Projectile point · Early Archaic
Hardin Barbed
8000–6000 BCE, Archaic (Eastern)
The Hardin Barbed point is a large Early Archaic stemmed and barbed knife of the Midwest, about 8,000 to 6,000 BCE, named after Hardin County, Illinois. It continues the Paleoindian tradition of fine parallel flaking and is often in Burlington chert. Large examples are highly valued.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 8000–6000 BCE |
| Period | Early Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Large stemmed and barbed blade with an expanding, ground stem and finely serrated, bevelled edges.
Identification
Hardin has a broad blade, barbed shoulders and an expanding ground stem with a straight or convex base, with fine serration and bevelling on the blade, unlike Dovetail, which is corner-notched, and Scottsbluff, which is unbarbed. Flaking is collateral. Stem grinding is diagnostic.
Reproductions and fakes
Hardins are faked in heat-treated Burlington chert and can be convincing; check for stem grinding, uneven resharpening and a patina that penetrates the flake scars. Overly symmetrical barbs are a warning.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q138712699
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Hardin Barbed" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/hardin-barbed. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-hardin-barbed,
title = {Hardin Barbed},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/hardin-barbed}},
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.