Plains Lithic

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EDEN
TIME: 8, 000 - 6,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: WY, CO, MT, also western ND, SD, NE, and KS
GENERAL FORM: Shouldered (extremely slight), Narrow, especially in Northern Plains
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate, Horizontal flaking to medial ridges, Haft and blade element are parallel
COMMENTS:

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PRYOR STEMMED
TIME: 6,500 - 5,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Best known from Bighorn and Pryor Mountain (WY); Found in southwest ND
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate; stemmed
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; occasionally serrated
COMMENTS: Exhibits stem and basal grinding. Trapezoidal cross-section

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ANGOSTURA
TIME:
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM:
BASAL MORPHOLOGY:
BLADE MORPHOLOGY:
COMMENTS:

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SIMONSEN
TIME: 5,500 - 3,300 BC (Early Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM: U-shaped side notches (as deep as they are wide)
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; lateral edges between notches and base are squared; usually intersect base at obtuse angle
COMMENTS: Dart point sized, exhibits basal grinding

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HAWKEN
TIME: 5,500 - 3,300 BC (Early Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: Northwest SD and Northeast CO
GENERAL FORM: Side-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight or slightly convex
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal grinding, generally rather thick and irregular

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OXBOW
TIME: 3,300 - 2,500 BC (Early Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: WY, MT, AB, also western ND, SD, and NE
GENERAL FORM: SIde-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave, notched (looks bifurcated), Basal corners rounded
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate/triangular
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal grinding, resembles McKean/Duncan/Hanna, and Long Creek

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SAMANTHA
TIME:
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM:
BASAL MORPHOLOGY:
BLADE MORPHOLOGY:
COMMENTS:

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BESANT/ SONOTA
TIME: 100 BC - AD 600 (Middle Woodland)
GEOGRAPHY: MT, WY, CO, AB, SK, western ND, SD, NE
GENERAL FORM: Side-notched; notches shallow and open
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight or slightly convex; haft element corner is usually rounded
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; shoulder angle at notch is obtuse
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal grinding, Medium to large dart point

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YONKEE
TIME: 1,000 - 400 BC (Late Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: Powder RIver in WY, MT, extreme western ND, SD
GENERAL FORM: Side or corner-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: COncave, notched, notches close to base
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate or straight, long, narrow
COMMENTS: Sometimes exhibits basal grinding, dart sized, thin cross-section

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TRIANGULAR UNNOTCHED
TIME: Late Prehistoric
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM: Isosceles triangular-shaped, unnotched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight, convex, or concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Usually straight
COMMENTS: Arrow point sized, thin cross-section

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AVONLEA
TIME: 500- 1,000 AD (Late Prehistoric (Early))
GEOGRAPHY: MT, AB, SK, western ND
GENERAL FORM: Side-notches placed close to base; corner-notched examples possible
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal grinding; small arrow point size, distinctively thin cross-section; made by pressure flaking small flake blanks

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PRAIRIE SIDE NOTCHED
TIME: 800 - 1,800 AD (Late Woodland/Plains Village)
GEOGRAPHY: Wide distribution across High Plains
GENERAL FORM: Triangular arrow point; open side-notches, Notches placed close to base
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight; basal corners are acute
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; triangular, small, thin, symmetrical
COMMENTS: No basal grinding

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HANNA
TIME: 1,500 - 1,000 BC (Middle Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM: Notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Shallowly notched
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Straight or excurvate; slightly expanding stem; distinct, slightly barbed shoulders
COMMENTS: Resembles a Duncan with barbed shoulders

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PLAINS SIDE NOTCHED
TIME: 800 - 1,800 AD (Late Woodland/Plains Village)
GEOGRAPHY: Wide distribution across High Plains
GENERAL FORM: Side - notched (u-shaped), notches placed high on blade margin
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight; basal corners are acute
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; triangular, small, thin, symmetrical
COMMENTS: No basal grinding

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SCOTTSBLUFF
TIME: 8,000 - 6,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: High Plains
GENERAL FORM: Has distinct squared shoulders
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight, rounded or slightly concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; long narrow blade; slightly expanding or parallel stem, flaking scars parallel and end at midline
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal and stem grinding, resembles Eden, but with no horizontal pressure flaking and stems are knapped rather than ground.

