FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are usually tapered, but may be horizontal and may be rounded on some examples. The blade is excurvate, but may be nearly straight. The distal end is acute to sharply acute. The stem is straight and is slightly wider than it is long, with a straight basal edge that may be very slightly incurvate or excurvate. The edges of the stem are thinned and may be ground.
FLAKING: The blade and stem are shaped by broad, shallow to deep flaking. While a few examples appear to have been shaped by collateral flaking, random flaking is usually employed. Short, regular, secondary flaking was used to finish the blade and hafting area edges. All examples of the measured group are patinated and are made of local materials.
COMMENTS: The type was named after the Kays Landing Site in Henry County, Tennessee. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 4, Limestone County, Alabama. At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962) one example each was recovered from Levels 1, 8, 9 and 10 in Zone A. This indicates an Archaic association. Three examples were recovered from Stratum II (Archaic) at the Flint Creek Rock Shelter (Cambron and Waters, 1961). At Flint River Mound (Webb and DeJarnette, 1948a) 12 of the 18 examples recovered were from Zone C (upper Archaic), two from Zone C-D, two from Zone D (lower shellmound Archaic) and one each from Zones A and B (Woodland). This is a strong indication of late Archaic association at this site. Kneberg (1956) suggests a middle Archaic to late Archaic association and a date of about 3000 B. C. to A. D. Ritchie (1961) notes the marked similarity of Kays points to Genesee points of New York. The latter have radiocarbon dates of 4941 ±260 B. P. to 3684 ±250 B. P. Genesee points average 3 to 3½ inches in length and range to 6 inches or longer, considerably larger than Kays points. A middle to late Archaic association is indicated by available evidence, including surface associations.
KIRK CORNER NOTCHED, Coe (Coe, 1959): A-50
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium- to large-sized, corner notched point with blade edges that are usually serrated.
MEASUREMENTS: Coe (1959) lists the following measurements for the type: range of length—40 mm. to 100 mm., average length, 60 mm.; range of width—20 mm. to 45 mm., average width, 30 mm.; range of thickness—6 mm. to 12 mm., average thickness, 8 mm. The measurements of 15 plesiotypes from Cambron Sites 19 and 20 in Morgan County, Alabama, range as follows: length—69 mm. to 39 mm., average, 51 mm.: shoulder width—39 mm. to 29 mm., average, 34 mm.: stem width—29 mm. to 23 mm., average, 25 mm.: stem length—12 mm. to 9 mm., average, 11 mm.: thickness—10 mm. to 5 mm., average, 7 mm. Measurements of the illustrated example are: length, 59 mm.; shoulder width, 36 mm.; stem width, 25 mm.; stem length, 11 mm.; thickness, 7 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is usually flattened but may be biconvex. Shoulders are strongly barbed. The blade is usually excurvate but may be straight or recurvate. Blade edges are usually serrated and beveled on both sides of each face. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is corner notched. The notches average about 11 mm. deep and 5 mm. wide. Side edges of the expanded stem are straight and the stem base edge either straight, slightly incurvate or, rarely, excurvate. On Alabama examples, the stem base is thinned and usually ground, but basal grinding is rarely found on examples from the North Carolina Piedmont (Coe, personal communication).