The Lawhorn Site

by John Moselage

Projectile Points

The projectile points found at the Lawhorn site presented a variety of forms and sizes. The wide range of types seemed at first very difficult to explain. Further, pictures and written definitions of points were very hard to reconcile with the specimens at hand. An example of this difficulty was a point that seemed to answer all the requirements of the Motley type (Ford, Phillips, Haag 1955; p. 129), but which failed the test of visual examination by Ford. How many of the others originally typed would fail a similar visual examination test is open to question. Therefore, a separation of like with like form was made and unless a fair number of a particular type was present, no certain identification of type was made.

There was a total of 95 identifiable points of which 84% were surface finds. Only 4% were found in the general midden, but 12% were at the very base of the deposit. These points were first separated into 26 types, however eighteen of these were represented by one or, at most, two specimens. Only eight of the types were present in sufficient numbers to represent a local industry.

Figure 17. Pottery Disks

In theory, at least, points found in repetitive numbers should represent a local industry and so aid in identifying their makers. The one-of-a-kind types would likely represent individual variation, trade, or the result of some Indian’s collecting habits.

All of the projectile points except one which appears to be missing were separated according to the characteristics of size, shape and general process of manufacture. The 95 projectile points were placed into four major groups and a number of smaller units.

One general arrowhead type seemed to be characteristic and made up more than a third of the total number of points from the site. These were 34 corner notched points with straight or rounded bases that varied in length from 44 mm. to 22 mm. and in width measured at the shoulders 11 to 18 mm. ([Fig. 18];1-3). There is a rather great range in thickness due to the fact that some of the stone was of poor quality and could not be thinned properly. The usual thickness was 2 to 5 mm. This particular point type is, in general, similar to the Scallorn type (Bell, 1960; 84, pl. 42). It also compares fairly well with the points that come from the Matthews site and similar sites in the Cairo lowland area. It is approximately the same as the Table Rock Corner Notched arrowhead from the Table Rock area southwestern Missouri (Bray, 1956, Fig. 18, Rows 4-5, and p. 126). A secondary type that occurs with this and which is of some probable importance is made up of ten specimens. These have a relatively straight stem but otherwise are very similar to the major point type ([Fig. 18];4). The points are similar to the Bonham points (Bell, 1960, 10 pl. 5). The dimensions on these points are as follows. The length ranges from 27 to 38 mm. and the width ranges from 12 to 19 mm.; the thickness is on the average 5 to 6 mm.

Probably associated with these two types and considered to be a part of the projectile point complex of the Mississippi occupation is a small ovoid type made up of seventeen specimens some of which may have been blank forms since they do not appear to be finished ([Fig. 19];1). The range in length of these specimens is from 22 to 37 mm. Thickness ranging from 4 to 8 mm varies considerably probably due to the fact that some are blank forms rather than finished products. Width at the base which is, for the most part, the widest position of the points varies from 14 to 20 mm. These points are somewhat similar to the Catan points, (Bell, 1958; 14 pl. 7). The Catan points range from 500 to 800 A.D. according to Bell’s compilations. The Lawhorn specimens are also similar in some respects to Young points (Bell, 1960; 100, pl. 50). Young points supposedly range from 1200 to 1500 A.D. They also compare rather closely with ovate forms, Category “O,” found abundantly only in the late marginal Mississippi Complex at the Rice Site (Bray, 1956, Fig. 13, and p. 79).

Figure 18. Corner Notched and Stemmed Arrowheads
(1-3. Scallorn or Table Rock Corner Notched. 4. Bonham)

Figure 19. Ovoid and Trianguloid Arrowheads
(1. Catan, 2. Young, 3. Maude, 4. Fort Ancient, 5. Mississippi triangular, 6. unclassified)

There are a few triangular points that may be of some diagnostic value. One group of three are concave based triangular points and are relatively large in size. The one nearly complete specimen is 38 mm. long and 13 wide ([Fig. 19];3). These perhaps can be compared with the Maude point (Bell 1958; 48, pl 24). They also might be comparable with the Fresno points (Bell, 1960; 44, pl. 22). However, these points seem to be much shorter than the Maude variety and it is probable that those found on the Lawhorn site are more comparable with the Maude if with either of the two. The Maude points supposedly date between 1200 and 1500 A.D. The Fresno points are thought to date from 800 to 900 A.D. along to 1600 A.D.

