By Bill Young
Fifty-four years ago, the Texas Historical Society published the first typology book on artifacts made by the Native Americans of Texas and surrounding states. Over the years this book, the only hard-bound book ever published by the society, became known as the bible of Texas Archeology. It has been the only book ever published in Texas which attempted to describe all of the focuses and traits associated with each group: Paleo, Archaic (all three time frames) and what used to be referred to as the Neo American time period. The book also listed traits associated with historic contact period sites. Several years ago, the term Neo American was replaced with a simpler term, Late Prehistoric. Besides defining the various aspects and focuses, the authors also illustrated a number of examples of the various pottery types and both dart and arrow points found in Texas. None of the stone or bone tools were illustrated, only described vaguely in the traits sections.
Since 1954, many of the tools associated with certain phases or groups have been found in association with other cultures. This came about probably because more sites were excavated and many of the tools once thought to belong to a specific group were also found in association with other projectile points. This is not true for every tool known since a few types were made only by one culture. For instance, the Clovis people were the only group to make a very unique type of blade. Other later cultures produced blades but the shape is distinctly different from the Clovis blade An example of two groups producing almost the same style of scraper, specifically known as a thumbnail scraper, is a good example of how certain style tools are repeated over the years. The Folsom people from around 10,000 B.C. and the Late Prehistoric groups such as the Caddos both manufactured thumbnail scrapers. Occasionally, but not always, a small spur may be found protruding outward from one edge of the scrapping bit on Folsom thumbnail scrapers. This just points out the fact we still don’t fully understand how each culture lived and what were the reasons they produced specific tools.
In the 1954 handbook, the first stone tools listed were referred to as spear points. I have heard the term lance points also used when someone was describing them. Both types were considerably larger than the typical dart point and much heavier. With this thought in mind, the archeologists felt sure these two types had to be attached to a single long shaft and not an atlatl dart shaft. The general consensus was these spear points were used more as a protection type weapon instead of a killing tool, i.e. something to use in the case of a charging wounded animal.
The first spear point was known as the Almagre point. All of the known examples were found out in far west Texas and northern Mexico. Each example illustrated looks identical to an oversize Gary point. Gary points typically are found in our region and all over east Texas, western Louisiana and Arkansas. Throughout all of central Texas, Gary points are absent except for some finds in the Brazos River basin. There cannot be any connection between Almagre and Gary points. The illustrated examples of Almagre spear points look as if each one is unfinished. Even though the photographs are small, one can readily see where large flakes have been removed and it looks as if none of the examples exhibit the fine pressure retouch found on completed examples of other types. Two well made types of dart points are commonly found in the same area as the Almagre spear points. One type known as the Langtry point looks almost like a Gary but the stem is tapered slightly and not rounded into a pointed stem typical of Garys.
Every example I have seen of Langtrys tends to be well made. I have the feeling the Almagres were originally intended to be turned into Langtry points and for some reason, usually a flaw in the chert, the pieces were discarded looking almost like a finished point but not completed!
The other spear point is something totally different. Known as the Pogo spear point examples are occasionally found all over east Texas but none are concentrated in any one area. Generally speaking more Pogos have been found in the region around Texarkana. Over the years in looking at many collections, I occasionally see what we would call a Pogo but usually there is only a single example. Rarely is one found in the Trinity basin but most specimens have been found in the Piney Woods. At the time the handbook was written, the Caddos were considered probably to be the culture who manufactured the Pogos since most examples were found on pottery bearing sites. The farther one goes northeastward towards Texarkana, the more one sees Pogo spear points made of Novaculite, a material found in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Almost invariably Novaculite points show evidence of being heat treated to improve the chipping qualities of the material. This can be seen in the waxy appearance seen on artifacts made out of Novaculite. One point of interest which needs to be noted is the fact most of the dart points made of Novaculite are thicker and in turn, heavier. From what I have gathered from several of the replication flint knappers, this thickness is needed to prevent the piece from cracking or shattering. However, if the Native Americans got hold of some of the white Novaculite and heat treated the pieces, they could have produced a beautifully thinned stone dart point. Without a doubt, the white Novaculite is the highest grade material within the Novaculite deposits.
There are several different styles of Pogo points illustrated in the 1954 handbook. Most have parallel stems and many exhibit short but efficient barbs but you would definitely say they are not the same. It may have been the maker’s choice as to what he desired in his mind when he made the piece. Now comes the big problem; neither spear point is illustrated in the newer typology books. I can see why the Almagre was dropped because it does not look to be a finished product but the Pogo presents a totally different issue. Are they so large because many examples were made out of lower grade Novaculite? Other examples are made out of a hardened ferrous oxide found in iron ore deposits in east Texas. Yet a few examples are made out of higher grade cherts from the Edwards Plateau or the Ozark Plateau. For whatever the reason, not known to me at this time, the Pogo spear point has been dropped from typology publications. Guess I need to research this question further!
Next week: Some knife forms have also been dropped! Why?
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Bill Young is a Daily Sun columnist. Want to “Soundoff” on this column? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
