Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types Part 11

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Hardaway Site in Stanley County, North Carolina and has been referred to in the Tennessee Valley as Corner Notched Dalton. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 76, Limestone County, Alabama. Examples were recovered in Zone IV at the Hardaway Site in a.s.sociation with Dalton, Quad, and Hardaway blade types (Coe, 1959). At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) most examples were recovered from Zone D in a.s.sociation with Dalton, Big Sandy I and other early types. A radiocarbon date of 9640 450 B.P. was secured. A transitional Paleo-Indian a.s.sociation is suggested.

HARPETH RIVER, =Crabtree= (Cambron, 1970): A-130

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Harpeth River point is a medium to large side notched point with flattened blade, beveled on both sides of each face and displays shallow serrations.

MEASUREMENTS: Seventeen cotypes from sites in Cheatham and d.i.c.kson Counties, Tennessee, along the Harpeth River and one example from near McMinnville, Tennessee, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 90 mm.; minimum, 53 mm.; average, 67 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 26 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 23 mm.: width at base--maximum, 28 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 25 mm.: thickness--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.: hafting area length--maximum, 25 mm.; minimum, 11 mm.; average, 16 mm.: width of hafting area in notches--maximum, 24 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 21 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is flattened. Shoulders are tapered. The blade may be excurvate or straight with fine serrations and is beveled on each side of both faces. The distal end is usually acute but may be ac.u.minate. The hafting area displays broad, shallow side notches and is well defined by a sharp change in the contour of the edge of the point at the junction of the blade and is auriculated with expanded-rounded auricles. Side edges of the hafting area are incurvate and ground. The basal edge is straight, usually ground, and is thinned.

FLAKING: The blade and hafting area were shaped by broad, shallow, random flaking. Blade edges are steeply beveled on each side of both faces by the removal of deep, short, narrow flakes which resulted in fine serrations along the blade edges. The shallow notches that form the hafting area are steeply flaked. This usually leaves expanded shoulder barbs.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from sites along the Harpeth River in Cheatham and d.i.c.kson Counties, Tennessee, where 60% of the 50 odd examples were recovered from one site which had also produced Big Sandy, Dalton, Greenbrier, P-8 Corner Notched, Pine Tree, c.u.mberland, LeCroy, and Copena points. These points are in the collection of Wayne Crabtree, Pegram, Tennessee. In general outline the Harpeth River points may somewhat resemble Dalton, Russell Cave, Greenbrier or Pine Tree points.

One example has strong basal thinning on one face and what appears to be a flute struck from a prepared striking platform on the other face. One example has been recovered from Overton County and one from Humphreys County, Tennessee. One site along the Harpeth River from which 5 examples were recovered produced Big Sandy, Pine Tree, Turkey Tail and Cotaco points. The a.s.sociations of Harpeth River points with other Early Archaic and Transitional Paleo points, as well as their hafting area and flaking characteristics, indicate a placement of the type in very Early Archaic or late Transitional Paleo cultural a.s.sociation. Forty-eight cotypes of Rockport variety of Harpeth River are described along with eighteen ill.u.s.trations in the Tennessee Archaeologist, Vol. XXVI, No. 2 (Adair and Sims, 1970).

JACKS REEF CORNER NOTCHED, =Ritchie= (Ritchie, 1961): A-21

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium-sized, corner notched point with a thin, flattened, excurvate (or often parallel-angular) blade.

MEASUREMENTS: Nine examples, including the ill.u.s.trated example from Limestone County, Alabama, provided traits and the following measurements: length--maximum, 60 mm.; minimum, 30 mm.; average, 42 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 24 mm.; minimum, 15 mm.; average, 18 mm.: stem width--maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 6 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness--maximum, 5 mm.; minimum, 3 mm.; average, 4 mm. Ritchie (1961) gives the following approximate measurements: length--maximum, 57 mm.; minimum, 25 mm.; average, 47 mm.: approximate average width--38 mm.: thickness--maximum, 6 mm. (most examples are under 5 mm.). Alabama examples tend to be longer than New York examples. Corner notches average about 7 mm. deep and 5 mm. wide.

FORM: The cross-section is usually flattened, rarely, plano-convex. The shoulders are tapered with sharp thin barbs. The blade may be excurvate or parallel-angular. The distal end ranges from narrow to broad-acute.

The hafting area is corner notched. The base of the expanded stem is usually straight; rarely, incurvate. It is thinned and may be lightly ground. These features are similar to those of New York points.

FLAKING: The blade and hafting area are formed by broad, shallow, random flaking. Retouching was done by carefully controlled, broad, shallow secondary flaking followed by fine retouching along the blade edges.

