Clipped wing style Lost Lake

dognose · Jan 13, 2023

This Indiana Green Attica Chert is from Hancock County, a few miles west of my home, in 2006. It is about 2 inches in length. The base has a small nick, but what makes in interesting is the notch barbs have been intentionally clipped. I have had conversations at some relic shows about this and the "snapped base" styles of alteration. Opinions vary to say the least.

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Here is another lost lake I found 06/27/89 in Marion County. Measuring three inches long, by two and a half inches wide, the barb wings had been intentionally clipped, which does not distract from its esthetics. The material is Harrison County flint, also known as hornstone and Wyandote Chert, with crystal inclusions. Harrison County flint ranges in hue from a dark blue to black. When patina forms on Harrison County flint it can produce a brown to darker tan hue. In small areas on its surface it is possible to make out the darker hue of the natural material. Note the bull's eye common in many relics made of Harrison County flint.

The Lost Lake is an early Archaic dating between 10000 - 8000 B.P and is found in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, southern Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Over the life span of a point, the blade shape changed due to the use of bevel reworking techniques, generally becoming less excurvate to straight edged and then incurvate while continually becoming shorter with each reworking. Cross sections range from biconvex on blades in pristine condition to rhomboid cross sections on highly reworked examples. Most examples of the type are finely serrated along the blade edges and in general exhibit high quality flaking and a symmetrical outline.

James W. Cambron and David C. Hulse named the Lost Lake point for examples that were recovered from the Lost Lake area of Limestone County, Alabama.

MAMucker · Jan 13, 2023

Dognose,
Nice example of both type and material.

I wonder about the opinions that you have heard regarding clipped wing and snapped base points.
I am aware of only one clipped-winged "form" of a specific type in the New England region, and that is from the Susquehanna Broad. Below is a photo of the only example shown in 'A New England Typolgy of Native American Artifacts'.

If you don't mind, I'm interested in opening a discussion.

I'm not arguing against the designation. Though, I'm not convinced of it being completely legitimate either. It makes sense that these forms would be found in vastly larger numbers than 'whole' intact specimens. And therefore, that designation must be broadly applied. That said, there must also be a way to tell the difference from those made that way and those that were altered due to use and re-use.

Sorry for the highjack.

antmike915 · Jan 13, 2023

Nice, got any pictures showing the barbs better. Hard to tell if it was intentionally that way or not. It has a Kirk Corner Notch look to it. Not saying that's what it is but it's hard to tell them apart at times (for me at least).

newnan man · Jan 13, 2023

Nice points for sure & nice material. Personally I never ascribed to the clipped wing/snap base designations. It just doesn't add up but hey it's not really an issue either way.

dognose · Jan 13, 2023

I have only found these two in 50 plus years, so i don't think they are plentiful.

I am not an advocate of the snapped base theory either. Just throwing it out there.

I will take some more photos.

Ledster · Jan 13, 2023

I have these on top of the hills here where I live, if your patient and go out looking and searching you can find em, as well as pottery shards.

dognose · Jan 13, 2023

Ledster said:
I have these on top of the hills here where I live, if your patient and go out looking and searching you can find em, as well as pottery shards.

Is that right? Let's see some.
"If I go out looking and searching"? I would say that is what I am doing when i am in the field.

I am not saying this is a specific type to be "nationally" known in Overstreet or anything like that. But the fracturing is not accidental, its intentional.

Ledster · Jan 13, 2023

dognose said:
Is that right? Let's see some.
"If I go out looking and searching"? I would say that is what I am doing when i am in the field.

I am not saying this is a specific type to be "nationally" known in Overstreet or anything like that. But the fracturing is not accidental, its intentional.

my roommate threw out my pottery shards, 🙄 however where I live has been trampled underfoot by Indians for the reason of claiming about the arrowheads.