Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types Part 13

LERMA ROUNDED BASE, Termed "Lerma" by =MacNeish= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-55

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large sized, lanceolate point with rounded base.

MEASUREMENTS: Some measurements of 52 examples from 27 sites in the Tennessee Valley (Soday and Cambron, n. d.) follow: length--maximum, 99 mm.; minimum, 51 mm.; average, 80 mm.: width--average, 28 mm.: thickness--average, 9 mm. The ill.u.s.trated example is 90 mm. long, 30 mm.

wide, and 9 mm. thick.

FORM: The cross-section is usually biconvex but may be somewhat flattened or plano-convex. The blade is usually excurvate but may be nearly straight beyond the hafting area. Some examples may be beveled on one side of each face beyond the hafting area. The distal end is acute.

The hafting area may be rounded or broad-pointed. The basal edge is thinned, except for the striking platform of the basic blade, on many examples. This leaves a plane area on part of the basal edge.

FLAKING: A combination of broad shallow flakes and short hinged flakes were used on many examples to shape the blade and hafting area.

Secondary flaking is usually present along the edges. The plane striking area on the basal edge indicates manufacture from a blade. Local materials are usually employed. Many North Alabama examples are made of Ft. Payne chert.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The point was named Lerma Rounded Base by Cambron to distinguish it from Lerma Pointed Base. The type is a variant of the Lerma point as defined by MacNeish (E. C. Mahan, 1955). The ill.u.s.trated example is from Hulse Site 37E in Limestone County, Alabama. Examples from Texas are ill.u.s.trated by Suhm and Jelks (1962) with an estimated age of 2000 B.C. to 1000 A.D. Others from Texas were described as Archaic and ill.u.s.trated by Bell (1958). At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) one example was recovered from Level 1 of Zone D, which is an indication of pre-Archaic or early Archaic a.s.sociation at this site. The presence of one example each from Levels 8 and 9 at the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, indicates an early Archaic a.s.sociation. Three examples were found in Stratum II at Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961), indicating an early to middle Archaic a.s.sociation.

Evaluation of this evidence and observations indicate a possible existence of from transitional Paleo to middle Archaic times.

LIMESTONE, =Cambron= (This Paper): A-105

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium sized, incurvate-based point with tapered shoulders.

MEASUREMENTS: Ten cotypes from Cambron Site 12, Limestone County, Alabama, provided the following measurements: length--maximum, 52 mm.; minimum, 38 mm.; average, 48 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 35 mm.; minimum, 24 mm.; average, 28 mm.: stem width--maximum, 21 mm.; minimum, 14 mm.; average, 17 mm.: stem length--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 6 mm.; average, 8 mm. Measurements of the ill.u.s.trated example are: length, 51 mm.; shoulder width, 29 mm.; stem width, 20 mm.; stem length, 14 mm.; thickness, 9 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are usually tapered or, rarely, horizontal and are occasionally rounded. The blade is straight and the distal end acute. The stem may be straight or slightly expanded with straight or incurvate side edges. The basal edge is always incurvate and thinned.

FLAKING: The blade and stem are shaped by broad, shallow, random flaking. Secondary flaking along the blade edge ranges from crude to fine. Several examples show fine retouch on only one side of each blade edge, but this does not appear to be an attempt to bevel the blade edges. Large deep flakes were often removed from the basal corners of the original blade in order to shape the stem. These "notches" were then usually retouched as a final measure. After having been thinned, the basal edge was often finely retouched. Bangor flint appears to have been the most frequently used material in manufacture of these points.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after examples taken from a sh.e.l.l mound on the Tennessee River in Limestone County, Alabama. The ill.u.s.trated example is from the type site, primarily an Archaic sh.e.l.lmound site, Cambron Site 12 in Limestone County, Alabama. Surface collections from sites in this area indicate a late Archaic and/or Woodland a.s.sociation.

At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, two examples were recovered from Level 4 and one from Level 7. This is an indication of late Archaic or early Woodland a.s.sociation at this site.

LITTLE BEAR CREEK, =DeJarnette= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-56

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large sized, long-stemmed point with slightly excurvate blade edges.

