# Florida Hillsborough Projectile Point



## Nicodemus (Jul 6, 2007)

Some friends and myself have been discussin` this Late Archaic point type. It is normally found only in localized areas of Florida. Due to the shape of this point, some of us feel that it was used as a weapon used mainly against other people. The base on this point is very weak and small. The point has no ground areas on the base, so it could not have been hafted with sinew. I`ve tried this through experiments and it cuts the sinew haftin` every time. I knapped this one and hafted it with pine pitch glue and set it in a foreshaft with deep notches. It is not strong enough to be used for knife work, but would suffice very well to penetrate thin skin.
Recently, a Hillsborough point was found wedged between the vertibrates on an ancient Indian skeleton find in Florida. 

The Hillsborough in the bottom pic is an original that I found. You can see from the pic how weak the base on them are.

I know for a fact I wouldn`t won`t to collect one of these the hard way!!


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## Paymaster (Jul 6, 2007)

Cool Stuff Nic.


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## bam_bam (Jul 6, 2007)

i couldnt imagine having that thing stuck in my noggin. OUCH!


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## CAL (Jul 6, 2007)

Interesting Nick!Maybe it was a one time use and no more for special purposes.Just guessing!


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## Nicodemus (Jul 6, 2007)

It is an interestin` point. The way that base is designed, it`ll be left in the wound when the shaft is pulled out. If only they could talk..................


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## Son (Jul 7, 2007)

*Florida Hillsborough point type*

Even though Bullen said the Hillsborough is believed to belong in the Late Preceramic Archaic Period. I've always found them associated with Newnan points of the middle preceramic Archaic period. According to Bullen, 3400 BC or so.
My first forty five years was spent living in Hillsborough country, Tampa Bay area and I've dug many of em. My study of the type places the small narrow forms as possible projectile points. All others suggest knives and/or spear points.
Asymetrical forms prove the use as knives.

Example of an authentic prehistoric asymetrical knife.







An example of an ancient exhausted Hillsborough Knife.


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## Son (Jul 7, 2007)

*Florida Hillsbough points*

Some Hillsborough points have been found with a righthand bevel, same as found on Middle Archaic Hardee points.

Hardee points with beveled blades


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## Nicodemus (Jul 8, 2007)

The problem I have with a Hilly as a knife is the weakness of the base. I just don`t see how it can stand up to be used as a knife with only pitch glue holdin` it in the handle.
The short Hillys could also have been salvaged points that have been repointed.


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## Son (Jul 8, 2007)

*Hillsborough points*

Evidently they made em work. I've found lots of em with snapped stems, but none with point impact fracture, yet.
Same as with Newnan points, some have more sturdy stems than others. The Newnan type can be found in two deffinite forms. Heavy duty and fine classic and thin. As with any other type, some Hillsboroughs do look like they could possibly be restemmed point halves.

Large stemmed Newnan used for a knife






Here's one that's thin, and finer made, could be either knife or projectile in my opinion.





This example is the narrow stem, very thin and sharp. Sure looks like a spearpoint to me, but maybe used for other means. We're guessing cause there's no written records.





I used Newnans for example, Newnan and Hillsborough points are found associated, and believed to be very close in kinship. I don't have any of the big Hillsborough pictures available. But The Hillsborough type varies depending on where it's found in Florida. Newnans Lake, Orange Lake, Lochloosa Lake area Hillsboroughs are very different than Tampa Bay area Hillsborough points. I've seen Hillsborough points that measure over six inches.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 8, 2007)

I can see where a Newnan could be used as a hafted knife. They have enough base to work with. Newnans also seem to have a bigger range than Hillsboroughs too. I`ve seen a few found up here in Georgia. I have also seen a Newnan found in the St. Johns River that was right at 9 inches long. it was one of the purtiest points I`ve ever seen. It was about as thick as 3 quarters put together and the detail on it was hard to believe. The Indian that made it knew how to work a billet and was not scared to use it.


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## Son (Jul 9, 2007)

*Florida..*

There were definitely some master knappers back in prehistoric times... In many of the sites I've experienced it's easy to group many different points/types to the same knapper. In a couple cases, I've identified points made by the same knapper in two or more sites, several miles apart.
Prehistoric disgards, and/or broken during manufacture Newnan and Hillsborough points, show the base was finished before fine tuning the blade.


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## LJay (Jul 12, 2007)

Maybe they were meant to be left in the wound to cause more bleeding.??


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