Broadspear/Knife
In southern New
England, there appears a class of stone tools around 3800 Years B.P. which
are labeled broadspears. There is some debate as to whether these tools
were used as projectile points or as knives. The "Broadspear Horizon" is
associated with the Terminal Archaic Period (ca. 3600-2700 Years B.P.).
During this period there are changes in settlement towards larger seasonal
camps, increased long distance exchange in lithic raw materials, and
intensified use of plants and marine resources.
Most of the broadspears recovered from southern New England are manufactured
from non-locally available flint and chert. These tools often exhibit
extensive resharpening, which provides some support for their use as
knives rather than projectile points.
The group of four broadspears
illustrated above, was recovered as a cache, or group, at a site along the
Farmington River, in Windsor, Connecticut.
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