Arrowhead An arrowhead is a tip , usually sharpened , added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose . The earliest arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials ; as progressed other materials were used . Arrowheads are important archaeological artifacts ; they are a subclass of projectile point s . Modern enthusiasts still " produce over one million brand - new spear and arrow points per year " . History . In the Stone Age , people used sharpened bone , flintknapped stones , flakes , and chips of rock as weapons and tools . Such items remained in use throughout human civilization , with new materials used as time passed . As archaeological artifact s such objects are classed as projectile point s , without specifying whether they were projected by a bow or by some other means such as throwing . Such artifacts can be found all over the world in various locations . Those that have survived are usually made of stone , primarily being flint , obsidian , or chert s , but in many excavations bone , wooden and metal arrowheads have been found . In August 2010 , a report on stone projectile points dating back 64 , 000 years excavated from layers of ancient sediment in Sibudu Cave , South Africa , by a team of scientists from the University of the Witwatersrand , was published . Examinations led by a team from the University of Johannesburg found traces of blood and bone residues , and glue made from a plant - based resin that was used to fasten them on to a wooden shaft . This indicated " cognitively demanding behavior " required to manufacture glue . These hafted points might have been launched from bows . While " most attributes such as micro - residue distribution patterns and micro - wear will develop similarly on points used to tip spears , darts or arrows " and " explicit tests for distinctions between thrown spears and projected arrows have not yet been conducted " the researchers find " contextual support " for the use of these points on arrows : a broad range of animals were hunted , with an emphasis on taxa that prefer closed forested niches , including fast moving , terrestrial and arboreal animals . This is an argument for the use of traps , perhaps including snares . If snares were used , the use of cords and knots which would also have been adequate for the production of bows is implied . The employment of snares also demonstrates a practical understanding of the latent energy stored in bent branches , the main principle of bow construction . Cords and knots are implied by use - wear facets on perforated shell beads around 72 , 000 years old from Blombos . " Hunting with a bow and arrow requires intricate multi - staged planning , material collection and tool preparation and implies a range of innovative social and communication skills . " Design . Arrowheads are attached to arrow shafts to be shot from a bow ; similar types of projectile points may be attached to a spear and " thrown " by means of an Atlatl ( spear thrower ) . The arrowhead or projectile point is the primary functional part of the arrow , and plays the largest role in determining its purpose . Some arrows may simply use a sharpened tip of the solid shaft , but it is far more common for separate arrowheads to be made , usually from metal , horn , rock , or some other hard material . Arrowheads may be attached to the shaft with a cap , a socket tang , or inserted into a split in the shaft and held by a process called hafting . Points attached with caps are simply slid snugly over the end of the shaft , or may be held on with hot glue . In medieval Europe , arrowheads were often anchored with nothing but candlewax minutes before firing , if not merely saliva - this ensured that the head would remain in enemy ' s body if the shaft was pulled out . Split - shaft construction involves splitting the arrow shaft lengthwise , inserting the arrowhead , and securing it using ferrule , sinew , rope , or wire . Variants . Arrowheads are usually separated by function :