Fluted Points Research Articles

Rummells-Maske Revisited: A Fluted Point Cache from East Central Iowa

The Rummells-Maske site, 13CD15, is a fluted point cache discovered in 1964 by two amateur archaeologists. It is one of the few finished fluted point caches in North America. It was originally interpreted as a cache, but because the site was reported as a "findspot" in the original report title, it has not received the attention it deserved in Paleo indian literature. In this paper, we review the history of the discovery, describe the Rummells-Maske assemblage, and reassess the typological affinities of the points from the perspective of research on the Early Paleoindian period conducted across North American since the 1972 publication. Our analyses indicate that Rummells-Maske represents a fluted point cache closely affiliated with the Gainey complex.

The 1997 Excavations at the Big Eddy Site (23CE426) in Southwest Missouri. Neal H. Lopinot, Iack H. Ray, and Michael D. Connor, editors. 1998. Center for Archaeological Research, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield. 450 pp. $30.00 (paper), NSN 7540-01-280-5500.

Abstract : Extensive archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations at the Big Eddy site (23CE426) in the Downstream Stockton easement have documented stratified archaeological deposits extending to at least 4.0 m below surface in the central part of the site. This locality was utilized throughout prehistory, but perhaps most intensively during Late Paleoindian and middle Late Archaic times. The site also contains significant Early Archaic, Early/Middle Paleoindian, and possible pre-Clovis components, and has yielded the first reliable dates associated with a fluted point component in this portion of the midcontinent. Reliable dates also have been obtained for the Late Paleoindian horizon, which lies directly above the fluted-point horizon and contains abundant lithic debris produced by Dalton and San Patrice peoples. Based on sedimentological data, thin-section analysis, refitting studies, microdebitage distribution, and the intact nature of numerous lithic features, the early deposits at the Big Eddy site have very good integrity, Analyses focus on site formation processes and dating, carbon isotopes, an extensive lithic (principally chipped-stone) assemblage, a modest archaeobotanical data set, and limited faunal remains. Given the site's great significance and continued erosion, mitigation should be undertaken as soon as possible.

Authentication Analysis of the Angus Nebraska Fluted Point

Authentication Analysis of the Angus Nebraska Fluted Point

Palaeoindian artefact distributions: evidence and implications

The distribution of projectile points over broad geographic areas yields important insights about Palaeoindian settlement pattern and history. While traditionally viewed as a Great Plains adaptation, the data show that fluted points are far more common in Eastern North America. These artefacts are not evenly spread across the landscape, furthermore, but occur in distinct concentrations. Within some of these areas distinct cultural traditions quickly emerged, something that appears tied to the sudden onset of the Younger Dryas.

Renewed investigations at the Folsom Palaeoindian type site

The Folsom site (New Mexico, USA) is justly famous as the place where in 1927 four decades of sometimes bitter controversy came to an end, when it was finally demonstrated humans had been in the New World since the Pleistocene (Meltzer 1993). Folsom became the type site for the Palaeoindian period and distinctive fluted projectile point that bears its name (see Hofman 1999). Yet, as the excavations done in the 1920s by the Colorado (now Denver) and American Museums of Natural History focused initially on the recovery of Bison antiquus skeletons suitable for museum display, and latterly on documenting the association of projectile points with those bison remains, many fundamental questions of interest about the site’s stratigraphic, environmental and archaeological context were left unanswered (and often not asked).

Geographic Variation in Fluted Projectile Points: A Hemispheric Perspective

This paper examines geographic variation in fluted point morphology across North and South America. Metric data on 449 North American points, 31 Central American points, and 61 South American points were entered into a database. Ratios calculated from these metric attributes are used to quantify aspects of point shape across the two continents. The results of this analysis indicate gradual, progressive changes in fluted point outline shape from the Great Plains of western North America into adjacent parts of North America as well as into Central and South America. The South American “Fishtail” form of fluted point is seen as the culmination of incremental changes in point shape that began well into North America. A geographically gradual decline in fluting frequency also is consistent with the stylistic evolution of the stemmed “Fishtail” points. Although few in number, the available radiocarbon dates do suggest that “Fishtail” fluted points in southern South America are younger than the earliest dates associated with Clovis points in western North America. All of these data converge on the conclusion that South American “Fishtail” points evolved from North American fluted points.

