Topic ID #6809 - posted 1/28/2010 12:49 AM
Charlie Hatchett
Probing the Past:Seeking the First Americans
Charlie Hatchett
http://www.pcswdc.org/
Dennis Stanford – Head of the Division of Archaeology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
This presentation will focus on new discoveries on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay and the Mid-Atlantic Continental Shelf that not only support the antiquity of Cactus Hill and Meadowcroft Rockshelter, but indicate the presence of bifacial projectile point and blade technologies in the Americas during the Last Glacial Maximum. Additionally, the results of radiocarbon assays and lithic analysis of artifacts from two “Proto-Clovis” sites found on the Cumberland River near downtown Nashville indicate that fluting technology was developed in southeastern North America ca. 14,000 Calibrated years before present. These developments suggest that we need to rethink the issues of the Peopling of the Americas.
Dennis Stanford – Head of the Division of Archaeology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
This presentation will focus on new discoveries on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay and the Mid-Atlantic Continental Shelf that not only support the antiquity of Cactus Hill and Meadowcroft Rockshelter, but indicate the presence of bifacial projectile point and blade technologies in the Americas during the Last Glacial Maximum. Additionally, the results of radiocarbon assays and lithic analysis of artifacts from two “Proto-Clovis” sites found on the Cumberland River near downtown Nashville indicate that fluting technology was developed in southeastern North America ca. 14,000 Calibrated years before present. These developments suggest that we need to rethink the issues of the Peopling of the Americas.
Post ID#17198 - replied 1/28/2010 10:27 PM
StarRider
No rethinking necessary, that subject is pretty much wide open. Interesting times for Paleo researchers.
Numbers alone would suggest some sort of seminal event in the Cumberland/Tennessee River areas, there are just so many fluted poiint sites there.
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Numbers alone would suggest some sort of seminal event in the Cumberland/Tennessee River areas, there are just so many fluted poiint sites there.
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Post ID#17200 - replied 1/28/2010 10:59 PM
Charlie Hatchett
Man, some of those Cumberlands are absolute beauties. Can you imagine the skill it took to flute one of those suckers from end to end? Are you aware of the two “Proto-Clovis” sites found on the Cumberland River near downtown Nashville (the one's Stanford referred to)? If so, do you happen to have any images?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Post ID#17201 - replied 1/29/2010 12:18 AM
StarRider
I don't have any images, but I'm pretty sure one of these sites is the Johnson Site, which is within the urban area of Nashville. John Broster is hot on the trail of Paleo in that area, they have located quite a few fluted point sites there, many of them on the old Pleistocene river banks. These sites are submerged much of the time but exposed during low water levels so they tend to be deflated. Carson-Conn-Short I believe was pretty much just a mud flat along the river when found by the amateurs who reported it.
Some Cumberlands and most Redstone points have basal concavities deep enough that it would seem impossible to flute them via direct percussion-either they were fluted before the final work was done or the flakes were driven off by indirect percussion. Add to that the fact that many Redstone points display multiple flutes, I've seen many with three on one side. I know a couple of people who are good at it, but flutes as long as some of these are way over my head, my knapping skills would best be described as very modest LOL. The chances of destroying so much work for a flute would seem to me to be counter-productive.
The Huntsville/Decatur AL area is probably without doubt the most Paleo-rich area in the country, the pics above were taken at the Longboot Symposeum at UA/Huntsville a few years ago. They had somewhere around 1500 local Paleos on display there.
Some Cumberlands and most Redstone points have basal concavities deep enough that it would seem impossible to flute them via direct percussion-either they were fluted before the final work was done or the flakes were driven off by indirect percussion. Add to that the fact that many Redstone points display multiple flutes, I've seen many with three on one side. I know a couple of people who are good at it, but flutes as long as some of these are way over my head, my knapping skills would best be described as very modest LOL. The chances of destroying so much work for a flute would seem to me to be counter-productive.
The Huntsville/Decatur AL area is probably without doubt the most Paleo-rich area in the country, the pics above were taken at the Longboot Symposeum at UA/Huntsville a few years ago. They had somewhere around 1500 local Paleos on display there.
Post ID#17202 - replied 1/29/2010 12:29 AM
StarRider
Florida is good too, but constricted-base "Old Clovis" seems to be somewhat rare there. Fluted points with expanding auricles a la McGahey's Group III Clovis seem to predominate.
Post ID#17210 - replied 1/29/2010 12:34 PM
Dmack89
I would love to know what must be further out along the shallow waters off FLA.
Post ID#17213 - replied 1/29/2010 2:43 PM
StarRider
[quote:="Dmack89"]I would love to know what must be further out along the shallow waters off FLA.
It's there, without doubt. Just find an old river channel and follow it out.
It's there, without doubt. Just find an old river channel and follow it out.
Post ID#17217 - replied 1/29/2010 4:07 PM
Charlie Hatchett
[quote:="StarRider"][quote:="Dmack89"]I would love to know what must be further out along the shallow waters off FLA.
It's there, without doubt. Just find an old river channel and follow it out.[/quote]
No doubt.
That's probably the case all along the Gulf Coast continental shelf:
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/mcfaddin/index.html
It's there, without doubt. Just find an old river channel and follow it out.[/quote]
No doubt.
That's probably the case all along the Gulf Coast continental shelf:
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/mcfaddin/index.html
Post ID#17218 - replied 1/29/2010 4:11 PM
Charlie Hatchett
[quote:="StarRider"]I don't have any images, but I'm pretty sure one of these sites is the Johnson Site, which is within the urban area of Nashville. John Broster is hot on the trail of Paleo in that area, they have located quite a few fluted point sites there, many of them on the old Pleistocene river banks. These sites are submerged much of the time but exposed during low water levels so they tend to be deflated. Carson-Conn-Short I believe was pretty much just a mud flat along the river when found by the amateurs who reported it.
I wrote Dennis Stanford to see if it is possible to purchase some images of the fluted "proto-Clovis" points recovered within the urban area of Nashville. He reports they're dated to ca. 14kya.
I wrote Dennis Stanford to see if it is possible to purchase some images of the fluted "proto-Clovis" points recovered within the urban area of Nashville. He reports they're dated to ca. 14kya.
Post ID#17274 - replied 2/3/2010 2:58 PM
StarRider
Ever find out about any images?
Post ID#17280 - replied 2/4/2010 4:33 PM
Charlie Hatchett
Nothing.
And I hear the lecture is canceled:
http://www.pcswdc.org/
Bleh....
And I hear the lecture is canceled:
http://www.pcswdc.org/
Bleh....
Post ID#17281 - replied 2/4/2010 5:27 PM
StarRider
I can get printed photos, I won't be able to put them online. If you'd like a look let me know.
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