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GOSHEN POINT This is the best example of a Goshen point found on the Mill Iron site. It was discovered in the bone bed area. This point is so exceptionally well made that it caused some speculation as to weather it was even used as a projectile point. Frison writes that, "Could it have been a ritual offering instead of a weapon used to kill animals?" This Goshen point exhibits the highest knapping skill that Paleo-Indians ever produced. It's also interesting for the rounded point. Unlike most Goshen points that have sharp points, the tip of this one was deliberately shaped with micro flaking into a rounded point. Frison also writes that "The question was raised at Mill iron if one projectile point (the one illustrated above) was used as a weapon or an offering for ritual purposes. An argument was made-----that although the quality of the technology expressed on this specimen is unexcelled in any known prehistoric flint knapping context, its morphology is not that of a functional piece of weaponry needed for killing large animals such as bison. No archaeologist can dismiss the lessons from ethnological studies which describe the ritual activities that accompany large animal procurement." This is the longest projectile point found on the Mill Iron site. It's believed to be made of Hartville chert and it measures 3 1/8 inches (8 cm) long.
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