Arrowpoints, Spearheads, & Knives of Prehistoric Times (Paperback)

~ (Author), Dr. Kenneth Tankersley (Introduction), Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (Foreword)
Key Phrases: tranchant transversal, chalcedonic flint, pale gray flint, United States, National Museum, Flint Ridge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A thorough history of the weapons and tools our prehistoric ancestors used to survive, this book reveals a world that will fascinate anyone interested in outdoor skills, ancient weapons, or anthropology. Thomas Wilson explains the many types of arrowheads, spears, and knives used by the peoples of the Paleolithic period across Western Europe and the early days of America. He details the materials from which these tools were made, how and where they were manufactured, and the purposes for which they were crafted—from hunting and cutting to scraping and grinding. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of photographs and drawings of these tools, including microscopic details of the flint and other stones from which they were crafted, this is a rare look into what seems like mankind’s not-so-distant past.

About the Author

Thomas Wilson (1832-1902), United States Consul to Ghent, Nantes, and Nice, in 1887 became curator of the Division of Prehistoric Anthropology at the National Museum.  While abroad, and particularly in France, he became deeply interested in archeological matters and especially in the remains of early man, subjects which occupied his attention throughout the period of his connection with the Museum.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing; Reprint of 1899 edition edition (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602390045
• ISBN-13: 978-1602390041
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #620,485 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars outdated, rehash repulication of pre 1900 views, June 25, 2007

By	CurlyWolf of Texas "JWH" (Grannys Neck, Texas) - See all my reviews

Very disappointed with this, it is a republication of a pre 1900 tome on lithics, which contains not a thing new or interesting. Mostly line drawings which are not of quality. Major disappointment, waste of my time and money.

3.0 out of 5 stars Arrowpoints, December 19, 2007

By	Floyd Jackson (Oklahoma City, OK) - See all my reviews

This book is so full of information. The illustrations are great, and this was such remarkable facts about several types of prehistoric arrowheads. It is a great glimpse that unearths the tools of the past.

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Absorbing, May 25, 2007

By	Peter Corpus - See all my reviews

This treasure of a book is a huge survey of prehistoric stone weapons, amazingly rendered in what must be hundreds of artfully detailed line drawings.
The wonderful Helen Marshall Thomas frames the material perfectly.
Besides having hours of fun with it, I came away with the strange sense of empathy and understanding for the prehistoric peoples who fashioned these early stone tools.