ELORA, Cambron (Cambron and Hulse, 1960b): A-34
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Elora is a medium to large, thick, broad, stemmed point with unfinished base.
MEASUREMENTS: The 12 cotypes (including the illustrated example) which provided the features range in measurements as follows: length—maximum, 71 mm.; minimum, 53 mm.; average, 61 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 57 mm.; minimum, 35 mm.; average, 43 mm.: stem width—maximum, 22 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 20 mm.: stem length—maximum, 15 mm.; minimum, 8 mm.; average, 12 mm.: thickness—maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 10 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are usually rounded and tapered but may be horizontal or, rarely, expanded. The blade is usually straight; rarely, excurvate or incurvate. Some examples are finely serrated as a result of retouching along the blade edges. The distal end is usually acute; rarely, broad. The hafting area consists of a thick, contracted stem with side edges that are straight or incurvate and a basal edge that is usually straight but may be excurvate. The crudely finished stem base found on most examples often has an intentionally broken appearance. Removal of one or more flakes usually results in a relatively broad, flattened basal edge.
FLAKING: The flaking used to form the blade and hafting area is broad, shallow or deep, and random. Fine, sometimes steep, regular retouching along the blade edges accomplished by removal of alternate flakes from each face sometimes results in fine serrations. The shoulder and side edges of the stem may show some secondary flaking. The basal edge is usually unfinished but may show a little retouch as broad flakes were struck off or perhaps intentionally broken off to form a more or less flat stem base edge.
COMMENTS: The type was named from the Elora area of Lincoln County, Tennessee, where several sites have produced many examples of the type. The illustrated example as well as the cotypes are from Cambron Site 48 in this area. A variant classified locally as Elora Serrated is slightly larger than Elora and is strongly serrated by the alternate removal of flakes from opposite faces of the point. The Elora point was categorized Provisional Type 7, large, thick, stemmed, by Cambron and Waters (1961). In Zone A at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) 2 examples were recovered from Level 1, 1 from Level 2, 2 from Level 3, 1 from Level 6, 1 from Level 9. One example of Elora Serrated was recovered from Level 1 in Zone A and one from Level 1 in Zone D at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter. A serrated example was also recovered from Level 8 at University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama. At Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) two examples of Elora were recovered from Stratum I (Woodland) and 3 examples from upper Stratum II (Archaic). At Little Bear Creek, Site Ct 8 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b) two examples were recovered from the 4-foot level, one from the 5-foot level and one from Zone B, about the 4-foot level (Archaic). At Flint River, Mound Ma 48 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) two examples were recovered from Zone D (Archaic). This evidence suggests a middle-to-late, shellmound Archaic and possibly a very early Woodland association. Elora Serrated may be slightly older than Elora. A date of 5000 to 3000 years ago, or some part thereof, is suggested. Hulse suggests that Elora Serrated may be a type distinct from Elora.