There are also two triangular points with straight base and these are not very comparable to any others except the general Mississippian type ([Fig. 19];5). One triangular form is very long, serrated ([Figure 19];4) and is strikingly similar to the Fort Ancient point (Bell, 1960; 40, pl. 20), which supposedly dates between 1200 and 1600 A.D. The length of this point is 46 mm. and the width is 13 mm. One other point compares favorably with some that occur in the Table Rock Reservoir area in southwestern Missouri associated with the late complex which includes shell tempered pottery. It is a side notched variety with a straight base and is 41 mm. long and 14 mm. wide ([Fig. 19];6). The length width proportions are similar to those of the most prominent arrowhead types on the site. Thus, it may have been made by someone on the site.

The preceding types seem to form a general complex that is associated primarily with the Mississippian occupation and there is no indication that there has been any great deal of influence in the area except from the same directions (North and South) that were noted in regard to the pottery. The Scallorn point type is similar to those from the Cairo lowland area and the Bonham is similar to those from the Caddo area from the south. It is expected that both are good Malden Plain, St. Francis River area types.

One other type might possibly be associated with the Mississippian occupation and it is one that can be classed as Gary (Bell, 1958; 28 pl. 14). There are four specimens ([Fig. 20];1). Gary is supposed to date somewhere between 2000 B.C. to 600 A.D. but the evidence in the Table Rock area indicates that this probably dates more nearly between 1000 A.D. and 1500 A.D. (Marshall, 1958). The fact that the Gary type has been found in association with earlier periods elsewhere makes it questionable to place it with the Mississippian occupation here. It should be pointed out that it might be associated with the Mississippian component for the type was definitely associated with the latest occupation in the Table Rock area on upper White River.

The prominent type that seems to be associated with the earliest occupation or the component associated with the sand tempered pottery on the site is a relatively small dart point that is a stemmed form with a convex base and has little or no shoulder ([Fig. 20],2-5). The range in size is from 38 mm. to 51 mm. long and 19 to 27 mm. wide. They are relatively thick (6 to 12 mm.) points, and there are seven represented from the site.

Figure 20. Stemmed Projectile Points
(1. Gary. 2-5. Unclassified)

There are no other main groupings but there were a number of points about the same size that could not be readily classified ([Fig. 21];1-2). One in this group is very similar to the Hardin point (Bell, 1960; 56, pl. 28) for it is beveled, serrated, and has the correct shape but it is much smaller than the Hardin points usually are ([Fig. 21];3). This is not thought to be a Hardin point but is perhaps in the same general tradition. There are two relatively large points that are somewhat similar to the Burkett points and these may have some association with the main ones from the site ([Fig. 21];6). One point ([Fig. 21];4) is comparable to the Motley (Bell, 1958; 62, 131) which supposedly dates between 1300 and 200 B.C. A projectile point similar in type to Snyder ([Fig. 21];5) was missing from the collections when they were restudied. Another point ([Fig. 21];7) compares very favorably with the Uvalde (Bell, 1960; 92, p. 146), which supposedly dates somewhere between 4000 and 1000 B.C.

It is very probable that some of the early points were picked up by the people making the sand tempered pottery. For that matter they may have been picked up by the later occupants, the Mississippi people. Certainly, it is felt that these cannot be used for dating the early occupation on the site. There is no assurance, for example, that the site was not used by people earlier than the time of the sand tempered pottery. There is no evidence from stratification or superposition from the excavations, that indicated more than two occupations of the site.

The points that did not seem to have like members present were placed in a general unclassified category and some of these have been illustrated in case they might have some significance that would aid in placing the early or the late components on the site.