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MCKEAN
TIME: 2,500 - 2,000 BC (Middle Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: MT, WY, CO, AB, SK, western ND, SD, NE
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate, basla corners usually rounded
COMMENTS: No basal grinding, width greatest near artifact midline

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CLOVIS
TIME: 9,300 - 8,600 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Across US
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate; basal flutes extend 1/3 length of point
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: Usually exhibits basal and stem grinding, overshot flaking scars

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ALLEN
TIME:
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM:
BASAL MORPHOLOGY:
BLADE MORPHOLOGY:
COMMENTS:

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GOSHEN
TIME: 9,000 - 8,800 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Western Dakotas, eastern MT, WY and CO
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave to almost straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; parallel lateral margins
COMMENTS: Exhibits stem and basal grinding; look very similar to Midland points. Sometimes exhibits micro-flaking on margins

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FOLSOM
TIME: 9,000 - 8,000 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Wide distribution across Great Plains
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Indented, straight, or concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: Exhibits stem grinding, rarely exhibits basal grinding, horizontal reduction strategy

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MIDLAND
TIME: 9,000 - 8,000 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Across High Plains
GENERAL FORM: Triangular lanceolate
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; extremely thin
COMMENTS: Exhibits stem grinding (basel grinding rare); are variants of Folsom, but lack flutes. Too small/thin to be Plainsview

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DUNCAN
TIME: 2,000 - 1,500 BC (Middle Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM: Notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Shallowly concave; stem parallel-sided or slightly expanded
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate or straight; insloping, non-barbed shoulders
COMMENTS: Resembles shouldered McKean points

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LATE ARCHAIC CORNER NOTCHED
TIME: 1,000 - 400 BC (Late Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM: Corner-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight or slightly convex
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: A miscellaneous category - includes points that resembles either Besant or Pelican Lake

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LATE ARCHAIC EARLY WOODLAND NOTCHED
TIME:
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM:
BASAL MORPHOLOGY:
BLADE MORPHOLOGY:
COMMENTS:

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PLAINVIEW
TIME:
GEOGRAPHY:
GENERAL FORM:
BASAL MORPHOLOGY:
BLADE MORPHOLOGY:
COMMENTS:

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HELL GAP
TIME: 8,000 - 7,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: MT, WY, CO, SK, western ND, SD, and NE
GENERAL FORM: Lanceolate
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Usually rounded; sometimes straight, stem margins straight to slightly concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate with a tapered, contracting hafting element
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal grinding and heavy stem grinding

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AGATE BASIN
TIME: 8,500 - 8,000 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Across High Plains
GENERAL FORM: Lanceolate, slender, long
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight to convex
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Slightly excurvate; slight tapering at haft element
COMMENTS: Rarely exhibits basal grinding, horizontal reduction strategy

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CODY KNIFE
TIME: 8,000 - 6,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Western Daktas, NE, MT, WY, AL, and SK
GENERAL FORM: Double shouldered
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Generally straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate (primary); straight to incurvate (recycled); asymmetrical
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal and stem grinding

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LONG CREEK
TIME: (Early Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: Along Missouri RIver in MT, ND, and SK
GENERAL FORM: Side-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate
COMMENTS: ALso exhibits basal grinding/thinning, looks similar to Oxbow and Lookingbill

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PELICAN LAKE
TIME: (Early/Middle Plains Archaic)
GEOGRAPHY: MT, WY, CO, SK, AB, western ND, SD, NE
GENERAL FORM: Deeply corner-notched
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Concave or straight
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate or straight, barbed shoulders
COMMENTS: Usually exhibits basal grinding, triangular dart points

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ALBERTA
TIME: 8,000 - 6,500 BC (PaleoIndian)
GEOGRAPHY: Western ND, SD, NE, MT, WY, AB, SK, northern CO
GENERAL FORM: Has distinct rounded shoulders
BASAL MORPHOLOGY: Straight or slightly convex
BLADE MORPHOLOGY: Excurvate; straight-stemmed
COMMENTS: Exhibits basal and stem grinding