FLAKING: Random flaking was employed in shaping the blade and hafting area. The notches were formed by well controlled pressure flaking.
FORM: Thirty percent of the cross-sections are biconvex, 50% are flattened, 5% are plano-convex and 15% are rhomboid. Eighty percent of the blade edges are excurvate, 10% are straight, 10% are asymmetrical, 54% are serrated, 18% are beveled on one edge of each face, 41% have incurvate bases, 59% have straight bases. The basal edges and notches are usually ground and thinned. All examples are patinated. Eighty-four percent of the distal ends are acute and 16 are acuminate.
COMMENTS: The three examples from Cave Spring were randomly flaked, and rhomboid in cross-section. All three had blade edges that were serrated and beveled on one edge of each face. They were ground in the notches as well as on the base and stem edges. The distal ends were acute. Three other examples from Cave Spring were either broken or reworked and could be not meaningfully measured but the provenience of all six examples is: Stratum II; Level 5, 1; Stratum III; Level 7, 1; Level 8, 1; Level 9, 1; Level 10, 2. An early Archaic or Transitional Paleo placement is suggested.
BIG SANDY CONTRACTED BASE, Cambron (This Paper): A-132
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium sized, side-notched point with a contracting stem and an incurvate base. Most examples show collateral flaking and shallow serrations along the blade edges.
MEASUREMENTS: Seven cotypes supplied the following features: length, 35-60 mm.; average, 45 mm.; shoulder width, 20-26 mm.; average, 23 mm.: stem width, 20-25 mm.; average, 23 mm.: stem length, 12-16 mm.; average, 14 mm.: thickness, 5-8 mm.; average, 7 mm.: basal concavity, 3-6 mm.; average, 5 mm.: width in notches, 13-16 mm.; average, 15 mm.: notch width, 3-5 mm.; average, 4 mm.: notch depth, 3-5 mm.; average, 4 mm.: stem length below notches, 8-13 mm.: average, 11 mm.
FLAKING: Shallow pressure flaking was used to thin the basal edge. Well controlled pressure flaking was employed to shape the side notches. All blade surfaces exhibit collateral flaking.
FORM: Seventy percent of the cross-sections are median ridged; 15% are biconvex; and 15% are plano-convex. Fifty-seven percent of the blade edges are straight and 43% are excurvate. Eighty-four percent have shallow serrations along the blade edges. Bases are usually thinned and all of them are ground. Eighty-four percent of the stem edges and all notches are ground. All examples are patinated. Forty percent have acute distal ends and 60% of the distal ends are acuminate.