MAPLES, Cambron (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-57
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a large, thin, broad stemmed point with an excurvate base.
MEASUREMENTS: Seventeen cotypes from the Tennessee River Valley (with the exception of length, where only 6 examples were used since the distal ends of the other 11 examples are missing) provided the following measurements and features: length—maximum, 119 mm.; minimum, 61 mm.; average, 93 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 72 mm.; minimum, 37 mm.; average, 52 mm.: stem width—maximum, 50 mm.; minimum, 24 mm.; average, 36 mm.: stem length—maximum, 16 mm.; minimum, 8 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness—maximum, 18 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 14 mm. The illustrated example provided the following measurements: length, 104 mm.; shoulder width, 60 mm.; stem width, 35 mm.; stem length, 12 mm.; thickness, 14 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are tapered. Blade edges are usually excurvate but may be straight. The distal end is usually acute. The stem is short and usually contracted-rounded with excurvate side edges. The basal edge is excurvate or straight, usually thinned, and may be ground.
FLAKING: Broad, shallow to deep, flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. A minimum of secondary flaking was used on some examples, sometimes on only one edge of a face. Other examples show a considerable amount of retouching along the blade edges. A minimum of secondary flaking was used on the basal edge and sides of the stem. Local materials were utilized, especially Ft. Payne chert.
COMMENTS: The type was named from sites along Elk River near Maples Bridge in Limestone County, Alabama. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 19, Morgan County, Alabama. An example from the Eva Site in Benton County, Tennessee is illustrated in Plate 4-a, Page 32 (Lewis and Lewis, 1961) and is described as late Archaic. At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) an example was recovered from Level 9 of Zone A. This indicates an Archaic association. Seven examples from the 3-foot level and one from the 5-foot level at Little Bear Creek Site Ct 8 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948b) place the association as late Archaic at this site. At Flint River Shell Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) one example was recovered from Zone A (Woodland) and one from Zone C-D (Archaic). An example was recovered from Archaic Level 7 at the University of Alabama Site 1 Ru 28 in Russell County, Alabama, on the Chattahoochee River. Evidence indicates a middle to late Archaic association with a probable date of about 4000 years ago or slightly earlier.