A Clovis Find in Greene County	Rob Carter
Central States Archaeological Societies 2009 January Journal	Greene County, Missouri

 

It was June 13th 2008 and we had five inches of rain in Greene County, Missouri. My wife and I were driving home late that afternoon and passed by a field that looked like a great place to hunt. I made the comment “I think I’ll go hunt that site tomorrow. Maybe there might be a Quartz Bannerstonelying out there just waiting for me to pick it up?” My wife let out a little laugh. She said “Well if this a bannerstone there, you won’t find it. All you ever find is the gnarly beat up stuff.” I chuckled at her comment, and knew right then I had to hunt it, hoping to prove her wrong. You never know what might show up in a field you’ve
never hunted before.

I arrived Saturday morning around 9:30 and the field was one very muddy mess. I began my search. After 15 minutes of walking I was very disappointed. I had not spotted a single flake to indicate any habitation by ancient man. I made a turn and started back up the hill. Then, not 5 feet in front of me, I saw clear evidence why I needed to hunt this place. Laying there fully exposed was a Clovis point. It was pointing east, so the sun caused the flute hinge to cast a small shadow. Not wanting to believe my luck, I thought to myself “Surely that’s just a leaf or perhaps broken chunk of rock lying on top of the point.” I then bent
down to pick up my first Clovis in over 30 years of hunting.

It is a perfect Clovis. It’s not large, measuring 2 5/8” long and 1 1/8” wide. But it seemed huge that day. Paleo man had fashioned it from a stunning piece of Banded Jefferson City Chert. I flipped it over and over in my hand. I just needed to confirm it was indeed a Clovis. I balled it up in my fist and headed back. As I drove home I kept it in my hand. I just couldn’t believe my luck!

I arrived home and laid it down in front of my wife. I had a big grin, and could tell she was quite surprised at my find. I said to her “How do you like your crow dear ?”

 

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