Projectile point · Late Archaic
Wade
1200–500 BCE, Archaic (Eastern), Woodland (Eastern)
Wade is a Late Archaic to Early Woodland barbed point of the Tennessee Valley in Alabama and Tennessee, named for the Wade site on Wheeler Reservoir, and dated to about 1200–500 BCE. It is usually made from Fort Payne and other Tennessee Valley cherts and is often thin and finely flaked. Collectors seek examples with both barbs intact.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1200–500 BCE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern), Woodland (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Southeast, North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Medium-sized, thin, well flaked point with a triangular blade, long sharp downward barbs and a narrow straight to slightly expanding stem with a straight base.
Identification
Wade is smaller and better made than Elk River and has proportionally longer barbs than Pickwick; Cotaco Creek of the same region is broader with weaker barbs and a wider stem. Buck Creek Barbed is larger and heavier with a wider stem.
Reproductions and fakes
Barbs are sometimes freshly reflaked onto worn points to raise value; look for unpatinated scars limited to the barbs.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Wade" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/wade. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-wade,
title = {Wade},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/wade}},
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.