JACKS REEF CORNER NOTCHED, Ritchie (Ritchie, 1961): A-21
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium-sized, corner notched point with a thin, flattened, excurvate (or often parallel-angular) blade.
MEASUREMENTS: Nine examples, including the illustrated example from Limestone County, Alabama, provided traits and the following measurements: length—maximum, 60 mm.; minimum, 30 mm.; average, 42 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 24 mm.; minimum, 15 mm.; average, 18 mm.: stem width—maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 6 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness—maximum, 5 mm.; minimum, 3 mm.; average, 4 mm. Ritchie (1961) gives the following approximate measurements: length—maximum, 57 mm.; minimum, 25 mm.; average, 47 mm.: approximate average width—38 mm.: thickness—maximum, 6 mm. (most examples are under 5 mm.). Alabama examples tend to be longer than New York examples. Corner notches average about 7 mm. deep and 5 mm. wide.
FORM: The cross-section is usually flattened, rarely, plano-convex. The shoulders are tapered with sharp thin barbs. The blade may be excurvate or parallel-angular. The distal end ranges from narrow to broad-acute. The hafting area is corner notched. The base of the expanded stem is usually straight; rarely, incurvate. It is thinned and may be lightly ground. These features are similar to those of New York points.
FLAKING: The blade and hafting area are formed by broad, shallow, random flaking. Retouching was done by carefully controlled, broad, shallow secondary flaking followed by fine retouching along the blade edges. Broad flakes were struck off to form the notches, which were then finely retouched. This point is usually made of local materials.
COMMENTS: The type was named after the Jacks Reef Site in Onondaga County, New York. Ritchie previously referred to the type as "broad corner notched" or corner notched with angular edges. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 116, Limestone County, Alabama. A radiocarbon date of 1056 ±250 B. P. was obtained for samples from the White Site, Norwich, New York (Ritchie, 1961). It is considered to be late middle Woodland and early late Woodland in New York. It is an important type in central New York and occurs in Ohio (Ritchie, 1961). An example from Site Ct 27 was illustrated (Plate 294, No. 1) by Webb and DeJarnette (1942) as Type 47. For several years, the type has been referred to in the Tennessee Valley where it is found on late Woodland sites, as "Corner Notched Woodland". One example was recovered from Level 3, Zone A at Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), six from Zone A (Woodland) at Ma 48 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) and one example each from Levels 1 and 2 at Ms 201, Rockhouse Shelter, in Marshall County, Alabama. Examples from P-12 Pit at Russell Cave in Jackson County, Alabama, were dated by radiocarbon method at 1500 ±175 B. P. (John W. Griffin, personal communication).