Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types Part 19

Other artifacts recovered from the type site include: 13 Big Sandy points, 1 Greenbrier Dalton point, 1 Ecusta point, 1 Plevna point, 26 Morrow Mountain points, 1 Morrow Mountain Straight Base point, 3 Morrow Mountain Rounded Base points, 3 Guilford Rounded Base points, 1 Guilford point, 8 Savannah River points, 1 Gary point, 1 Wade point, 1 Yadkin point, 2 Madison points, 25 P-1 Stemmed points, 1 used sc.r.a.per, 1 flint gouge, 7 mortars, 3 manos, 1 hammer-abrader, 7 steat.i.te hammers, and 1 perforater. These artifacts suggest a Transitional Paleo-Early Archaic and Archaic occupation of the site with a spa.r.s.e occupation by Woodland and Mississippian people. An age of 3000 to 4500 years B.P. is suggested for the type (Michie, personal communication, 1975). The a.s.sociation of other artifacts from the site indicates an earlier date for the type (Lewis, personal communication, 1975).

STANFIELD. =Cambron and Hulse= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-80

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A medium to large sized, narrow, triangular point with biconvex blade.

MEASUREMENTS: Nine autotypes from North Alabama, including the ill.u.s.trated example, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 118 mm.; minimum, 54 mm.; average, 73 mm.: width at base--maximum, 30 mm.; minimum, 18 mm.; average, 22 mm.: thickness--maximum, 13 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 9 mm.

FORM: The cross-section of the blade is biconvex, and most hafting area cross-sections are flattened. Blade edges are usually parallel, rarely excurvate. The distal end is acute. The hafting area includes an undetermined basal portion of the side edges. It is parallel sided, with a straight, rarely slightly excurvate, basal edge that is thinned. The hafting area is usually flattened.

FLAKING: From fairly deep to shallow random flaking was used to shape the faces. Usually one third to two thirds of the total length from the distal end is flaked to median ridge, and broader shallower flakes were removed from the hafting area. Short, broad, and deeper flakes were removed in retouching the side edges of the blade and all edges of the hafting area. Local materials were usually employed, and all examples were patinated.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from examples recovered from the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) in Colbert County, Alabama. The ill.u.s.trated example is from the Pine Tree Site (Cambron Site 76) in Limestone County, Alabama. Examples recovered at Stanfield-Worley were all in Zone D, two in Level 1 and one in Level 5. Radiocarbon dates from this zone are 8920 400 and 9640 450 B.P. Four examples were recovered from Stratum III (Cambron and Hulse, 1960a) at the Quad Site in a.s.sociation with Dalton, Lerma, Big Sandy I, and other points and were listed as Type P-11. All surface finds are made from sites that have produced early materials. It is suggested that this type be placed in the transitional Paleo-Indian cultural stage with a date of somewhere around 10,000 years ago.

STANLEY, =Coe= (Coe, 1959): A-79

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Stanley is a medium sized point with "a broad triangular blade, a small squared stem and a shallow notched base."

(Coe, 1959).

MEASUREMENTS: Seven plesiotypes from North Alabama and South Tennessee provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 47 mm.; minimum, 42 mm.; average, 46 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 33 mm.; minimum, 27 mm.; average, 31 mm.: stem width--maximum, 18 mm.; minimum, 14 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FORM: The cross-section may be biconvex or plano-convex, rarely flattened. Shoulders are usually horizontal or tapered, rarely inversely tapered, and may be expanded. Blade edges may be excurvate, straight, or recurvate and usually have an angular break in the blade outline near the distal end. Blade edges may be serrated near the base. The distal end is usually acute, but may be somewhat apiculate. The stem is usually straight. Stems of the plesiotypes are shorter and broader than stems of the cotypes. Thus, the basal edge of the plesiotypes is more incurvate than notched, as it is in the cotypes.

FLAKING: Blade scars and/or rather long, shallow, random flakes are in evidence on the faces of the blade and stem. On the serrated examples the serrations are broader and deeper near the shoulders, and the points are usually serrated no more than half the length of the blade. Fine regular retouch was carried out along the blade edges near the distal end. Fairly long, often broad, flakes were removed in order to thin the basal edge. Local materials were used, and all points show some patination.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from points found in Piedmont, North Carolina, especially at the Doerschuk and Hardaway Sites, where they were found above Kirk and below Morrow Mountain occupation levels and are placed somewhere above 5000 B.C. (Coe, 1959). The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 146 in Limestone County, Alabama. An example was recovered from Level 11 of Zone A at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962). Also in this level (145 trench) were Eva and Morrow Mountain points. One example was recovered from Zone C (upper Archaic) at the Flint River Sh.e.l.l Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a).

SUBLET FERRY, =Cambron= (This Paper): A-115

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium sized, serrated, shallowly side notched point.

MEASUREMENTS: Eleven cotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example, provided the following measurements: length--maximum, 48 mm.; minimum, 28 mm.; average, 42 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 22 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 19 mm.: stem width--maximum, 22 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 19 mm.: stem length--maximum, 10 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 6 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are tapered and narrow.

Blade edges are usually excurvate, but may be parallel-angular, and are finely serrated. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is shallowly side notched near the base, with the shoulders and stem usually nearly the same width. The basal edge is straight and thinned.

FLAKING: Shallow to deep flaking was used to shape the blade and stem faces. Long, narrow flakes were removed to form serrations along the blade edges. The hafting notches were formed by the removal of a fairly large deep flake from each side of each face near the base and were sometimes finished by the removal of several small flakes in the notches. Broad, thin flakes were removed in thinning the basal edge.

Local materials were used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from points found on sites near Sublet Ferry on the Tennessee River in Jackson County, Alabama. The ill.u.s.trated example is from W. H. Baker Site 16 in the area. Other artifacts from this site suggest early Woodland and possibly late Archaic a.s.semblages.

