COMMENTS: The type was named because of similarities and associations with Morrow Mountain points (Coe, 1959) from sites near Morrow Mountain in the North Carolina Piedmont area. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 76 (Pine Tree) in Limestone County, Alabama. The type was listed as Gypsum Cave by Cambron (1958a). At the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), four examples were associated with Burial No. 11 and two examples were found in association with Burial No. 8 along with Morrow Mountain points and other early Archaic points and tools—including a drill made from a Morrow Mountain Rounded Base point. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, one example was recovered from Level 1. In the Tennessee Valley of North Alabama the type is found on early Archaic sites. This type is similar to Gypsum Cave points, dated in Nevada at between 6000 and 8000 B. C. (Coe, 1959). An early Archaic association in Alabama is suggested.
MORROW MOUNTAIN STRAIGHT BASE, Cambron (Cambron and Hulse, 1960b): A-61-a
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium sized point with contracted stem and straight base.
MEASUREMENTS: Eleven plesiotypes, including the illustrated example, provided the following measurements and traits: length—maximum, 51 mm.; minimum, 37 mm.; average, 42 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 35 mm.; minimum, 25 mm.; average, 28 mm.: stem width—maximum, 19 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 17 mm.: width at base of stem—maximum, 13 mm.; minimum, 8 mm.; average, 11 mm.: stem length—maximum, 10 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 9 mm.: thickness—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. The narrow shoulders are usually inversely tapered but may be horizontal. Blade edges are excurvate and most examples are serrated. As on Morrow Mountain points, the serrations may be near the basal edge of the blade, near the distal end of the blade, or along the entire blade edges. Distal ends may be acute or mucronate. The hafting area consists of a straight sided, contracted stem with a straight thinned base. Some base and/or side edges may be ground.
FLAKING: Shallow, narrow-to-broad, random flaking was used to shape the blade and stem. Some fine retouch was carried out along the blade edges. Short deep flaking was used to form the serrations. Occasionally the mucronate distal end appears to be the result of intentional termination of serrating at the distal end. Other mucronate distal ends were simply flaked out.
COMMENTS: The type was named for its similarity to Morrow Mountain points (Coe, 1959) from sites near Morrow Mountain in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The illustrated example is from Cambron Site 76 (Pine Tree) in Limestone County, Alabama. The type was first listed as Straight Stemmed Gypsum Cave by Cambron (1958a). The greatest differences between this type and Morrow Mountain is the greater frequency of shoulder barbs and the straight base of this type. Also, Morrow Mountain is more common. Three examples were recovered from Level 10, Zone A at the Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter (DeJarnette, Kurjack and Cambron, 1962), which suggests a possibility of greater age than Morrow Mountain points. This type was not found with the two burials from this site which were associated with Morrow Mountain and Morrow Mountain Rounded Base points. At the University of Alabama Site Ms 201 in Marshall County, Alabama, this straight based variant was found below the other two types. A slightly earlier chronological provenience is suggested. Based on Coe's (1959) suggested date of about 4500 B. C. as the earliest appearance of Morrow Mountain points, a date of some time prior to 5000 years ago seems in order.