Projectile Point Traditions

[rickb29212]

Was at my local meeting this past week and this is a copy of a handout we got - figured it could be of use here. It is sized for 8 1/2 x 11 so you should be able to right click on the image, copy, and then paste it should you like to print a copy. best, Rick B

[saskrock]

Neat poster Rick thanks.

[arappaho]

Thanks for posting a printable copy of the official artifact chronology of
the Carolinas, Rick. That's what I go by.
Joe

[lee]

Joe:

It would be nice if you could again explain why we are able to find so many of the different projectile points in this area. Did the Indians trade a lot or did they simply change their point designs with time passing? I am sure that we all are glad there are such a variety of these points - it makes the hobby of arrow head collecting much more interesting.

MAGMA ROCKS

Lee

[arappaho]

Well, Lee, if I could answer that question I'd put alot of
archaeologist out of work.
But that is one of the most interesting questions;
Was there a 'continuous' connection of people to the local lands throughout this 'passage of time'? Which, on this chart, is
14,000 years. Through each cultural phase?
Besides for being a visual aid in the identification of different
projectile point styles of the Carolinas and their chronological
placement, one of the most important and helpful things to
memorize or understand is the "Periods" in the far right hand
column. From the Paleo Period, 12,000 BC to 8000 BC, thru the
Early, Middle, and Late Archaic Periods, into the Woodland Period
about 1000 BC, and then the Historic Period around 1600 AD.

When talking about "Pre"-history most people lump it into the
same Period, ie: "A Long Time Ago". It really helps to break it
down into these different time periods to help yourself establish
a good "time-frame-reference" to understand and try to put
yourself in. It makes a difference if you are talking about 200
years ago, 2000 years ago, or 10,000 years ago.

This chart is the accumulation of the work of the late and great
archaeologist Joffre Lanning Coe and was first published in his
book," The Formative Cultures of the Carolina Piedmont" in 1964.
Some 'restructuring' and an addition of the Gypsy point was made
by Dr. Bill Oliver in the early 80's, but otherwise Coes' work has
withstood the test of time. This is the fundamental of archaeology
in the Carolinas. A "must have" for anyone interested in trying to
identify their finds.

Thanks again Rick for posting something that folks can copy.

Joe

[lee]

Thanks Joe for that great explanation. I have always believed that it would be great if we, as a club, could construct this chart with real arrowheads from our collections. Maybe this is something we can do at the 2009 Roundup this year. I know I can bring several points that are similar to ones on this chart. Maybe, if we could coordinate this venture, we could construct the chart with real artifacts. Joe this seems to be a great project for you to under take during the Roundup.

MAGMA ROCKS

Lee

[arappaho]

Who's going to be the Keeper of this here "chart", Lee?

Those Paleo points are kind-of hard to part with.
Joe

[arappaho]

Bumped this up here for you to look at, Rockshine.
This is the "basic" chronology, but the dates for the earliest man
in North America are being pushed back all the time.
Joe

[rockshine]

Thanks Joe. Seems like the more one learns, the more questions to be raised.

[colorado]

Curious, was Coe the one who found a bank of sedimentary layers and this area had a lot of the different dated projectiles
in each layer. This was like a 1 in a million location because it was preserved so neatly and the layers very distinguishable.
I thought I had read this location was near Columbia.

Colorado

[arappaho]

Well, yes Colorado, I think you've got everything right but the
location. The main two sites where excavations laid the groundwork
for this chronology of projectile points are right across the river from
each other at the damn for Badin Lake on the Yadkin River, in
the Uwharrie Mtns, NC. The Doerschuk Site on the east bank of the
river just below the damn was the one with perfectly preserved
stratigraphic layers that revealed artifacts going back to around
6- 7000 BC. The Hardaway Site, is the high ground bluff on the
other side of the river, where the artifacts dating from 7000 BC
back to 10,000 BC were found. Both excavations were done by
Joffre Lanning Coe. Doerschuk was completed in 1949 or 50.
Reports of the excavations are in Coe's book, "The Formative
Cultures of the Carolina Piedmont" and you can order a copy or
read more about it at this site, "CFAR, Coe Foundation for
Archaeological Research", @
www.coe-foundation.org/

You may also be getting confused with Al Goodyear and his
"Topper Site" in South Carolina down by the Sav. River, where he
is trying to push the date of man in the southeast back 30,000-
40,000 years. Real interesting stuff, but completely different
research from what the chronology chart is about or where it
came from.

And that chart is perfect for the artifacts found in your area, Colo.
Hope that answers your question.
Joe

[colorado]

Thanks JOE....Excellent info.
I am going to make a large chart and post in the hallway. I hope to have students come in and try and identify / age their own collections. This will be too cool.

Here is part of mine. The dark one on the right seems to be
knife- like, it is worn and curved. These came from York and Chester counties South Carolina



here is a possible ax head:




I will tuck in my truck and have you (Joe) check it out next time we meet.

[arappaho]

Well, Big Guy, , I can't say much about the axehead, but you got
a couple of BEE-U-TEE-FUL white quartz points left of center in that
frame! Those 2 are very Early points and each one is probably
about 9000 years old.

See you on a dig somewhere,
Joe