These sections of slate implements from Cow Point illustrate the precision and artistic skills of Maritime Archaic peoples working in stone. The level of craftsmanship is, curiously, most often associated with the Archaic period in the Maritimes. Many of these unique skills appear to have been lost in later times.
The long, slender, faceted ground slate bayonets may have been too fragile to function as weapons, and were possibly made expressly for burial purposes. Red ochre staining is usually associated with these burial sites. In fact, when the Archaic people were first discovered, they were often referred to as the Red Paint People.
Where the Maritime Archaic people originated, or where they went, remains a mystery. Part of the reason for this derives from the fact that, although much is known of their mortuary customs, little light about their everyday lives.
Courtesy: National Museum of Man, National Museums of Canada
