Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types Part 5

FORM: The cross-section in the fluted area of the blade is fluted; in the unfluted area, biconvex. The blade is usually excurvate but may be slightly recurvate; the distal end is usually acute but may be broad.

The hafting area is auriculate and may be pointed or rounded. It is usually parallel, but on a few examples may be expanded or contracted.

The basal edge is incurvate. The hafting area is usually fluted on both faces; rarely, on one. Either single or multiple flutes may be present.

Most examples are fluted about one-third of the total length, but some may be fluted to near the distal end. Most examples have ground basal edges, which may determine the hafting area.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FLAKING: The flaking is usually random but may be somewhat collateral, leaving a low median ridge. All examples are retouched along the edges; many are very finely pressure flaked. Flutes appear to have been struck by indirect percussion after preparation of a "striking platform" at the base. On the multiple fluted examples, two or more primary flutes appear to have been removed leaving a striking area near the center of the base from which the main flute was struck. After one face was fluted the base was beveled to facilitate striking flutes from the opposite face. This resulted in a basal concavity (Cambron and Hulse, 1961a).

COMMENTS: The point is named for the Clovis, New Mexico, area, where examples were found in a.s.sociation with mammoth remains. The ill.u.s.trated example from Hulse Site 54, in Limestone County, Alabama, was selected for its similarity to the type specimens from New Mexico. A date of over 37,000 B.P. was taken from a hearth containing a Clovis point at Lewisville, Texas (Crook and Harris, 1958), but the a.s.sociation has been questioned. The date from the Naco mammoth find in Arizona is 9250 300 B.P. Many early-man authorities suggest a date of about 15,000 years ago. This range of dates may indicate long use of the type. The type is distributed over most of North America. Alabama examples are found on early sites with blade tools.

CLOVIS, UNFLUTED, =Soday and Cambron= (This Paper): A-19-a

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Unfluted Clovis point is a medium to large, auriculate point with incurvate base.

MEASUREMENTS: The average measurements of samples from seven sites (Soday and Cambron, n. d.) in the Tennessee River Valley are: length, 61 mm.; width, 25 mm.; thickness, 6 mm. Length and weight range as follows: longest, 179 mm.; weight 18 grams: shortest, 46 mm.; weight 4 grams. The detailed measurements of the ill.u.s.trated example (one of the cotypes) are: length, 59 mm.; width at widest point, 24 mm.; width at base, 21 mm.; maximum thickness, 6 mm.; depth of basal concavity, 4 mm.; length of ground hafting area, 29 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. The blade is excurvate and terminates in an acute, or, sometimes, broad distal end. The auriculate hafting area is usually either parallel-pointed or parallel-rounded; rarely, it is expanded with an incurvate basal edge which is usually well thinned. All basal edges are usually ground--sometimes for almost half the length of the point. The shape is similar to, but usually thinner than, that of the Clovis point.

FLAKING: The flaking used to shape the blade and hafting area may be transverse-oblique, random, or collateral with fine retouch along the blade edges. Usually several broad, shallow flakes were removed to thin the basal edge of the hafting area.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named Unfluted Clovis because of its similarity to the fluted Clovis type. The ill.u.s.trated example was found weathered out of an early stratum along with a fluted Quad point on Cambron Site 20 in Morgan County, Alabama. Suhm, Krieger and Jelks (1954) suggest the possibility that some Clovis points have no flutes, and that it would be difficult to distinguish these examples from Plainview points.

Concerning the fluting on some of the Clovis points at the Naco, Arizona Site, Wormington (1957) says, "In some instances the grooves had been formed by the removal of several smaller flakes." At least one ill.u.s.trated example appears to be only basally thinned. The Naco find dates between 10,000 and 11,000 years ago. At the Silver Springs Site in Florida, fluted and unfluted Clovis-like points (Neill, 1958) were recovered together from the lowest levels of the site. Alabama examples usually are recovered from fluted point sites. It is suggested that this type may be contemporaneous with Clovis or may have appeared later.

CONERLY, =Lively= (This Paper): A-135

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Conerly is a medium to large point with an incurvate base that is thinned. The stem is contracted.

