Projectile point · Late Prehistoric
Gunther
500–1850 CE
Gunther Barbed is the Late Prehistoric to Historic arrow point of northwest California and southwest Oregon, named for Gunther Island in Humboldt Bay and dated to about 500–1850 CE. It was made in obsidian, chert and jasper and is associated with the ancestors of the Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa and neighboring peoples. Its exaggerated barbs make it a favorite of West Coast collectors.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 500–1850 CE |
| Period | Late Prehistoric |
| Regions | North America — Pacific Coast |
Diagnostic traits
Small, thin arrow point with a triangular blade, long downward barbs that often extend below the base of a very short contracting or straight stem, and a narrow base.
Identification
Gunther's barbs reach below the stem base, which separates it from Eastgate and Rose Spring, whose barbs stop at the base line; Desert Side-notched is side-notched, not barbed. Columbia Plateau small stemmed points have shorter barbs and expanding stems.
Reproductions and fakes
Heavily reproduced in obsidian, with fakes showing perfect matching barbs; genuine points show dulled obsidian and asymmetric barb breakage.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Gunther" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/gunther. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-gunther,
title = {Gunther},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/gunther}},
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.