Projectile point · Late Prehistoric
Desert Side-notched
1200–1800 CE, Fremont, Ancestral Puebloan
The Desert Side-notched point is the late arrowpoint of the Great Basin, Southwest and California, about 1,200 to 1,800 CE, used into the Historic period by Numic and Puebloan peoples. It comes in general, Sierra and Delta subtypes. Most are obsidian or chert.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1200–1800 CE |
| Period | Late Prehistoric |
| Cultures | Fremont, Ancestral Puebloan |
| Regions | North America — Great Basin & Plateau, North America — Southwest, North America — Pacific Coast |
Diagnostic traits
Small triangular arrow point with high side notches; base straight, concave or basally notched.
Identification
Desert Side-notched has high side notches on a small triangle with a straight, concave or basally notched base, unlike Rose Springs, which is corner-notched, and Cottonwood, which is unnotched. The Sierra subtype has a basal notch. Size is very small.
Reproductions and fakes
Widely reproduced in obsidian for the tourist trade; genuine pieces show hydration rims and wear. Bulk lots are often mixed ancient and modern.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q138712329
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Desert Side-notched" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/desert-side-notched. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-desert-side-notched,
title = {Desert Side-notched},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/desert-side-notched}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, wikidata. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.