Before I got into Museum work I spent over 12 years in Archaeology and Historic preservation. Ive found and analyzed countless artifacts, from stone tools to bone toothbrushes. Ive researched archaeological resources and historic treasures all over the tristate area.

Imagine my excitement when I entered one of the archive rooms at the Wicoff house and there was a tray full of Native American artifacts – several axes, blades and projectile points – arrow and spear heads, mostly made of a stone called argillite, which was used quite often to make tools in the Archaic Period.  (About 10,000-3,000 Years Before Common Era).

LARGE ARGILLITE BLADE                   LARGE ARGILLITE PROJECTILE POINT

LARGE ARGILLITE PROJECTILE POINTS- ARCHAIC PERIOD

The people that used these tools were Hunter-gatherers, who lived in small, temporary camps to utilize the resources of an area. These items were used to kill deer and other animals, skin and butcher them.

Native tools were also made of sandstone, as are these grooved axes!

These axes would be hafted or attached to a stick with deer sinew (deer tendons) and used with a combination of burning to cut down trees.

These artifacts are fantastic! Each one tells its own story.  I imagine how many trees were felled with these pieces, many thousands of years ago!

In addition to these unbelievable finds, there was also this knife, made of a black material similar to quartzite. Exquisitely burnished from use. Oh the stories it could tell!  From skinning and butchering animals to scraping the fur from their hides. For cutting up meat for so many stews, along with cat tails, berries and other foraged foods.

Today, I found a treasure trove.   I was so excited that I forgot to ask if these were found at the Wicoff house or in the wider Plainsboro area. Regardless, they indicate that the Lenape and their ancestors, hunted, gathered, made tools, had families and made lives for themselves in the Plainsboro area.