the first point is strange... it is double notched at the base on both sides, and also on the body of the point but not paralell to one another. im thinking maybe an evans exotic? maybe just some exotic?

this next point was found directly below the bird layer maybe 10 inches deep. it was in fact found at the same level as the other two c-tang artifacts the site has produced, which is the same level that yields ensor points occasionally. i think that it may be a corner tang variant, because at this level,(unless it washed in as some points have), there really isnt anything else it could be. look at the notches one is basal and one is corner. tell me what you think.


P.S. i was really suprised when i washed it off in the creek and saw that wild patina on one side. i guess that maybe the highest part of the point was sunbleached, and the lower edges were covered with dirt.

Hi Tucker, as you've requested ID opinions, I'll take
a stab at it.
First photo: I would question that these indentions are actually notches. Generaly notching is much more
deliberate and pronounced, especially for hafting
purposes.I think what you have is a small knife (called 4-way knives in Central Texas). It is similar in shape to Harahey, but is Not beveled, and this one
appears to be heavily used, and edges ragged from it.
They are typically the same age as Harahey
(Mississippian).
Second Photo: The First thing that catches my
attention is the uneven symetry. The wide sweeping
side is Good, the other Poor. There might have been
an impurity in the flint at preform stage that threw
the symetry off when removed. I think this likely
further threw off notching placement as well.From the
flaking and attempted basal pattern(good side),
I think what you have is a Shumla.This further would
fit the level found age-wise (Woodland).
Most all of us invariably use the term Bird layer,
or Bird Point for the surface layer or Historic
Period. Only Arrow points were produced in this
period, the last and true arrowhead made. This would
further be the size point used to kill all enemies,
including the early settlers. Used to kill birds?
Yes,but more likely only the large ones (Turkey,etc.).
Hope this helps in your evaluation/ identifications.

Thanks mike, I hadn't considered shumla because I'm not familiar with the type, so I'll hit the books and check it out. Also I failed to mention that the other point is beveled all of the way around not alternating like harahey so it may be a 4 way knife, just heavily resharpened. one side is flat and the other curved, they are still both worked though, it may be hard to tell from the photo but after carefully re-examining the point I still believe the notches are intentional. They are light and shallow but it appears as if they are intentional, although I could very well be wrong. The point was found in a very high layer which further strengthens your hypothesis that it is a Mississippian point. I'll try to get more pics up if I can. Thanks for the help.

You can stop reading right now if you think I would type anything that conflicts with Mike W's
assesments, how about just a couple of non related thoughts.

From a distace the white patina ringed with clear flint usually means someone found a point and
reshaped it at a much later date. But a close up look seems more likely the original flake used was
completly bleached white from the go. . .OR, , the cortex was that white.

Part two. Well north of your area, when we find a piece like yours with an out of balance symetry. .
It immediatly was a hafted knife [ projectile point used as a knife ] and just one side was resharpened down.

I could not detect the beveling in the photo shown. If the beveling is indeed the product of heavy resharpening,you might be right about intentional notching, as you can only notch so deep into a piece of flint that is quickly thickening. Deep continuous controlled notching is only possible when the overall point is very thin. Andice and Bell are excellent examples of this.
Hal, Thanks for another kind comment, But I do not want you or anyone else getting the idea that I'm a know it all. I am certainly Not. I have learned alot from alot of archeologists and diggers over the last 50 years, and I was fortunate to have an excellent mentor at an early age (W.H.Brethaur now deceased). I very much enjoy helping anyone along that I can, and is why I stay on this site. If I were to come up wrong on an assessment, I'd be the First to admit it as soon as I recognized it. As a karst geologist by trade, I find alot of similar aspects with archeology in the sense that both are Non-exacting sciences. I enjoy that challenge and by that I mean that in both fields it is typical that for every question answered has a way of generating 10 more unanswered questions.
Part of the reward of studying things that are truely old is that no matter how old we get,new things to learn in these subjects never stop! This is likely as it should be, as I would'nt want to think what it would be like if we had ALL the answers.

Looks like the bottom point could be a resharpened Marshall, the top point I havent a clue, nice stuff..

thanks for the comments guys, and nice to see more people on the board kade, im looking forward to seeing some more finds of yours like those on the front page... anyways here are the close up pics of the brown point.

i left them big so that you can see the detail

Sorry Tucker, but I still cannot see the distinctive edge beveling that you mentioned, and the cross section (last photo) was best to reveal it, but is too dark to see.

Hey mike, thanks for the interest first of all, and second if you look at the first pic the point edges can be seen to be raised above the cloth, but sitting directly on it in the second. That's about all I can show as far as the bevel without handing the point to someone for an actual examination. I understand looking at pics of points can be really tricky so thanks for taking the time.

Also any idea what kind if flint that is? It's semi translucent and "dirty", full of white pockets. It's light brown and we only find points made of it occasionally, one of which is very thin and well made, though the rest are crude to average quality

Agreed & Good enough friend, a knife form is the best I could offer.
It appears to be a grade of what is often called Root Beer flint by it's coloration. As a Karst Geologist, I will refrain from geting too deep into the subject, as it can get complex & long winded, but the more pure it is, or higher he silicate level,the more translucent. It is very abundant where we are at, and almost an earmark indicator in the Devils River Limestone outcrops (Kdvr).The indians had a preference for it as readily usable material, as it did not require heat treating for knapping.