PINE TREE CORNER NOTCHED, Cambron (This Paper): A-70-a
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium sized, corner notched, serrated point with expanded shoulders.
MEASUREMENTS: Seven cotypes, including the illustrated example, provided the following measurements and traits: length—maximum, 72 mm.; minimum, 40 mm.; average, 54 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 32 mm.; minimum, 23 mm.; average, 27 mm.: stem width—maximum, 30 mm.; minimum, 25 mm.; average, 28 mm.: stem length—maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 10 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness—maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 7 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is biconvex, rarely flattened. Shoulders are usually inversely tapered, rarely horizontal, and the barbs are expanded. Blade edges are usually incurvate, rarely straight, and serrated. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is usually corner notched, rarely side-notched, with expanded stem. Notches measured along the stem edge average about 11 mm. deep and about 5 mm. wide. Side edges of the stem are usually straight. The base is thinned and usually straight, but may be excurvate, rarely incurvate. Light basal grinding may be present.
FLAKING: Random flaking was first employed to shape the blade and stem faces. This was followed by collateral, rarely random, flaking, usually resulting in regular serrations along the blade edges. Blade edges were worked in to form expanded barbs. The corner notches were formed by the removal of one or more large flakes, with retouch along the stem edge. Some retouch was used to finish the basal edge. All examples are patinated and are usually made of local materials.
COMMENTS: The type was named from points found on and near the Pine Tree Site Cambron 76 (Cambron, 1956) in Limestone County, Alabama. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 19 in Morgan County, Alabama. The type was formerly included with the Pine Tree point (Cambron, 1957) but was later referred to locally as Pine Tree Variant. It is a pre-shellmound or early Archaic type. Physical characteristics indicate a greater antiquity for this type than for the Pine Tree type, but surface collection associations suggest a contemporaneous existence.