MEASUREMENTS: Eleven cotypes from Little Bear Creek, Ct 8 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b), provided the following measurements: length--maximum, 90 mm.; minimum, 64 mm.; average, 75 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 28 mm.; minimum, 22 mm.; average, 24 mm.: stem width--maximum, 17 mm.; minimum, 15 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length--maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 18 mm.: thickness--maximum, 11 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 9 mm. Measurements of the ill.u.s.trated example are: length, 80 mm.; shoulder width, 30 mm.; stem width, 15 mm.; stem length, 16 mm.; thickness, 11 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are horizontal or tapered. Blade edges are excurvate or, rarely, straight. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is stemmed. The stem may be straight or contracted with straight side edges. Stem edges are usually ground. The stem base edge is straight and may be unfinished.

FLAKING: Deep flake scars and hinge fractures indicate that random percussion flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. Some secondary flaking may also be the result of percussion flaking. Local materials were used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after Little Bear Creek Site Ct 8 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b) where it was the most important type. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Hulse Site 17 (Apple Orchard) in Limestone County, Alabama. Of the 65 recovered examples from the Little Bear Creek Site, 58 were from the upper three feet of the eight-foot midden with about one-half of these in the upper foot. This indicates an introduction of the type in late Archaic times and a climax in late Woodland. At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) three examples were recovered from Level 1, seven from Level 2, three from Level 3 and one each from Levels 4, 5 and 7. This indicates a strong late Woodland a.s.sociation at this site with a possible introduction somewhat earlier. Stratum I (Woodland) at Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) produced two examples, one in the center third and one from the upper fifth of the stratum. At Flint River Sh.e.l.l Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) three examples were recovered from Zones A and B (Woodland) and six examples from Zones C and D (Archaic). This evidence seems to indicate an introduction in the sh.e.l.lmound Archaic period of North Alabama and a climax in late Woodland times, with a suggested date of 4000 years ago to about 1500 years ago.

LOST LAKE, =Cambron and Hulse= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-27

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, corner-notched point beveled on one edge of each blade face and is rhomboid in cross-section.

MEASUREMENTS: The measurements of 11 cotypes (including the ill.u.s.trated example, from which feature data were taken) range as follows: length--maximum, 81 mm.; minimum, 49 mm.; average, 63 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 48 mm.; minimum, 35 mm.; average, 40 mm.: stem width--maximum, 32 mm.; minimum, 23 mm.; average, 27 mm.: stem length--maximum, 15 mm.; minimum, 12 mm.; average, 13 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FLAKING: The flaking used on the faces is broad, shallow and random leaving the faces flat. The regular retouch flaking used to bevel the blade was removed from one side of each face and often left serrations; much of this flaking appears to be percussion. One deep, broad flake was removed on each face to form the terminal end of the notches. Apparently small flakes were removed for about one-third the length of the finished notch before the large flakes were struck off. Some retouching was used to finish the notches. Shallow, relatively broad, flakes were removed in thinning the base.

FORM: The cross-section is rhomboid. As a result of deep, narrow, corner notches, the barbs are usually simple, long and may be rounded or acute; rarely, expanded. The blade is usually straight; rarely, excurvate or recurvate. The blade edges may or may not be serrated but are always beveled on one edge of each face. The distal end is usually acute but may approach broad. The hafting area is usually diagonally corner notched; rarely, diagonally basal notched. The notches, as measured along the stern side edge, are usually deep and narrow. The sides of the expanded stem are straight or incurvate. The stem base is thinned and may be incurvate, straight or excurvate. It is usually ground except on some straight-based examples.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Lost Lake area in Limestone County, Alabama, where many examples are found. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Hulse Site 14a, Limestone County, Alabama. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) an example from Level 6, Zone A, and one from Level 9, Zone A, were recovered. Examples from North Alabama are from pre-sh.e.l.lmound sites, and are usually patinated. This indicates an early Archaic a.s.sociation prior to 5000 years ago.

MADISON, =Scully= (Scully, 1951): A-60

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small, thin, triangular point.

