Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I, Point Types

by James W. Cambron; David C. Hulse

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small to medium sized, serrated, shallowly side notched point.

MEASUREMENTS: Eleven cotypes, including the illustrated example, provided the following measurements: length—maximum, 48 mm.; minimum, 28 mm.; average, 42 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 22 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 19 mm.: stem width—maximum, 22 mm.; minimum, 16 mm.; average, 19 mm.: stem length—maximum, 10 mm.; minimum, 7 mm.; average, 8 mm.: thickness—maximum, 8 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 6 mm.

FORM: The cross-section is biconvex. Shoulders are tapered and narrow. Blade edges are usually excurvate, but may be parallel-angular, and are finely serrated. The distal end is acute. The hafting area is shallowly side notched near the base, with the shoulders and stem usually nearly the same width. The basal edge is straight and thinned.

FLAKING: Shallow to deep flaking was used to shape the blade and stem faces. Long, narrow flakes were removed to form serrations along the blade edges. The hafting notches were formed by the removal of a fairly large deep flake from each side of each face near the base and were sometimes finished by the removal of several small flakes in the notches. Broad, thin flakes were removed in thinning the basal edge. Local materials were used.

COMMENTS: The type was named from points found on sites near Sublet Ferry on the Tennessee River in Jackson County, Alabama. The illustrated example is from W. H. Baker Site 16 in the area. Other artifacts from this site suggest early Woodland and possibly late Archaic assemblages. Typologically the Sublet type seems intermediate between Damron Side Notched and Knights Island. Cultural association of the type is at present uncertain, but surface collection associations indicate that it is an early Woodland type.

SWAN LAKE, Cambron and Hulse (Cambron and Hulse, 1960b): A-81

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a small, thick point with shallow side notches.

MEASUREMENTS: Fourteen plesiotypes, including the illustrated example, from Hulse Site 54 in Limestone County, Alabama, provided the following measurements and traits: length—maximum, 41 mm.; minimum, 30 mm.; average, 38 mm.: shoulder width—maximum, 20 mm.; minimum, 12 mm.; average, 17 mm.: stem width—maximum, 17 mm.; minimum, 13 mm.; average, 16 mm.: stem length—maximum, 12 mm.; minimum, 9 mm.; average, 11 mm.: thickness—maximum, 9 mm.; minimum, 5 mm.; average, 7 mm.