This volume is a comprehensive compendium of the major projectile point types found in New Mexico through time. It includes descriptions, illustrations, and metric data for each point type. As editor of Projectile Points of New Mexico: 13,000 Years of Technological Innovation, Bradley J. Vierra has done an exceptional job of compiling this data, with contributions from many other archaeologists working in the region. Vierra notes that he compiled this volume because of the lack of consistency in classifying projectile points in New Mexico (and, I would add, across the US Southwest), leading him to create a standard guide for projectile point identification. This will be an important resource for anyone working in the Desert West, where many of these point types are found.

Chapter 1 begins with a brief (four-page) history of projectile point classification in New Mexico, highlighting the major finds from Folsom to Cynthia Irwin-Williams’s work on the Oshara. In chapter 2, Vierra and coauthors Timothy Kearns, Myles Miller, John Montgomery, and Christopher Turnbow provide background to the volume, discussing the variability in projectile point styles observed through time in broad terms focused on technological changes in design—from Paleoindian spear points, to Archaic period dart points, to the introduction of the bow and arrow. They also discuss the five geographic regions where projectile points described in the volume were found, noting the environmental setting and available resources in each region. Finally, they provide a brief but informative discussion of projectile point technology and terminology, which sets up the succeeding chapters well.

Chapter 3 is a multiauthored chapter that covers all the major projectile points found in New Mexico. It is organized temporally and provides information on the way the point types were initially defined, their distribution, common material types, the main attributes of each type, and a table of metric data that includes mean length, width, and thickness, and other measurements such as stem and shoulder width, where appropriate. Illustrations of the types and their variations accompany each description. The authors provide a general chronology for each point type, but they also include a discussion of any issues with their chronological placement. For time periods when there are multiple similar point types present and there has been debate over their classification, the authors include a section comparing the similar points and the basis for distinguishing them (for example, the variety of side-notched Archaic dart points found across New Mexico). I found these comparative discussions particularly helpful.

As noted, this chapter is organized temporally. It covers the major Paleoindian dart points, and this section will be useful to many archaeologists outside New Mexico who study Paleoindian sites. Early, Middle, and Late Archaic dart points are described in detail. Late Archaic dart points are subdivided into broader categories of side-notched, corner-notched, stemmed, and basal-notched points. A wide range of point types encompass these broader classes, and the authors do well in describing and comparing the sometimes-confusing number of different types. The next section provides information on Formative period arrow points found in the area, and these, too, are divided into broader classes of Corner-notched, Side-noted, and Triangular points. As with the Late Archaic dart points, there is considerable regional variation in arrow point types, and the authors do a great job of partitioning that variation to make it understandable. They include descriptions of postcontact period arrow points tied to Athapaskan entry into the region.

I was especially impressed that the authors did not stop with European contact and that they include the full range of postcontact metal projectile points. They provide the same level of detail that they provided for the precontact points, so this will be a valuable reference for archaeologists examining the postcontact period.

Aside from a brief discussion of penetration efficiency and durability in chapter 2, the authors do not discuss behaviors associated with the points, but that is beyond the scope of this volume. They provide plenty of data for other researchers to address the behavioral changes that they document.

Overall, this is an incredible reference volume that I suspect everyone working in the US Southwest and even surrounding areas will want to have. It is easy to follow, contains a wealth of information on common projectile points, and is well illustrated, so researchers can visualize the differences that are described in the text. A useful appendix is provided at the end of the volume that includes a poster summarizing projectile-point morphological changes through time and a map of the major raw material sources in the region. In addition to this wealth of data, the authors reference their discussions thoroughly, so those interested in doing additional research can use the extensive bibliography. I foresee this becoming a heavily used and highly cited volume. I applaud Vierra for compiling such an exceptional piece of work, and the publishers for making it freely accessible.