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Does Size Matter? What the Projectile Points from Oregon’s Mill Creek Archaeological Complex Tell Us
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 September 2025
Abstract
A dramatic increase of small (“arrow-sized”) points, typically beginning after about 2,000 years ago (depending on locality), has often been characterized as marking the introduction of the bow and arrow throughout the Americas, eventually replacing earlier dart-and-atlatl weaponry in most areas. We analyze a large point assemblage from sites in the central Willamette Valley of western Oregon with a 6,000-year-long cultural record. We easily sorted the assemblage into small (“arrow-sized”) and large (“dart-sized”) sets using standard metrics, but we noted extreme temporal overlap, suggesting that (1) atlatls and bows continued in regular use as companion weapons; (2) both large and small projectile tips were affixed to arrows, depending on the target; or (3) there was some combination of these factors. Given the range of point forms, it appears that some served specialized functions (e.g., social conflict, hunting conditions, prey type), suggesting that the uses of stone-tipped weaponry may be more nuanced than has generally been acknowledged. Consequently, we find that assigning points to specific weapon systems requires assumptions we cannot support.
Resumen
Un aumento dramático de puntos líticos pequeños (“del tamaño de una flecha”), que generalmente comenzó hace unos 2.000 años (dependiendo de la localidad), se ha caracterizado por marcar la introducción del arco y la flecha en los continentes Americanos, reemplazando eventualmente los armamentos dardo y al atlatl en la mayoría de regiones. Analizamos un ensamblaje grande de puntos líticos recuperados de sitios en el valle central de Willamette en el oeste de Oregon con un historia cultural en exceso de 6.000 años de duración. Clasificamos fácilmente la ensamblaje en pequeños (“del tamaño de una flecha”) y grandes (“del tamaño de un dardo”) usando métricas estándares, pero notamos una superposición temporal extrema, sugiriendo que 1) el atlatl y el arco se continuaron usándose regularmente como armas complementarias, 2) puntos de proyectiles grandes y pequeñas estaban adjuntos en las flechas dependiendo en el objetivo, o 3) alguna combinación de estos factores. Con la variedad de formas de puntas líticos, parece que algunas cumplían funciones especializados (por ejemplo, conflicto social, condiciones de caza, tipo de presa), sugierendo que los usos de armas líticos podríeron haber sido más matizados de lo que generalmente se ha reconocido, y encontramos que asignar líticos a sistemas de armas específicos requiere suposiciones que no podemos apoyar.
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- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology.
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