FLAKING: Fairly deep random flaking shapes the faces of the blade and hafting area. Fine, regular retouch finishes the blade edges, often resulting in fine serrations. Notches, formed by the removal of one or more flakes, are found near the basal edge. Short, deep flakes were removed in order to bevel the basal edge. Unbeveled faces are thinned. Local materials were used and all examples are patinated.
COMMENTS: The type was named from the Damron Site (Cambron Site 47), Lincoln County, Tennessee, where many examples were recovered. The illustrated example is from the Quad Site (Cambron Site 84) in Limestone County, Alabama. The type has been previously classified locally as Upper Valley Side Notched. One example was recovered from Level 8 of Zone A (an Archaic level) at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962). At Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961) three examples were recovered from the middle Archaic Stratum and one from the upper Woodland Stratum. One example was recovered from Zone B (a Woodland level) at the Flint River Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a). The appearance of the type in surface collections from pre-shellmound sites in the Wheeler Basin of the Tennessee River indicates an early Archaic association. An association with some part of the Archaic period is suggested.
DECATUR, Cambron (Cambron, 1957): A-31
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium-sized point that is corner-notched and beveled with diagonal flakes struck from the base and basal sides of the stem forming an incurvate base.
MEASUREMENTS: Sixteen autotypes from sites near Decatur, Alabama, provided both measurements and features. Measurements ranged as follows: length—maximum, 54 mm.; minimum, 29 mm.; average 42 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 38 mm.; minimum, 22 mm.; average, 28 mm.: stem width—maximum, 25 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 19 mm.: stem length—maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 4 mm.; average, 7 mm.: thickness—maximum, 7 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 6 mm. The illustrated example measures in length, 40 mm.; in shoulder width, 23 mm.; in stem width, 17 mm.; in stem length, 5 mm.; in thickness, 5 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is usually rhomboid; rarely, biconvex. The shoulders are usually tapered with expanded barbs but, rarely, may be straight, with or without expanded barbs. The blade may be straight or incurvate; rarely, recurvate. Blade edges are usually beveled on one edge and serrated. The distal end is acute. The corner notches range in width from about 3 mm. to 7 mm. and in depth from about 4 mm. to 7 mm. The expanded stem usually has straight side edges; the basal edge is usually incurvate but may be straight. Rarely, it is excurvate. It is usually thinned and nearly always ground.
FLAKING: Most examples exhibit broad, shallow flaking on the faces. Blade edges are serrated, either as a result of retouch accomplished by alternate removal of deeper flakes from opposite faces or as a result of beveling. The bevel angle varies from steep to a bevel that extends to near the center of the blade and may overlap from near halfway the blade length to the distal end. Most examples have one or more flakes struck from the basal corners of the stem to near the center of the basal edge. On many examples, the same type of flake may be struck from the basal corners of the stem up the sides of the stem towards the shoulders. This flaking tends to flatten the base and sides of the stem. Stem edges are finished by grinding.
COMMENTS: The type was named for the Decatur, Alabama, area where it was first recognized. The illustrated example is from Hulse Site 32 (Stone Pipe) Limestone County, Alabama. The type was described by Bell (1960). Two examples were recovered, one from upper half of Stratum II and one from the center third of Stratum II (Archaic) at Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961). The type was not found in excavations in other early strata away from the Tennessee River. Local examples are found near the river on pre-shellmound sites. This evidence suggests an early Archaic association.