Weapons have been around since the dawn of mankind. One of the most primitive self defense and hunting devices which is still in use to this day, modified however, is the bow and arrow and the throwing spear. On the tip of each of these forms of weapons, there is a sharp tip fastened together at the end of the rod. This tip is called the arrowhead.

During the Stone Age, the people of the land would use material such as bones, rocks, flint, obsidian, and even chert to form into a sharp object that could be used to penetrate an animal or human very easily. Unlike an axe, arrowheads are attached to rods that are known as projectile weapons. Once the arrowhead is equipped, it is known as a projectile point. In order for the arrowhead to stick to the shaft of the weapon, they would be secured on in a couple of different ways.

One way would be to stick the arrowhead on the rod through a process called hafting. Hafting is done by making indentations in the arrowhead itself that will connect with the rod that is also indented in a particular way so that the arrowhead does not fall off but rather connects the two as if it were a jigsaw puzzle. Medieval Europeans would use hot glue, then to secure it they would use a material such as a thing rope to wrap around the piece, so it did not fall off when being thrown or projected into the air.

There are a plethora of different kinds of arrowheads. The classic triangular shape of the arrowhead is the most recognizable but does not mean you necessarily have to get that type of arrowhead as a tattoo. Down below are examples of arrowhead tattoos, the meaning and symbolism behind the ancient tool, and other helpful tips on placement to consider.

Native American Arrowheads

We see a lot of arrowheads being discovered through archeology along with many other inventive Native American artifacts that were used by the many tribes that crossed the continent. Because the Native Americans back then did not have the technology to create weapons such as firearms, they stuck to their roots and sculpted their own weapons with the use of bone fragments and other materials such as rocks.