Bone versus Stone Arrows and the Movement of the St. Lawence Iroquoians

Summary

In the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries St. Lawrence Iroquoian populations gradually decline and disappear from their homeland at the same period that the Wendat and Iroquois Confederacies are evolving. One of the most striking differences between St. Lawrence Iroquoian assemblages and those of surrounding groups is the general absence of stone arrow points on the former. This paper considers the advantages and disadvantages of bone or antler versus stone tipped arrows. We argue that long, thin stone Madison points were more effective in warfare than the bone and antler arrows of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians. However, the ultimate cause for the movement of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians was likely their failure to develop a confederacy.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage