the town in New Mexico where their finely wrought spear points were first discovered in 1929.

How old are Clovis artifacts?

Bracketing ages placed the Clovis artifacts between five radiocarbon ages averaging 10,600 ± 30 ¹⁴C yr B.P. (12,685 to 12,620 cal yr B.P.) and two radiocarbon ages averaging 10,920 ± 50 ¹⁴C yr B.P. (12,880 to 12,760 cal yr B.P.) (5, 20).

Why are Clovis points fluted?

This fluted point turned out to be an invention that allowed these colonizers to travel great distances with some confidence that their weaponry would hold up at least long enough until they could find the next rock quarry to make new points.

Which is older Folsom or Clovis?

Clovis is dated to 13,000 to 12,700 years ago and Folsom after that.

What are the most valuable arrowheads?

The most expensive arrowhead ever sold was a prehistoric Clovis point, made of rare green obsidian that went for a whopping $276,000! The most sought-after and rare arrowheads are Clovis points made from a unique material.

Why are Clovis points important?

The Clovis Point was a versatile tool, called a ‘projectile point’ by archaeologists, that helped hunters deal with large animals and the dangers of the Ice Age. It was so effective that people traded and used it all across North America, which explains why it’s found in so many places.

Is it illegal to sell arrowheads?

It is illegal and unethical to collect artifacts on public lands. Artifacts include anything made or used by humans including arrowheads and flakes, pottery, basketry, rock art, bottles, coins, metal pieces, and even old cans. Collecting artifacts disrupts the archaeological record.

What is a banded Clovis Point?

Clovis points are the characteristically fluted projectile points associated with the New World Clovis culture, a prehistoric Paleo-American culture. They are present in dense concentrations across much of North America and they are largely restricted to the north of South America.

What should you do if you find an arrowhead?

Leave it be or face possible fines and jail time. Illegal to keep artifacts on public land, but there is a loophole if you find an arrowhead on the surface of the ground.