The Tallahassee: A Gulf Formational Period Artifact	by J. Steven Beasley
Central States Archaeological Societies 2022 January Journal	Marietta, Georgia

This excerpt from "The Tallahassee: A Gulf Formational Period Artifact" published in the 2022 Central States Archaeological Societies 2022 January Journal Read this and mores in the Central States Archaeological 2022 January Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2023
Three views of a Tallahassee point made from a translucent Chalcedony pronounced ( Kael’ sedani ). It was found by Jerry Hendrix in 2020 near a stream in Crisp County, Georgia

Upon first observation, the Tallahassee’s form implies its’ antiquity, but how old is the question. A closer look at Figures 1 and 2 gives some indication to their age, which is different from the much earlier point types such as the Dalton points of the Late Paleo period. Wilfred T. Neill 1 (1963) first described the Tallahassee point believing it to be an early variant of the Dalton, as did Bullen 2 (1975). But, Bullen went on to note that the “temporal assignment was tentative,” pending future excavations.

The Tallahassee is a thin, narrow triangular point with a concave base, that is often extremely well made. Serrations extend from the tip of the blade to within one half inch (1.27 cm) of the base. Most, but not all, have smoothing of basal areas. Serrations are minute, closely spaced notches along lateral edges. The results are serrations that are pointed, rounded or squared in configuration. Serrations appear flat and not ridged. These points rarely show evidence of use as knives.3 The overall flaking characteristics are of the pre-ceramic Late Archaic to Woodland period lithic industries. These points are associated with fiber tempered pottery. In some sites, they are found with, or slightly above Deptford or Swift Creek pottery and Hernando points.4

Neill pictured four Florida examples of Tallahassee points in his 1963 report. Two of the specimens were from Natural Bridge, Leon County, one beside Hwy. 98, Wakulla County , and one specimen from Blue and in the Swift Creek component, where three examples were recovered. One example was from feature 25A, a fire pit, with Swift Creek ceramics and faunal remains 6 ( Jones and Tesar, 1996). Schroder reports Tallahassee points were recovered from three more sites including the Maximo Park Site in Clearwater, Florida, a predominately Weeden Island Site, that produced a single example. Several un-named sites in Okloosa Co., Florida contained Tallahassee points associated with Weeden Island artifacts. 7 Schroder (2006) also reports Tallahassee points from the San Francisco de Oconi Mission Site (8-JE 131) and a shell midden (8-SR 121) containing Santa Rosa, Swift Creek and Weeden Island components.

Springs, near Marianna, Jackson County.5 In addition, more ....

 

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