Hunters and Gatherers - 6,800 BC to 1,500 BC

During this period, bands of hunter/gatherers frequently camped at Ferry Farm, exploiting a rich variety of animals and plants for food. These groups would camp along the Rappahannock River, hunting deer and other small game, fishing, and collecting shellfish, plants, and nuts. Such diversity in food sources required these groups to expand the types of tools they used. Stone tools were initially manufactured by chipping stones into distinct forms. As time went by, pecking, grinding, and polishing became new techniques for making tools.

Interpretive painting of Archaic Indians by Martin Pate, Newnan, GA www.pateart.com
Image courtesy Southeast Archeological Center, National Park Service.

Spear Points ~ These spear points are typical of the hunting tools used during this period. Hunter/gatherers’ more advanced techniques for making tools allowed them to use a wider variety of materials, including quartzite and quartz.

Stone Knife ~ Although this stone knife was a multi-use tool, it was most often used for butchering game.

Stone scraper
Quartz scraper ~ This scraper was probably used to prepare deer hides.

Stone Axe ~ This axe, shaped by grinding locally available greenstone, shows superior craftsmanship.

Grooved Axe ~ Grooved axes were used to cut wood, construct wood-framed dwellings, and make canoes.

Awl
Awl ~ This flaked stone tool was used for hide working. Awls were frequently made from old spear points nearing the end of their usefulness.

Spatial clustering of spear points ~ This map shows the distribution of stone spear points from 5,000 to 8,000 years ago, indicating that Ferry Farm was visited more frequently during this period than at any other time in prehistory, and that certain portions of the terrace overlooking the Rappahannock attracted more use even when there was no discernable change in topography.