MEASUREMENTS: Fifteen plesiotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example from Cambron Site 27 in Limestone County, Alabama, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 33 mm.; minimum, 17 mm.; average, 26 mm.: width at base--maximum, 21 mm.; minimum, 12 mm.; average, 16 mm.: thickness--maximum, 6 mm.; minimum, 3 mm.; average, 4 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is flattened. Blade edges are straight, rarely slightly excurvate. The distal end is acute. There is no way to distinguish the hafting area from the blade. Some part of the basal portion of the blade was used as a hafting area. The basal edge may be straight--or incurvate one or two millimeters--and is thinned.

FLAKING: Broad, shallow, random flaking was used to shape the blade.

Fine secondary flaking was used to thin and shape the side and basal edges. Local materials were used.

COMMENTS: According to Ritchie (1961) this type was described by Scully as the Mississippi Triangular point and was later changed by him to the Madison point (Scully, 1951). Scully gives the a.s.sociation as "Middle Mississippi" and the distribution as "Middle and Upper Mississippi sites in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri".

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Kneberg (1956) refers to a similar point as "Late Mississippi Triangular." She suggests a date of 1300-1800 A.D. The length range, as given by Scully, and measurements of 100 points from a single prehistoric Iroquois site in western New York (Ritchie, 1961) compare favorably with Alabama measurements. The type is a.s.sociated with the middle Mississippi culture in Alabama and has been referred to locally as Mississippi Triangular. At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), of eleven levels in Zone A, Levels 1 and 2 produced 167 of the 234 examples recovered. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, 44 of the 52 examples from 13 levels came from Levels 1 and 2. Of the 86 examples recovered from Stratum I (Woodland and Mississippian) at the Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) most examples were in the uppermost levels. Of 11 examples from Flint River Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) 9 were in Zone A (uppermost zone). The middle Mississippi culture, with which the points are a.s.sociated in Alabama, is considered prehistoric Creek. Jenkins (1975) has confirmed a pre-Mississippian (Miller III) provenience for this type on the Central Tombigbee River. The Madison point type was also found on transitional Late Woodland-Early Mississippian sites (West Jefferson Phase) within the Warrior drainage (Jenkins and Nielsen, 1974).

MAPLES, =Cambron= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-57

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a large, thin, broad stemmed point with an excurvate base.

MEASUREMENTS: Seventeen cotypes from the Tennessee River Valley (with the exception of length, where only 6 examples were used since the distal ends of the other 11 examples are missing) provided the following measurements and features: length--maximum, 119 mm.; minimum, 61 mm.; average, 93 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 72 mm.; minimum, 37 mm.; average, 52 mm.: stem width--maximum, 50 mm.; minimum, 24 mm.; average, 36 mm.: stem length--maximum, 16 mm.; minimum, 8 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness--maximum, 18 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 14 mm. The ill.u.s.trated example provided the following measurements: length, 104 mm.; shoulder width, 60 mm.; stem width, 35 mm.; stem length, 12 mm.; thickness, 14 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are tapered. Blade edges are usually excurvate but may be straight. The distal end is usually acute. The stem is short and usually contracted-rounded with excurvate side edges. The basal edge is excurvate or straight, usually thinned, and may be ground.

FLAKING: Broad, shallow to deep, flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. A minimum of secondary flaking was used on some examples, sometimes on only one edge of a face. Other examples show a considerable amount of retouching along the blade edges. A minimum of secondary flaking was used on the basal edge and sides of the stem. Local materials were utilized, especially Ft. Payne chert.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from sites along Elk River near Maples Bridge in Limestone County, Alabama. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 19, Morgan County, Alabama. An example from the Eva Site in Benton County, Tennessee is ill.u.s.trated in Plate 4-a, Page 32 (Lewis and Lewis, 1961) and is described as late Archaic. At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) an example was recovered from Level 9 of Zone A. This indicates an Archaic a.s.sociation. Seven examples from the 3-foot level and one from the 5-foot level at Little Bear Creek Site Ct 8 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b) place the a.s.sociation as late Archaic at this site. At Flint River Sh.e.l.l Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) one example was recovered from Zone A (Woodland) and one from Zone C-D (Archaic). An example was recovered from Archaic Level 7 at the University of Alabama Site 1 Ru 28 in Russell County, Alabama, on the Chattahoochee River. Evidence indicates a middle to late Archaic a.s.sociation with a probable date of about 4000 years ago or slightly earlier.

MCINTIRE, =Hulse= (This Paper): A-106