GAINEY FLUTED POINTS
Early Paleo-Indian: 11,000 to 10,000
BP
DESCRIPTION: Gainey fluted points range in size from
50 to 95 mm in length, 20 to 37 mm in width, and 6 to 8.5 mm in
thickness. Basal width is 19 to 32 mm and concavity depth ranges
from 2 to 8.5 mm. Gainey points lack fishtail bases but the lateral
basal edges can expand slightly from the base to a maximum width
around mid-point, but most are almost parallel sided. These points
are relatively wide and fairly thick. Cross sections are markedly
biconvex. Flaking is similar to that for Barnes points, including
parallel collateral retouch; a tendency for single, long, parallel
sided flute removals, and a similar finishing technique to Barnes.
Lateral basal edges are very heavily ground so that in some cases
a distinct inset (almost a shoulder) is formed at the juncture
of the ground and unground areas.
DISTRIBUTION: Gainey points occur throughout southern Ontario,
southern Michigan and northern Ohio. Their distribution beyond
this area is unknown.
RAW MATERIAL: Although some Gainey points are known on
Fossil Hill chert, most of this type tend to be on southern cherts
like Onondaga from Ontario and Upper Mercer, Flint Ridge and Tenmile
Creek cherts from Ohio.
AGE AND CULTURE: No Carbon-14 dates are available for Gainey
points but they suggest a dating slightly more recent than 11,000
years ago. The type site for these points is the Gainey site in
south central Michigan investigated by Don Simons (1984). No major
sites have yet been located or excavated in Ontario. Formerly
these points were referred to as Bull Brook points in the Great
Lakes region (Roosa 1965).
REFERENCES: London Chapter, Ontario Archaeological Society.
C. Ellis, 1984 Gainey Fluted Points. KEWA 84-7.