Projectile point · Middle Archaic
Osceola
4000–2000 BCE, Old Copper, Archaic (Eastern)
Osceola was named from the Osceola site in Grant County, Wisconsin, an Old Copper cemetery, and is the large side-notched knife and dart form associated with Old Copper and related Middle to Late Archaic groups of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. Hixton silicified sandstone and Burlington chert are typical. Long examples over 100 mm are prized.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 4000–2000 BCE |
| Period | Middle Archaic |
| Cultures | Old Copper, Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Large, long side-notched point with narrow notches placed close to a straight or slightly concave ground base, parallel blade edges and a thick lenticular section.
Identification
Osceola is distinguished from Godar and Hemphill by its length and parallel-sided blade, and from Raddatz by size. Big Sandy is earlier, smaller and more deeply notched.
Reproductions and fakes
Large Osceolas are reproduced in Burlington chert; genuine examples show basal grinding, blade resharpening that narrows the blade toward the tip and an even patina.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Osceola" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/osceola. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-osceola,
title = {Osceola},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/osceola}},
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.