Hardin Barbed

Description: Hardin Barbed Points are medium sized (3-4″) and typically well made. The blade element is thin and exhibits large percussion thinning flakes with pressure retouch along the edges. Stems are of two varities; short or long stemmed that are usually well ground, with short stemmed varieties often exhibiting slight ears. The juncture of the stem and blade often exhibit pronounced cone shaped negative flaking scars from having been “punched”. Blades are often heavily resharpened by left hand beveling.

Distribution: Hardin Barbed points are most commonly found throughout the northern portion of the state and into southern Wisconsin but have been found in small numbers across adjoining states.

Age: No radiocarbon dates have been reported from Illinois, although the similarity to Scottsbluff points found west of the Mississippi and Scottsbluff variants found in Wisconsin suggests they belong to the Cody complex tradition from the Great Plains. An age of 10,900 to 9,950 BP is suggested.