From the Archives: Stone Tools
Native Americans thrived in what is now Pound Ridge for thousands of years before European contact. They lived, hunted, gathered, fished, farmed, and fought in the places that we now call home. Stone tools are one of the most enduring materials through which we can detect traces of this activity. These tools come in a myriad of forms, from knives and scrapers, to sickles, axes, and projectile points. The projectile points pictured above were recovered locally and are housed in the archives of the Pound Ridge Historical Society. They have various shapes and sizes and these differences reflect changes in style over time as cultural traditions transformed across generations. The differences may also reflect different uses, as past peoples often made different types of projectiles for different tasks. For example, a different projectile point might be needed whether one was hunting birds, small mammals, or deer. Stone types might also vary based on the task at hand. Chert and quartz were common local stone materials but a variety of stone types would have been sourced from across our region. You’ll notice that some projectile points are broken. This damage likely occurred during their use and is a reminder of why these objects were made in the first place — to help provide food for families and to keep communities safe. Each projectile point reflects the lives, knowledge, and skills of the first peoples of Pound Ridge, and they serve to remind us of the deep human history of this land.