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Around 10,500 years ago the Clovis technology and culture was replaced by Folsom technology in the Southwest
and to some extent on the Plains. The climate became much wetter during this time period. It was a transitional
period, and the modifications in weaponry were a response to increased specialization as bison became a major food
source. Folsom sites have been radiocarbon dated to as early as 10,900 BP (before present) at the Hell Gap Site,
and as late as 10,200 BP at the Hanson Site in Wyoming. If these outside age estimates are correct, then the Folsom
technology lasted a mere 700 years. The culture ranged over a broad geographical area that stretched from Owl Cave
in eastern Idaho, the Montgomery Site in eastern Utah, eastern Arizona through New Mexico over to the Texas-Louisiana
border (the edge of the prairie woodlands), and up through Oklahoma into eastern Illinois. Folsom points have been
found made from Hixton Silicified Sandstone from Wisconsin and have been found as far north as Alberta and Saskatchewan,
Canada, made from Knife River Flint. There is also a large Folsom site from Mexico just across the Rio Grande River
in El Paso, Texas. Folsom projectile points
tend to be smaller, more delicate, and more refined in workmanship than Clovis points. They were more completely
fluted, and this effort resulted in a very high failure rate during the fluting process; estimates range from 40
to 75%. The Folsom tool kit contained unifacial and bifacial knives with end scrapers in great numbers, spoke shaves,
gravers, drill and punches, and burins. There are no ivory artifacts such as those found associated with Clovis
assemblages, but there are incised bone discs as well as tiny-eyed bone needles. A tiny bead was also found at
the Shifting Sands Site in Texas. Folsom bison hunting centered upon and around very simple ambush sites at springs and lakes. The numbers of bison found at kill sites range from five to fifty-five found at the Lipscomb Site. Non-bison remains found at Folsom sites include duck, deer, pronghorn antelope, rabbit,
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turtle, wolf, prairie dog, peccary, mountain sheep, marmot, and possibly a camel/lama at the Wasden Site in
Idaho. The vast majority of
Folsom sites are associated with playas, streams, or nearby springs and are often associated with nearby bison
kill sites. These camp sites are usually very small, and population estimates range from five family units (a total
of 25 people) and up at most campsites. Archaeological evidence from these various sites indicate that once a successful
hunt was completed, the nearby camp was occupied while the animals were butchered and rearmament and tool maintenance,
as well as game processing, were conducted. Raw material acquisition
for the Folsom Culture people was very important to their lives. Like the Clovis people before them, the Folsom
Culture drew raw materials that were quarried at locations many miles away from their camps. This was done in order
to obtain the highest quality lithic resources with exceptional flaking quality. The most exotic and colorful materials
were preferred. Dennis Stanford noted at the recent Clovis and Beyond Conference held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that Flattop chalcedony from three Colorado Folsom sites was the only lavender variety ever found. The white variety of chert which worked just as well and was more easily found was not found at these ancient sites. Two Texas raw materials were also widely used, those being Alibates chert and the highest grades of Edwards Plateau chert. George Frison reported at the conference that he believed that fluting had some ritual component, as there was a significant emphasis on high-grade, colorful materials and an apparent insistence on full fluting techniques despite the high failure rates during manufacture. Featured with this article are some of the finest Folsom points ever found. They are from the collection of Forrest Fenn, one of the sponsors of the Clovis and Beyond Conference, conducted in October of 1999.
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