GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a medium to large, triangular, fluted point with an incurvate base.
MEASUREMENTS: Seven points from seven sites in the Tennessee Valley (Soday and Cambron, n. d.) range in length as follows: longest, 117 mm. (from Soday Site 475 in Morgan County, Alabama); shortest, 67 mm. (from Serio 1, Madison County, Alabama); average, 89 mm. The average width of the seven points is 37 mm. and the average thickness, 7 mm. The illustrated specimen measures in length, 110 mm.; width at base, 34 mm.; thickness, 6 mm.; depth of basal concavity, 9 mm.; longest flute, 70 mm.; shortest flute, 26 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is fluted. The blade is straight with an acute distal end. Grinding along the basal edge for about one-third of the length of the point designates the hafting area. The auriculated base is parallel-rounded and incurvate and may show multiple flutes on one or both faces. The basal edge is thinned on each side of the flute and ground.
FLAKING: The flakes removed in order to shape the blade and hafting area are narrow, shallow and random. The edges were finished by the removal of alternate flakes along the blade and hafting area edges, leaving a fine, irregular pattern. The short flute was removed first from a flattened face, the longer flute from a median ridged face that shows multiple flute scars (Cambron and Hulse, 1961).
COMMENTS: The type was named after Redstone Arsenal in Madison County, Alabama, where the illustrated specimen, a classic example, was recovered from Brosemer Site M-17, a site that has produced other early points. Several examples have been illustrated in the Tennessee Archaeologist as follows: Vol. X, No. 1, p. 17, Fig. 45 (Morgan County, Alabama, Soday, 1954); Vol. X, No. 2, p. 40, Fig. 1, p. 48, Fig. 87, p. 50, Fig. 96 (Madison County, Alabama, Mahan, 1954); Vol. 12, No. 1, p. 36, Figs. 3 and 4 (Chickamauga Lake, Tennessee, Lewis, 1956); Vol. XIII, No. 2, p. 82, Fig. 7 (Weakley County, Tennessee, Taylor, 1957); Vol. XV, No. 2, p. 124, Fig. 19 (Limestone County, Alabama), p. 142, Fig. 1, (Humphreys County, Tennessee, Lewis, 1959); Vol. XVI, No. 1, p. 58, Figs. 18, 19 (Henry County, Tennessee, Lewis, 1960a). The Redstone type appears to be a variant of the Clovis and probably was in use at about the same time as Clovis points. Charcoal from hearths with which a Clovis point was presumed to have been associated, gave dates in excess of 37,000 years ago (Crook and Harris, 1958). When dating methods were improved, dates in excess of 42,000 years ago were obtained at this site. This means the Redstone, as well as the Clovis, could have been in use as early as 42,000 years ago, but most archaeologists suggest a date of about 15,000 years ago.
RHEEMS CREEK, Cambron (This Paper): A-113
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium sized stemmed point with straight blade edges.
MEASUREMENTS: Fifteen cotypes in the Harwood collection from Cambron Site 326 in Buncombe County, North Carolina, provided the following measurements: length—maximum, 60 mm.; minimum, 37 mm.; average, 41 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 23 mm.; minimum, 18 mm.; average, 21 mm.: stem width—maximum, 16 mm.; minimum, 11 mm.; average, 15 mm.: stem length—maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 9 mm.: thickness—maximum, 10 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm. The illustrated example provided the following measurements: length, 37 mm.; shoulder width, 19 mm.; stem width, 12 mm.; stem length, 9 mm.; thickness, 7 mm.