Projectile points from the Gee Creek sites
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Ancient weaponry is represented by relatively few artifacts at the Gee Creek sites. Among these artifacts are projectile points, the stone tips of spears or darts. Wood, bone, sinew, and stone projectiles were used to manufacture thrusting spears to kill trapped, netted, or snared animals. Other projectiles were propelled with throwing sticks commonly called atlatls (after the Aztec word for these weapons). Bow and arrow weaponry does not appear to be represented in the archaeological deposits found at the Gee Creek sites.
The debitage (stone waste flakes produced during the manufacture of stone tools) and flaked stone tools found at the Gee Creek sites suggest that durable, local toolstones were used to create tools. Toolstone reduction techniques (flintknapping) produced linear flakes that could be shaped into lanceolate projectile points and other tools. The types of debitage found at the site and the small number of projectile points found suggest that these sites were not commonly used as base camps for hunting.
The information provided on this website is modified from the manuscript Archaeological Data Recovery for the I-5/SR 502 Interchange Project, by Michele Punke, Terry Ozbun, Jo Reese, and Brian Buchanan (2009). Archaeological Investigations Northwest, Inc. Report No. 2273. Prepared for Washington Department of Transportation Southwest Region, Vancouver, Washington. | |