Projectile point · Late Archaic
Gary
2000 BCE–800 CE, Poverty Point, Caddo
The Gary point is a long-lived contracting-stem dart point of the Southeast and Southern Plains, from about 2,000 BCE to 800 CE, found at Poverty Point and on Caddo-area sites. It is among the most common points in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Most are thick and plain.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 2000 BCE–800 CE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Poverty Point, Caddo |
| Regions | North America — Southeast, North America — Great Plains |
Diagnostic traits
Contracting-stem dart point with a rounded base and sloping shoulders; usually thick and plain.
Identification
Gary has a contracting stem with a rounded or pointed base and sloping shoulders, and is thicker and cruder than Morrow Mountain, which is earlier and smaller, and than Adena, which has a long straight stem. Kent is narrower with a straight stem. Blade edges are straight to convex.
Reproductions and fakes
Gary points are not worth faking, so misidentification and reworking are the issues. Genuine points often show edge wear from use as knives.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Gary" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/gary. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-gary,
title = {Gary},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/gary}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study 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.