TURKEY TAIL, Scully (Scully, 1951): A-82
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, double pointed lanceolate point with side notches.
MEASUREMENTS: The type ranges from about 3 inches to 8 inches in length with an average length of about 6 inches (Bell, 1960). The illustrated plesiotype provided the following measurements: length, 174 mm.; width at widest part of blade, 42 mm.; thickness, 8 mm.; length of stem, 17 mm.; width of stem, 18 mm.; notch depth, 3 mm.; notch width, 6 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is flattened. Shoulders may be horizontal or tapered. Blade edges are excurvate. The distal end may be acute or broad. The stem is expanded and pointed with an acute or broad basal edge that is thinned.
FLAKING: Broad, shallow, random flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. Short deep flakes may be removed to retouch the edges. One or several flakes were removed from the sides of each face to form shallow side notches. A good grade, often exotic, material was used.
COMMENTS: The type was named because of the resemblance of the hafting area to a turkey's tail. The illustrated example is the shortest of four Turkey Tail points and one similar unnotched blade 8 inches long which were recovered from a shellmound burial by Harry Smith from Cambron Site 14 in Limestone County, Alabama. "The type commonly occurs in caches of several points, ranging from 4 or 5 up to 40 or more." (Bell, 1960.) This indicates a ceremonial usage. A late Archaic or early Woodland association with a date range from about 2000 B. C. to 500 B. C. is suggested by Scully (1951).