Chert from the Munsungun Lake Formation (Maine) in Palaeoamerican Archaeological Sites in Northeastern North America: Recognition of its Occurrence and Distribution

Numerous fluted point Palaeoamerican sites in the northeast contain significant numbers of chert artefacts whose origin is from the Munsungun Lake Formation in northern Maine. These sites include: Adkins, Bull Brook, Dam, Hedden, Lamareau, Michaud, Morss, Munsungun Lake (three sites), Neponset, Plenge, Point Sebago, Searsmont, Spiller Farm, Vail, Vail Kill (two sites), Wheeler Dam (two sites) and Whipple. Lithic materials in order of decreasing importance at these sites include: (1) chert whose physical characteristics are wholly consistent with chert outcrops and quarries near Munsungun Lake; (2) a variety of cherts whose physical characteristics are inconsistent with outcrops and quarries near Munsungun Lake; (3) a spherulitic, flow-banded rhyolite; (4) miscellaneous fine-grained igneous rocks; (5) clear or milky quartz; (6) miscellaneous very fine-grained or fine-grained metamorphic rocks. Portions of all collections contain artefacts which are completely weathered, and which are not assignable to any specific rock type and cannot be classified as to specific rock type.We developed a hierarchy to classify Munsungun Lake chert, ranging from hand specimen characteristics to polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction to chemical analysis. We conclude that hand specimen characteristics combined with polarized light microscopy are viable techniques for assigning Munsungun Lake Formation provenance. Three distinctive hand specimen features are sedimentary lamination, organic burrow structures and colour variation. Using these, chert quarries and outcrops in the geographic vicinity of Munsungun Lake may be assigned to one of the following categories: (A) structureless grayish red, dusky red, blackish red, or dark reddish brown; (B) laminated grayish red, dusky red, blackish red, or dark reddish brown chert with varve-like laminations; (C) mottled or colour laminated red and dark grey, or mottled red and greenish grey chert; (D) colour laminated and burrow mottled chert; (E) greyish to blackish laminated chert; (F) dark grey to black, structureless or weakly and thinly laminated; (G) olive grey to olive black laminated chert which is locally pyrite-rich. The nature of weathered surfaces may be a diagnostic tool for assistance in recognizing Munsungun chert. Chemical weathering tends to produce much lighter colourations and enhances the visibility of sedimentary structures. Munsungun cherts tend to weather to a very light tan, very light grey or greyish white. Radiolarians are uncommon (<10%) in all varieties, and are concentrated in zones parallel to bedding.Chert palaeoquarries are numerous in the Munsungun Lake area. They are of two types. One type occurs on topographically flat areas. Here the quarries are small (1×5m) to large (5×30m) size depressions within and along outcrops. In plan view these range in shape from roughly circular to broad ovals. Along the margins of these depressions are piles of poorly sorted worked and discarded debitage. These “tailing piles” are generally less than 1m in height, but exhibit wide variations in areal extent and shape. Larger tailing piles overlap one another suggesting that they have experienced more than one episode of growth due to repeated quarry activity. The second quarry type occurs on steeper slopes. These are near-vertical quarried faces which range from 1 to nearly 3m in height. Excavation here has occurred both inwards to the slope and downwards. Small cavern or adit-like “mines” have not been recognized.

