Arrowheads and stone tools weren’t just tools—they were often traded like money. Tribes valued them for their usefulness and skillful craftsmanship, making them a form of early currency in Native American trade long before coins came along.

A Substantial Adena Stemmed Point from Kentucky — 3¼ Inches of Early Woodland History

Large 3¼-inch (~82.5 mm) knapped stone projectile point and hafted knife, identified by the original collector as an Adena point found in Kentucky. At this size, it sits comfortably within documented Adena size ranges — a Kentucky archaeological excavation, for example, reports an Adena Stemmed specimen measuring 75.1 mm, while the recognized range extends considerably larger.

The Artifact

This piece commands attention in hand and on display. Its dark gray-brown chert carries attractive natural variation, surface weathering, and patination that speak to genuine age and field history. The knapping is confident and purposeful:

• Blade: Broad and substantial, with extensive bifacial percussion flaking and gently convex margins
• Shoulders: Defined but relatively subdued — characteristic of the Adena stemmed form
• Stem / hafting area: Substantial and well-formed, suited for secure hafting as either a spear point or hafted knife
• Surface: Visible flake scars, edge wear, and patination consistent with an old collected lithic artifact

Cultural Context

The Adena attribution is particularly compelling given the geographic context. Kentucky archaeological sources document Adena Stemmed points and hafted knives from Early Woodland contexts, and Adena-related sites are well established within Kentucky and the broader Ohio River Valley. Kentucky archaeological literature places Adena Stemmed points in the Early to Middle Woodland, approximately 500–100 BC — though an isolated surface find should not be assigned an exact age without excavation context.

Identification Summary

• Collector attribution: Adena
• Find location: Kentucky, per collector notation
• Length: Approx. 3¼ inches (~82.5 mm)
• Material: Chert/flint (probable) — Crystal system: Trigonal | Mineral class: Silicate (Tectosilicate) | Composition: micro/cryptocrystalline SiO₂
• Artifact form: Stemmed projectile point / hafted knife
• Cultural association: Adena tradition, collector-attributed
• General period: Early Woodland / broader Late Archaic–Woodland tradition (~500–100 BC)

Provenance & Authentication Note

The Adena identification and Kentucky discovery location derive from the collector’s handwritten attribution and have not been independently authenticated. The original handwritten collector card is preserved and photographed with the artifact — an important part of its collecting history even if not formal archaeological provenance.

Offered as a collector specimen with the above conservative identification. No independent authentication is claimed.