FORM: The cross-section is usually biconvex, rarely plano-convex. Shoulders are tapered and fairly broad. Blade edges are usually straight, but may be excurvate, rarely incurvate. The distal end is acute. The stem is usually straight but may be tapered. The basal edge is excurvate and usually thick, but may be thinned.
FLAKING: The entire point appears to have been made by short, fairly deep, random percussion flaking. The lack of retouch along the blade edges leaves an irregular blade edge outline that somewhat resembles crude serrations on some examples. All examples from the site are made of vein quartz.
COMMENTS: The type was named from the Rheems Creek Site (Cambron Site 326) in Buncombe County, North Carolina. A few examples approach Bradley Spike in size and flaking, but are broader with a more triangular blade. The smaller examples somewhat resemble Coosa points, but are not retouched along the edges and are made of quartzite. The cultural association of this type is as yet unknown, as the type site has produced artifacts belonging to transitional Paleo, Archaic and Woodland components. A category of tool types resembling Rheems Creek has been identified in Randolph County from Mid-Archaic to Early Woodland (O'Hear and Knight, 1975).
RUSSELL CAVE, Cambron (This paper): A-117
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Russell Cave point is a medium sized, expanded stem point with shallow serrations and straight blade edges.
MEASUREMENTS: Seven examples, including the illustrated specimen, from the lower G layer at Russell Cave in North Alabama provided the following measurements and features: length—maximum, 60 mm.; minimum, 44 mm.; average, 54 mm: shoulder width—maximum, 28 mm.; minimum, 21 mm.; average, 25 mm.: stem width at base—maximum, 24 mm.; minimum, 21 mm.; average, 23 mm.: stem width at narrowest point—maximum, 21 mm.; minimum, 19 mm.; average, 20 mm.: stem length—maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 17 mm.: thickness—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.
FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are tapered. The blade is usually straight; rarely excurvate. Blade edges are shallowly serrated. The distal end is acute. The stem is expanded. The side edges of the stem are incurvate and usually ground. The basal edge is straight, usually ground and may be beveled.