Broad flakes were struck off to form the notches, which were then finely retouched. This point is usually made of local materials.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Jacks Reef Site in Onondaga County, New York. Ritchie previously referred to the type as "broad corner notched" or corner notched with angular edges. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 116, Limestone County, Alabama. A radiocarbon date of 1056 250 B.P. was obtained for samples from the White Site, Norwich, New York (Ritchie, 1961). It is considered to be late middle Woodland and early late Woodland in New York. It is an important type in central New York and occurs in Ohio (Ritchie, 1961).

An example from Site Ct 27 was ill.u.s.trated (Plate 294, No. 1) by Webb and DeJarnette (1942) as Type 47. For several years, the type has been referred to in the Tennessee Valley where it is found on late Woodland sites, as "Corner Notched Woodland". One example was recovered from Level 3, Zone A at Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), six from Zone A (Woodland) at Ma 48 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) and one example each from Levels 1 and 2 at Ms 201, Rockhouse Shelter, in Marshall County, Alabama. Examples from P-12 Pit at Russell Cave in Jackson County, Alabama, were dated by radiocarbon method at 1500 175 B.P. (John W. Griffin, personal communication).

JACKS REEF PENTAGONAL, =Ritchie= (Ritchie, 1961): A-60a

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a thin, small to medium-sized pentagonal point.

MEASUREMENTS: Fifteen plesiotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example from Cambron Site 27, Limestone County, Alabama, provided the following traits and measurements: length--maximum, 61 mm.; minimum, 25 mm.; average, 42 mm.: width--maximum, 31 mm.; minimum, 14 mm.; average, 20 mm.: width at base--maximum, 23 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 3 mm.; average, 4 mm.: length of hafting area--maximum, 28 mm.; minimum, 12 mm.; average, 20 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is flattened. The blade is straight; the distal end, acute. The hafting area consists of one-half to one-third (usually about two-fifths) of the length of the point. It is contracted, with straight side edges. The basal edge may be straight or incurvate 1 or 2 mm. and is thinned. There is usually a sharp break between the blade and the hafting area.

FLAKING: The blade and hafting area are shaped by broad, shallow, random flaking. Fine retouch was used to finish all edges. The basal edge is treated in the same manner as the blade and hafting area edges. Local materials were used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the late Point Peninsula Jacks Reef Site in Onondaga County, New York. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 27, Limestone County, Alabama. Alabama examples are narrower and longer than New York examples as described by Ritchie (1961). The type has been cla.s.sified locally as "Mississippi Pentagonal". The type was dated at the White Site near Norwich, Chenango County, New York, at 1057 250 B.P. (Ritchie, 1961). Ritchie also mentioned a thicker, cruder middle Archaic variant. The type is coeval with Jacks Reef Corner Notched at Point Peninsula and Owasco sites in New York. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), two examples were recovered from Level 1 and one from Level 3. This indicates a late Woodland a.s.sociation at this site. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201, in Marshall County, Alabama, one example was recovered from Level 1, two from Level 2 and one each from Levels 4 and 5. This occurrence indicates a Woodland a.s.sociation.

a.s.sociations in surface collections indicate a late Woodland a.s.sociation. The larger, broader examples may be derived from Copena Triangular points, but all examples were made in a manner similar to the way in which Madison points were made. This indicates a transitional placement between Copena and Mississippian. The type is probably around 1000 years in age or older in Alabama.

JEFF, =Soday and Cambron= (This Paper): A-47

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Jeff is a medium-sized, broad, auriculate point with straight basal edge and expanded auricles.

MEASUREMENTS: The range in length of examples from the Tennessee Valley is from 69 mm. to 28 mm.; the average measurements of 10 examples from 10 sites are as follows: length, 47 mm.; width at base, 25 mm.; thickness, 7 mm. (Soday and Cambron, n. d.). The ill.u.s.trated example measures 49 mm. long, 25 mm. wide at upper end of hafting area, 30 mm.

wide at base, 7 mm. thick, 2 mm. deep in basal concavity.

FORM: The cross-section is flattened. The blade is excurvate and may be slightly beveled on one side of each face and/or serrated. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is auriculate (expanded-rounded). The basal edge is usually straight but may be slightly incurvate and may be beveled or thinned. Side and basal edges of the hafting area are usually ground.

FLAKING: The flattened blade is produced by removal of broad, thin flakes. Secondary flaking along the blade edges is shorter and deeper and may result in weak serrations. Short flakes were removed along the side and basal edges of the hafting area. In some cases the angle of the flaking along the basal edge produced a short bevel.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Jeff area of Madison County, Alabama, where several examples were first recognized. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 76, Limestone County, Alabama. Examples are always found in a.s.sociation with uniface tools and other early point types and are not found on sh.e.l.lmound Archaic middens. This evidence and field observations suggest a transitional Paleo a.s.sociation.

