Projectile point · Mississippian
Madison
800–1600 CE, Mississippian, Fort Ancient, Cahokia
The Madison point is the basic small triangular arrowpoint of the Mississippian and Fort Ancient East, about 800 to 1,600 CE, named after Madison County, Illinois. It is found in huge numbers on village sites and in multiples in burials. It is the workhorse of late prehistoric archery.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 800–1600 CE |
| Period | Mississippian |
| Cultures | Mississippian, Fort Ancient, Cahokia |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands, North America — Southeast |
Diagnostic traits
Small, thin isosceles triangle with a straight or slightly concave base; the basic Mississippian arrow point.
Identification
Madison is a small, thin isosceles triangle with a straight or slightly concave base and no notches, unlike Cahokia, which is side-notched, and Levanna, which is broader and equilateral. Hamilton is similar in the Tennessee valley. Size is under 4 cm.
Reproductions and fakes
Made in bulk by modern knappers from flakes; genuine pieces have patina and often use-fractured tips. Low value keeps forgery minimal.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Madison" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/madison. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-madison,
title = {Madison},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/madison}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. 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.