Typologically the Sublet type seems intermediate between Damron Side Notched and Knights Island. Cultural a.s.sociation of the type is at present uncertain, but surface collection a.s.sociations indicate that it is an early Woodland type.

SWAN LAKE, =Cambron and Hulse= (Cambron and Hulse, 1960b): A-81

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small, thick point with shallow side notches.

MEASUREMENTS: Fourteen plesiotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example, from Hulse Site 54 in Limestone County, Alabama, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 41 mm.; minimum, 30 mm.; average, 38 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 12 mm.; average, 17 mm.: stem width--maximum, 17 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length--maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 9 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is usually biconvex, but is sometimes near median-ridged. Shoulders are narrow, tapered, and may be expanded. Blade edges are usually straight but may be incurvate or excurvate. Distal ends are ac.u.minate. The hafting area is shallowly side notched. Side edges of the stem are incurvate. The basal edge may be excurvate or straight. Nearly all examples retain some rind on the base, and many basal edges are unfinished. A few basal edges are lightly ground.

FLAKING: Short, random flaking was used to shape the faces of the blade and stem. Flakes removed in retouching the blade and stem edges are short and fairly deep. Several flakes were usually removed to form the side notches. Local materials were used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from points recovered from the Swan Lake area of Limestone County, Alabama. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Hulse Site 54 in this area. The type may be related to Trinity points (Suhm and Jelks, 1962) and Halifax points (Coe, 1959). The side notched variant of Archaic Lamoka points of New York (Ritchie, 1961) may be an early variation of the Swan Lake type. Radiocarbon dates from 3500 B.C.

to 2500 B.C. have been obtained for Lamoka points (Ritchie, 1961). At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) most Swan Lake points were concentrated in the first two levels of Zone A, but a few examples were found as deep as Levels 7 and 8, with one from Level 1 in Zone B. This indicates Woodland a.s.sociation at this site, with possibly an Archaic connection. Four of eight examples from the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, were in the two top levels. All six examples from Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) were from Stratum I (Woodland). At Flint River Sh.e.l.l Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) four examples were recovered from Zone A, one from Zone B (Woodland) and one from Zone C (Archaic). The Swan Lake point appears to have been introduced in the Archaic period but reached a climax in the Woodland period.

TURKEY TAIL, =Scully= (Scully, 1951): A-82

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, double pointed lanceolate point with side notches.

MEASUREMENTS: The type ranges from about 3 inches to 8 inches in length with an average length of about 6 inches (Bell, 1960). The ill.u.s.trated plesiotype provided the following measurements: length, 174 mm.; width at widest part of blade, 42 mm.; thickness, 8 mm.; length of stem, 17 mm.; width of stem, 18 mm.; notch depth, 3 mm.; notch width, 6 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is flattened. Shoulders may be horizontal or tapered. Blade edges are excurvate. The distal end may be acute or broad. The stem is expanded and pointed with an acute or broad basal edge that is thinned.

FLAKING: Broad, shallow, random flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. Short deep flakes may be removed to retouch the edges. One or several flakes were removed from the sides of each face to form shallow side notches. A good grade, often exotic, material was used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named because of the resemblance of the hafting area to a turkey's tail. The ill.u.s.trated example is the shortest of four Turkey Tail points and one similar unnotched blade 8 inches long which were recovered from a sh.e.l.lmound burial by Harry Smith from Cambron Site 14 in Limestone County, Alabama. "The type commonly occurs in caches of several points, ranging from 4 or 5 up to 40 or more." (Bell, 1960.) This indicates a ceremonial usage. A late Archaic or early Woodland a.s.sociation with a date range from about 2000 B.C. to 500 B.C. is suggested by Scully (1951).

WADE, =Hulse= (Cambron and Hulse, 1960b): A-84

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium sized, barbed, straight stemmed point.

MEASUREMENTS: Fourteen cotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 70 mm.; minimum, 39 mm.; average, 51 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 42 mm.; minimum, 27 mm.; average, 34 mm.: stem width--maximum, 16 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 14 mm.: stem length--maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 9 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex or flattened. Shoulders are barbed, with barbs often as long as the stem. Blade edges may be excurvate or straight. The distal end is acute. The stem is usually straight but may be slightly expanded. Side edges of the stem are usually straight, and the basal edge may be straight or slightly incurvate. It is thinned and may be slightly ground.

FLAKING: Deep to shallow, random flaking was used on the blade and stem faces. Short, fairly deep, flakes were removed in retouching the blade and stem edges. One large, broad, deep flake was removed from the basal corners of each face to form barbs. The resulting notched edges were usually retouched by the removal of several small flakes. Local materials were used.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from points from several sites near Wade Landing on the Tennessee River, Limestone County, Alabama, where they were first recognized. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Cambron Site 148 (Ray Site) in Limestone County, Alabama. Three Wade points were found with pre-ceramic sitting burial No. 66 at the University of Alabama Site Lu 59 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1942) along with one beaver incisor, three bone awls, one distal end of a point or knife, one two-hole stone gorget, and one gorget fragment. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), points were more numerous in late Archaic and early Woodland levels. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, one example was recovered from Woodland Level 2. One example was recovered from the Woodland stratum at Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961). At the Little Bear Creek Site (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b) one example was recovered from the Woodland stratum and one from late Archaic. Three examples were recovered from the Woodland stratum and seven from late Archaic at the Flint River Sh.e.l.l Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a). The above evidence indicates a strong late Archaic a.s.sociation and suggests that the type continued in use as late as middle Woodland, with a probable date of 2500 B.C. to 1500 B.C.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, =Cambron= (This Paper): A-13