JUDE, =Madison-Huntsville Chapter of Alabama Archaeological Society= (Madison-Huntsville Chapter of Alabama Archaeological Society, 1961): A-48

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Jude is a small, straight-stemmed point with a short blade.

MEASUREMENTS: Eight cotypes from the type site area and one example from Colbert County, Alabama provided the traits and the following measurements: length--maximum, 29 mm.; minimum, 19 mm.; average, 24 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 23 mm.; minimum, 17 mm.; average, 20 mm.: stem width--maximum, 16 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 15 mm.: stem length--maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness--maximum, 6 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 5 mm. The ill.u.s.trated example measures 25 mm. in length, 19 mm. in shoulder width, 15 mm. in stem width, 11 mm. in stem length and 5 mm. in thickness.

FORM: The cross-section is usually biconvex; rarely, plano-convex.

Shoulders are usually horizontal; rarely, tapered or inversely tapered.

Blade edges are nearly always straight; rarely, excurvate. The distal end is usually acute. The stem is straight or, rarely, slightly expanded. Stem width exceeds the stem length. Side edges of the stem are straight. The thinned basal edge is usually slightly incurvate but may be straight. All stem edges are usually lightly ground.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FLAKING: Broad, shallow, random flakes shape the blade and stem and are followed along all edges by similar but somewhat shorter secondary flaking. All measured examples were made of local material and except for one made of smoky quartz, all were patinated.

COMMENTS: The type was named after Jude Hollow in Madison County, Alabama, where examples were first recognized. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Brosemer Site 6 in Jude Hollow. Examples from surface collections have produced a range of cultural material including Paleo-Indian and Transitional Paleo-Indian, as well as Archaic and Woodland. The most frequent a.s.sociations indicate early Archaic or Transitional Paleo-Indian, as do patination and basal grinding. On at least one site in Colbert County, Alabama, later Archaic and Woodland artifacts are absent (Holland, personal communication). Several examples were recovered from the Cave Springs Site (Moebes, 1974) in a.s.sociation with and below Big Sandy and Dalton points. This a.s.sociation indicates a Transitional Paleo-Indian a.s.sociation at this site. The type seems to be somewhat similar to Elam points of Texas (Suhm and Jelks, 1962).

KAYS, =Kneberg= (Kneberg, 1956): A-49

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Kays point is a medium to large, straight-stemmed point with excurvate blade.

MEASUREMENTS: Seven plesiotypes from Cambron Site 4, Limestone County, Alabama, provided traits and the following measurements: length--maximum, 88 mm.; minimum, 56 mm.; average, 63 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 32 mm.; minimum, 26 mm.; average, 30 mm.: stem width--maximum, 17 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 17 mm.: stem length--maximum, 14 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 14 mm.: thickness--maximum, 11 mm.; minimum, 9 mm.; average, 9 mm. The ill.u.s.trated example measures 59 mm. in length, 30 mm. in shoulder width, 17 mm. in stem width, 14 mm. in stem length, and 9 mm. in thickness.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are usually tapered, but may be horizontal and may be rounded on some examples. The blade is excurvate, but may be nearly straight. The distal end is acute to sharply acute. The stem is straight and is slightly wider than it is long, with a straight basal edge that may be very slightly incurvate or excurvate. The edges of the stem are thinned and may be ground.

FLAKING: The blade and stem are shaped by broad, shallow to deep flaking. While a few examples appear to have been shaped by collateral flaking, random flaking is usually employed. Short, regular, secondary flaking was used to finish the blade and hafting area edges. All examples of the measured group are patinated and are made of local materials.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Kays Landing Site in Henry County, Tennessee. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 4, Limestone County, Alabama. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) one example each was recovered from Levels 1, 8, 9 and 10 in Zone A. This indicates an Archaic a.s.sociation. Three examples were recovered from Stratum II (Archaic) at the Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961). At Flint River Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) 12 of the 18 examples recovered were from Zone C (upper Archaic), two from Zone C-D, two from Zone D (lower sh.e.l.lmound Archaic) and one each from Zones A and B (Woodland). This is a strong indication of late Archaic a.s.sociation at this site. Kneberg (1956) suggests a middle Archaic to late Archaic a.s.sociation and a date of about 3000 B.C. to A.D. Ritchie (1961) notes the marked similarity of Kays points to Genesee points of New York. The latter have radiocarbon dates of 4941 260 B.P. to 3684 250 B.P. Genesee points average 3 to 3-1/2 inches in length and range to 6 inches or longer, considerably larger than Kays points. A middle to late Archaic a.s.sociation is indicated by available evidence, including surface a.s.sociations.