Angler Story: Flylords Culinary Editor Kirk Marks finds Early Archaic Projectile Point on the water

A couple weeks ago, I fished a small, privately-owned stream after work. Turns out, I ended up finding much more than some hungry creek chubs and sunfish. 

This is a Kirk Corner Notched projectile point from the Early Archaic period. It’s anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 years old, made from a hunk of rhyolite and all in all, cool as shit. To add some historical context, this thing came into existence about the same time Ice Age animals like mammoths and sabertooth tigers were on their way out.

There were some notable downpours in the days leading up to this particular outing. I assume the point was dislodged from an undercut bank due to the subsequent water level rise and discharge increase in the stream. It’s preserved so well and hardly weathered; I can’t imagine it had spent much time in the stream proper. 

The feelings that come with holding this relic are hard to explain. In a roundabout way, it makes me feel even more centered in my outdoor pursuits. It’s like some ancient form of encouragement saying “keep it up, man.” 

The dude who stood behind this point hunted out of necessity. Lucky for me, hunting is a choice; my survival doesn’t actually hinge on my success in the field. Our lives are hardly comparable, but I can’t help but to think, after all this time we still share that common interest. 

The point has a decent name too. 

Article by Flylords Food Editor Kirk Marks, an angler, photographer, and culinary aficionado based in Kent Island, Maryland. Give him a follow at @kirkymarks. 

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