Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I, Point Types

by James W. Cambron; David C. Hulse

FLAKING: This type displays well-controlled, broad, shallow, random flaking. Edge retouch consisting of the removal of fine, short, regular flakes from alternate face edges appears as fine serrations. Sometimes longer, more even flakes were removed in beveling one edge of each face. Some examples were beveled and then serrated. Points were made from Ft. Payne chert, Bangor nodular flint, jasper or other local materials. Some examples made of Ft. Payne chert show considerable patination.

COMMENTS: The type was named for Cotaco Creek in Morgan County, Alabama, where many examples have been recovered. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 156 (Stone Pipe) in Limestone County, Alabama. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) 10 examples were recovered from Level 2, 4 from Level 3, 2 from Level 4, 2 from Level 5, 4 from Level 6, 2 from Level 7, 1 from Level 9 and 1 from Level 10. These levels—all in Zone A—are Woodland and Archaic. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, one example was recovered from Level 3 (Woodland). Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) produced one example from Stratum I (Woodland) and five examples from middle and upper Stratum II (Archaic). Flint River Mound, University of Alabama Site Ma 48 (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) produced three examples from Zones A and B (Woodland) and 18 examples from the upper part of zones C and D (Archaic). This evidence suggests a strong late Archaic occurrence on the Tennessee River and continued use in Woodland times, especially at Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter. A variation of the type called Cotaco Creek Variant differs from Cotaco Creek in that it is usually smaller, cruder, often narrower and has an acute distal end. The blade of the variant is more apt to be excurvate.

CRAWFORD CREEK, Cambron and Hulse
(DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962): A-25

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium-sized, stemmed point with a blade that is usually straight. Blade edges are usually finely serrated.

MEASUREMENTS: The 13 cotypes (including the illustrated example) from which features were obtained ranged in measurements as follows: length—maximum, 46 mm.; minimum, 27 mm.; average, 36 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 30 mm.; minimum, 20 mm.; average, 25 mm.: stem width—maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 6 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 7 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders may be horizontal, slightly tapered or slightly inversely tapered. The blade is usually straight, but several examples have one excurvate edge. The blade edges of nearly all examples are finely serrated. Distal ends are usually acute. The stem is usually straight but several examples have expanded stems. Stem sides may be straight or incurvate. The basal edge of the stem, strongly thinned on most examples, is usually straight but may be excurvate; rarely, it is incurvate. At Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) expanded-stemmed examples appear to pre-date straight-stemmed examples.

FLAKING: Irregular, random flaking shapes the blade and hafting area. Some large flake or blade scars may be evident on one or both faces. Flakes removed to form the stem were usually fairly deep and broad while the flakes removed to thin the base were broad and shallow. Fine, often steep, retouch along the blade edges appears to have been accomplished by pressure flaking. Fine serrations were formed by the removal of small flakes, opposite each other, from each face. The point is usually made of local materials.

COMMENTS: The type was named for Crawford Creek in Morgan County, Alabama. This creek is near the Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) where the type was first found and called Provisional Type Three, small, stemmed, serrated. The illustrated example is from Flint Creek Rock Shelter, Cambron Site 287. The name Crawford Creek was used by Cambron and Hulse (1960b). One example (plate 13e) from the Eva Site is illustrated by Lewis and Lewis (1961) as a unique point. One example was found among other artifacts in association with a Morrow Mountain burial at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962). Zone A (Woodland and Archaic) at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter also yielded two examples from Level 6, two from Level 8 and one from Level 9. At University of Alabama Site Ms 201, in Marshall County, Alabama, one example was recovered from Level 5, one from Level 7 and one from Level 10. Of the 20 examples from Flint Creek Rock Shelter, two were recovered from Stratum I (Woodland) and the other 18 from Stratum II (Archaic), particularly from the lower half. Surface finds are usually made on early Archaic sites. All of the above evidence indicates an early Archaic association which lasted into later Archaic. A suggested date is sometime before 5000 B. C.