MEASUREMENTS: Nine cotypes from Lively Sites 1, 2, and 4 in the Sardis area of Burke County, Georgia, provided the following measurements and traits: length--maximum, 105 mm.; minimum, 57 mm.; average, 77 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 31 mm.; minimum. 21 mm.; average, 27 mm.: stem width--maximum, 21 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 18 mm.: stem length--maximum 20 mm.; minimum, 17 mm.; average, 18 mm.: thickness--maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 9 mm.; average, 11 mm.: basal concavity--maximum, 4 mm.; minimum, 2 mm.; average, 3 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex, rarely flattened. The shoulders are narrow or lacking. Blade edges may be excurvate or straight and most examples exhibit shallow serrations. The distal end is acute. The stems are contracted with an incurvate and thinned basal edge.

FLAKING: Mostly broad, shallow, random flaking was employed to shape the blade and stem. Two examples exhibited oblique transverse flaking on the blades. Short, deep random flaking used to finish the blade edges often resulted in fine serrations. A minimum of flaking was used to finish the sides of the stem. The basal edge of the stem was flaked to form a concavity and then thinned. Local materials were used and all points were patinated.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named from the Conerly Site near Sardis in Burke County, Georgia. The examples used are from the collection of Matthew Lively of Birmingham, Alabama. a.s.sociated artifacts seem to place the type somewhere in the Archaic period. Physical appearance of the Conerly points indicate a similarity to Savannah River points (Bullen, 1968) as well as Guilford points (Coe, 1959) and Arredondo points (Bullen, 1968).

A suggested date is somewhere between 7000 and 4000 years B.P.

COOSA, =DeJarnette= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Keel, 1973): A-22

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium-sized, usually thick, point with a short stem.

MEASUREMENTS: The measurements of ten plesiotypes, including the ill.u.s.trated example, follow (these plesiotypes also served as a basis for description of features): length--maximum, 43 mm.; minimum, 31 mm.; average, 37 mm.: width at shoulder--maximum, 23 mm.; minimum, 18 mm.; average, 20 mm.: stem width--maximum, 13 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 12 mm.: stem length--maximum, 7 mm.; minimum, 4 mm.; average, 6 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FLAKING: Flaking used to shape the blade and stem is usually of a random nature; rarely, it is transverse oblique. On most examples some or all blade edges may be crudely beveled for about one-fourth the width of the blade. The retouch that produces the beveling also produces fine serrations on some examples. Points are usually made of a poor grade local flint in the Coosa River area.

FORM: The cross-section is usually biconvex but may be plano-convex or flattened. The shoulders are usually horizontal or inversely tapered.

The blade is excurvate and very finely serrated by secondary flaking; the distal end is acute. The two examples with plano-convex cross-sections were unmodified on the plano face except for retouch along the edges. The stem is straight or displays straight side edges and excurvate stem base edge. The stem base edge is usually crudely thinned.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named for the Coosa River area, where sites produced the first examples to be recognized as a type. The ill.u.s.trated and measured examples came from University of Alabama Site Ce 200 (c.o.ker Ford Site), Cherokee County, Alabama. The main a.s.sociation at this excavated site was with fabric-marked, limestone-tempered sherds and simple-stamped, sand-tempered sherds (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Keel, 1973). Two occurrences of a.s.sociation in a stone mound with plain or brushed limestone-tempered sherds were also noted. One example was recovered from B Zone (Woodland) at Ma 48, Flint River Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a). Nine examples recovered from the Camp Creek Site in Greene County, Tennessee, were listed as "straight short stemmed" (Lewis and Kneberg, 1957). A date at this h.o.m.ogeneous site of 2050 250 years B.P. was obtained. This evidence suggests a middle Woodland a.s.sociation in Alabama; the type may be a part of the Greeneville complex. This type was a.s.sociated with Coosa Notched points at the Coosa River sites.

COOSA NOTCHED, =DeJarnette= (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Keel, 1973): A-23

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium-sized point, usually thick, with a shallow side notch.

MEASUREMENTS: The four plesiotypes from which this description was drawn range in measurements as follows: length--maximum, 41 mm.; minimum, 36 mm.; average, 39 mm.: shoulder width--maximum, 23 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 22 mm.: stem width--maximum, 15 mm.; minimum, 11 mm.; average, 13 mm.: stem length--maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 6 mm.; average, 7 mm.: thickness--maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 7 mm. The ill.u.s.trated examples average 35 mm. in length, 17 mm. in shoulder width, 14 mm. in stem width, 7 mm. in stem length and 7 mm. in thickness.

