The arrow head symbol

Native American Indians were a deeply spiritual people and they communicated their history, thoughts, ideas and dreams from generation to generation through Symbols and Signs such as the Arrowhead symbol. Native American symbols are geometric portrayals of celestial bodies, natural phenomena, everyday objects and animal designs. The meaning of the Arrowhead symbol was to signify alertness. An arrowhead is a sharpened tip which is added to an arrow. Native American arrowheads were made of stone and were made in a vast range of styles and sizes as the picture below indicates. The point of an Arrowhead was smaller than the point of a spear and penetrated skin when fired by a bow. Great strength and a good eye was required when using the Bow and arrow weapon and Poisoned Arrows. 

The arrow head used in a pictogram

The Arrowhead symbol is used in the following pictogram. A pictogram, also called a pictograph, conveys a story and meaning through pictures that signify and resemble the shapes of physical objects or people. and resemble the shape of a physical object or person. An Ideagram is another form of pictogram which conveys complex ideas, feelings and emotions. A pictogram, such as the one recognised as an arrowhead symbol, is a therefore a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings to tell a story.

Meanings

There were so many tribes of Native American Indians it is only possible to generalise the most common meaning of the Arrowhead symbol or pattern. Native Indian symbols are still used as Tattoos and were used for a variety of reasons and depicted on numerous objects such as tepees, totem poles, musical instruments, clothes and War Paint. Indian Tribes also used their own Colors for Symbols and designs depending on the natural resources available to make Native American paint.

The arrow head

Native American Indians had a highly complex culture, especially those who lived on the Great Plains.

Their religion was dominated by rituals and belief in a spiritual connection with nature and these beliefs were reflected in the various symbols they used such as the Arrowhead symbol.

The clothes, tepees and all of his belongings was decorated with art and included symbols depicting his achievements, acts of heroism, his various spirit guides or the most important events in his life. Every symbol used by an American Native Indian had meaning which can be accessed from Symbols and Meanings.