Northeast Asia in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene

This paper considers the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene record of the comparatively unexplored area of Northeast Siberia. This area is of key importance for our understanding of the first peopling of the Americas. Late Pleistocene cultural traditions include microblade (with wedge‐shaped cores and bifaces), non‐microblade, and pebble‐based. No properly dated Pleistocene pebble complexes are however known in the area. In the Early Holocene new cultural traditions are referred to as Mesolithic or Holocene (relict) Palaeolithic. The major criterion for separating these epochs is the disappearance of wedge‐shaped cores and the appearance of conical and prismatic ones. So far there is no clear evidence that Paleoindian cultures originated in Northeast Asia, but a fluted point from Uptar (King and Slobodin 1996) shows that the technique of fluting was known in Northeast Asia at the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary.

Two Fluted Points from the Kaibito Plateau, Northeastern Arizona

ABSTRACTRecently found at two separate locations on the Kaibito Plateau of northeastern Arizona are a fragmentary untyped fluted point and a complete Clovis point. The points and their locations are described. The discovery context of the Clovis point is notable for the presence of probable Pleistocene sediments.

Early Paleoindian Land Use, Mobility, and Lithic Exploitation Patterns: An Updated Distribution of Fluted Points in Indiana

This article documents 583 fluted projectile points from seventy-two Indiana counties. While fluted points occur in virtually all microtopographic settings, the highest frequency were recovered from riparian settings or overlooks of those areas. The largest concentrations of these artifacts are located on the terraces of major streams. More than half of the fluted points documented were found in the unglaciated portion of the state along the Ohio River and in the bedrock source areas of high-quality lithic material. Most of the fluted points are manufactured from high-quality lithic materials that occur as abundant, large, unflawed masses that outcrop within a 250 km radius of the artifact's findspot. Ten percent of the fluted points documented were manufactured from exotic lithic materials (&gt; 250 km between the fluted point findspot and lithic raw material source area). A number of typological-geographical patterns are also evident: (1) Clovis points occur throughout Indiana; (2) Cumberland points are more abundant in the unglaciated region, especially along the Ohio River; and (3) Gainey, Barnes, Crowfield, and Holcombe points are restricted to the glaciated landscape of the northern half of the state.

The Clovis Point: Characteristics and Type Description

Descriptions of the Clovis projectile point currently reflected within the literature are summarized. An in depth review of Clovis point general characteristics and technological attributes is provided, followed by a detailed type description. Technological rationale is presented which excludes a majority of eastern fluted points from the Clovis classification.

Epistemological Importance and Fluted Points: An Observation

The earliest cultures of North America produced exquisitely made fluted projectile points. Over time, projectile points became progressively more crude in form and workmanship. A common explanation for this apparent regression is that native North American stone workers “lost the art of fine flint knapping.” This hypothesis is questioned and an alternative offered. It is suggested that regression had not occurred. Rather, there had been a shift in epistemological importance away from projectile points into more relevant areas for those more recent cultures. Points simply were no longer important to them.

Fluting Technology At The Lincoln Hills Site

The Lincoln Hills archaeological site in Jersey County, Illinois has produced fluted points and Manufacturing debns resulting from the production of fluted points. This material is evaluated to identify the fluting technology used at the site. The techniques used to prepare point preforms for fluting, and the general charactenstlcs of completed Lincoln Hills points, are described.

The Paleoindian Component at Charlie Lake Cave (HbRf 39), British Columbia

Charlie Lake Cave (HbRf 39) is a stratified site in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, containing a fluted-point component at the base of the excavated deposits. The small artifact assemblage includes a fluted point, stone bead, core tool, and retouched flake. A diverse associated fauna includes fish, birds, and mammals, indicating a more open environment than exists today. Radiocarbon dates suggest that the artifact assemblage was deposited about 10,500 years ago.

Late pleistocene human adaptations in eastern North America

Eastern North America in late Pleistocene times was characterized by two major environmental regions: a periglacial tundra or open spruce parkland and an extensive complex boreal/deciduous forest in the unglaciated, lower latitudes. These environments selected for different adaptive strategies on the part of human foraging groups—known archaeologically as Paleoindians. Those in the tundra and tundra-forest region were highly mobile, possibly specialized hunters, exploiting caribou; those in the forest were generalists, exploiting a variety of subsistence resources with a less mobile settlement system. There is little evidence in either area for hunting of Pleistocene megafauna. These differences in adaptive strategies are reflected in the record of sites and isolated fluted points scattered throughout the region, as well as aspects of tool technology, function, and patterns of stone use.