FORM: The cross-section is usually plano-convex but may be biconvex. In most plano-convex examples, the plane face is unmodified except for retouch. The shoulders are inversely tapered. The blade may be excurvate or straight; the blade edges are usually finely serrated. The distal end is acute. Expanded stems are present as a result of shallow side notching on the hafting area. The basal edge is usually excurvate but may be incurvate; it is usually thinned.

FLAKING: Flaking used to shape the blade and hafting area is usually random. Blade edges may be beveled on one or both sides of each face for about one-fourth the width of the blade. This retouch often results in fine serrations along the blade edges. Notches appear to have been formed by removal of short flakes. The points are made of a poor grade flint in the Coosa River area.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named as a variant of the Coosa point, which was named for the Coosa River in Alabama, where many examples are found. The measured and ill.u.s.trated examples are from University of Alabama c.o.ker Ford Site, Ce 200, Cherokee County, Alabama. The type is a.s.sociated mostly with fabric-marked, limestone-tempered sherds at this site but also with simple-stamped, sand-tempered ware (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Keel, 1973). The type appears to be coeval with Coosa, nine examples of which were recovered from the h.o.m.ogeneous Camp Creek Site and listed by Lewis and Kneberg (1957) as straight short stemmed. A radiocarbon date of 2050 250 B.P. was obtained from this site. Scattered finds are made on Woodland sites in the Tennessee Valley. This evidence suggests a middle Woodland a.s.sociation in Alabama.

COPENA, =Webb and DeJarnette= (Kneberg, 1956): A-20

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, trianguloid point with recurvate edges.

MEASUREMENTS: The ill.u.s.trated example is, perhaps, slightly shorter than average. It measures 80 mm. long, 22 mm. wide at the widest point of the blade, 22 mm. wide at the base, 21 mm. wide across hafting constriction and 7 mm. thick.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. The blade is recurvate as a result of the hafting constriction. The distal end is usually acute but may be ac.u.minate. The hafting area is expanded at the base. The basal edge is usually straight but may be excurvate or occasionally incurvate. It is usually thinned. Light grinding is usually present on the hafting area edges.

FLAKING: The blade and hafting area are shaped by broad, shallow, random or collateral flaking. The removal of these flakes occasionally resulted in a low median ridge. The edges are finely retouched as from pressure flaking. Copena points are usually made of local flint.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

COMMENTS: The type was named after the Copena burial mound culture of North Alabama. The term "Copena" is derived from the first three letters of copper and the last three of galena, since copper and galena artifacts are often a.s.sociated with the burials. The ill.u.s.trated example is from Hulse Site 17 in Limestone County, Alabama. This type was ill.u.s.trated by Webb and DeJarnette (1942). Copena is often called Southern Hopewell. It is a Woodland point, usually found in burial mounds, but occasionally on late Archaic sites in the Tennessee area (Kneberg, 1956). Copena points appeared in the lower levels of the Woodland stratum at Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) and two examples were recovered from Level 3 (pottery) at University of Alabama Site Ms 201, Rock House Shelter, in Marshall County, Alabama, as well as in the Woodland zone at Ma 48, Flint River Mound, in Madison County, Alabama (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a). One example was recovered from Level 1 at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962). The type is found eroding out of several predominately Woodland sh.e.l.l middens in the Wheeler Basin of the Tennessee River. A suggested age is from about 500 B.C. to A.D.

COPENA TRIANGULAR, =Webb and DeJarnette= (Cambron, 1958b): A-20-a

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, trianguloid point. The sides of the hafting area are usually parallel.

MEASUREMENTS: The 16 autotypes (including the ill.u.s.trated example from the type site) which provided the features described below range in measurements as follows: length--maximum, 74 mm.; minimum, 43 mm.; average, 56 mm.: width at distal end of hafting area--maximum, 31 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 24 mm.: width at base--maximum, 31 mm.; minimum, 19 mm.; average, 25 mm.: thickness--maximum, 10 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is nearly always biconvex; rarely, it is plano-convex. Beyond the hafting area, the blade is usually excurvate but may be straight. Some examples may have one excurvate and one straight blade edge. The distal end is usually acute; rarely, ac.u.minate.

The sides of the hafting area are usually parallel but may taper from the base; rarely, they are slightly incurvate. The basal edge may be either straight or incurvate to a depth of about 2 mm. All bases are thinned. The hafting area edges of most examples with incurvate bases are lightly ground. Straight-based examples may be ground along the hafting area edges.