APPALACHIAN, Kneberg (Kneberg, 1957): A-5
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Appalachian point is a medium to large, stemmed point with concave base, made of quartzite.
MEASUREMENTS: The illustrated example measures 85 mm. in length, 38 mm. in shoulder width, 27 mm. in stem width, 16 mm. in stem length, and 16 mm. in thickness. The length for the type ranges from 60 mm. to 110 mm. (Harwood, 1959).
FORM: The cross-section is usually flattened. The shoulders are usually tapered and narrow. The blade is usually excurvate, but may be straight with an acute distal end. The stem is broad and may be straight, slightly contracted, or expanded, with an incurvate basal edge that may be thinned. The hafting area is usually ground along the edges.
FLAKING: This point displays well-controlled percussion flaking with some retouch along the edges.
COMMENTS: The point is named for the Southern Appalachian region, where the type is widely distributed (Kneberg, 1957). Several examples were recovered at the Camp Creek Site, where they may be associated with Early Woodland (Kneberg, 1957). The illustrated example is from Harwood Site 6A on Hominy Creek in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The part of the site designated 6A by Harwood (1959) is pre-ceramic. Large, biface, quartzite tools are in association with the points, which are all made from quartzite. Examples from Cowee Creek, Macon County, North Carolina, were recovered below the ceramic zone. This type is associated with Savannah River points on several sites. It appears that the point is associated with the middle to late Archaic and early Woodland cultures.