Fluting the Lindenmeier Folsom: A Simple and Economical Solution to the Problem, and Its Implications for Other Fluted Point Technologies

A simple fluting technique is presented in this paper which improves the success rate for the experimental production of fluted points. Fifty Folsom points were fluted by indirect percussion with the aid of wooden and antler stabilizing tabs resulting in an 84% success rate, a marked improvement over Flenniken's previous experiments replicating Lindenmeier Folsom points. Such results achieved by moderately experienced knappers suggest that more experienced aboriginal knappers may have had even better fluting success rates. The findings from this experiment call into question some of the recent interpretations of the role of knappers in Folsom society and suggest avenues for additional experimental replication studies of other fluted point technologies.

On Stone Procurement and Settlement Mobility in Eastern Fluted Point Groups

The presence of “exotic” lithic material in an assemblage serves as a measure of the mobility of a settlement system. Its validity depends on the accurate identification of stone types and their source location. Much important research has focused on these topics, but often ignored are mechanisms of natural stone transport. It is generally assumed that “exotic” stone material at a site was procured by the site's inhabitants at the outcrop source. This assumption is particularly unwarranted in the glaciated eastern United States, where stone is transported great distances in cobble form by geological processes. This action may be a major source of “exotic” lithic material in site localities. Analysis of debitage and the diversity of lithic material in an assemblage aids in recognizing the effects of natural stone transport. Such analyses are necessary in interpreting the degree of settlement mobility among eastern Paleo-indian groups.

The 12 Mile Creek Site: A Reinvestigation

The 12 Mile Creek site in western Kansas was the first site yielding a fluted projectile point to be excavated in North America by scientific personnel. The Bison from this kill site were used in forming the original concept of B. occidentalis. A new study of the site including radiocarbon dates and a pollen analysis suggests the kill took place in a pine parkland about 10,300 years ago. The artifact from this site reported by Williston seems to be a Clovis projectile point.

Some Practical Applications of Obsidian Hydration Dating in the Subarctic

Eight case studies of obsidian hydration dating in the Koyukuk River region of northwestern interior Alaska are discussed. Historiographic conclusions include recognition of late and early microblade industries, apparent verification of the hypothesis that northern fluted points date within a Paleo-Indian time frame, and validation of a Tuktu-like first millennium A.D. Northern Archaic phase. However, variance in the data and lack of firm hydration rates render the results less precise than is desired. Methodological conclusions have ramifications that should apply throughout the subarctic region and well beyond. These are: 1) Hydration measurements may be unreliable for dating individual specimens; 2) Lack of closely controlled hydration rates or dependence on 14-C dates with large errors for calibration can be crippling; 3) The average of a series of specimens can be used to date components which were formed during a brief period of occupation, though high variance of the data may be disconcerting; 4) Variance was low in one case for specimens all derived from the same piece of raw material, but for dating it may be necessary to find, through induced hydration or other means, the precise hydration rate applicable to each different piece of raw material (from a single component); and 5) Many variables may be responsible for results which render some sample sets unreliable or unusable, especially those from surface sites. Some of these variables require further technical investigation - loss of the hydration layer and recommencement of hydration after exposure to forest and tundra fires, for instance. Other factors are reasonably well understood by researchers, but it would be desirable to have computer simulations of site contexts in order to assess the magnitude, correlations, and cumulative results of their effects.Key words: archaeology, western Subarctic, Alaska, dating, obsidian, obsidian hydration

Paleo-Indians and Fluted Points: Subarctic Alternatives

For more than three decades a postulated northern (Alaskan) origin for Paleo-Indians bearing fluted projectile points has been based on sparse fluted point occurrences in the north and expectations...