Thirty-two projectile points, one temmed biface fragments, one stemmed lanceolate
preform and two lanceolate preforms were discovered near the Bear Den Cove
subdivision in Galena, Missouri. A
resident, Robert Smith, collected projectile points on the southern end of
an island and along the shoreline of the James River adjacent to Virgin Bluff.
The majority of the cultural material was found in the early 1980s. Thirty-two
of the projectile points have been identified and are assigned to cultural
type components dating in age from the Early, Middle, and Late Archaic periods.
The area of southwest Missouri is a part of the western Ozarks, and lies
within the Springfield Plateau subprovince. The physiography of the area
is characterized by broad, gently rolling uplands with limited dissection
and relatively minor relief. However, there are steep slopes and bluffs along
the major river valleys. Rock formations are dominated by Mississippian-age
cherty limestones where karst features including: caves, sinkholes, and springs
are well developed (Ray et al. 2009:156). The majority of the cherts used
in the manufacturing of the projectile points are derived from these local
lithic sources.
Robert Smith collected projectile points on the James River, during low
water stages, while walking on the southern end of an island and along the
shoreline below Virgin Bluff in the northern region of Table Rock Lake. Points
were found on sites exposed that were deflated by shoreline erosion. He collected
projectile points over a number of years from 1967 through the mid-1980s,
particularly during the 1980s. Mr. Smith,
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(left to right) Dalton point, stemmed lanceolate
preform, and two lanceolate preform
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like many amateur archaeologists developed strategies such as “Regular
Collecting Territories” to locate cultural materials at the surface
level (Farnsworth 1973). The projectile points were found in the northeast
quarter of section 15, and in the northwest quarter of section 14, in Township
23 north, Range 24 west of the Cape Fair Quadrangle, Stone County, Missouri.
One Early Archaic Dalton projectile point, one stemmed lanceolate preform,
and two lanceolate preforms (Fig.1 left to right) were found. The Dalton
point type has been found at the Rodgers Shelter and at the Big Eddy site.
Radiocarbon dates at both sites are fairly consistent in age dating from
10,500 to 9,900 RCYBP in the early Holocene (Koldehoff and Walthall 2009:142).
The Dalton point is made from Jefferson City chert, the stemmed lanceolate
preform and one of the lanceolate preforms is made from Reeds Spring chert,
and the lanceolate preform on the far right is made from Pierson chert.
Seven Hidden Valley points (Fig. 2) have large contracting stems with prominent
shoulders and straight bases. Several specimens are resharpened and exhibit
fine serrations and slight bevels on the left side of the blade. The Hidden
Valley point type is...
Read the complete "A Projectile Point Collection from the James
River and Virgin Bluff Locale in Stone County, Missouri" column
in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2024
April Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2025
