ST. CHARLES POINTS
Early to Middle Archaic: 6,500 to 5,000
BP
DESCRIPTION: St. Charles points range in size from 45
to 160 mm in length but averaging about 80 - 100 mm, 35 to 40
mm in width, and 5 to 8 mm in thickness. The base is usually broad
and well rounded and created by merely cutting fine, deep notches
into a leaf shaped blade. Resharpening was often done by beveling.
Logic dictates that these large blades were mainly meant for use
as knives. The bases are heavily ground and notched to take a
short handle.
DISTRIBUTION: Widely distributed, but most common throughout
the Ohio Valley and westward into Missouri. Overflows into neighboring
states as well. Found mainly in Ohio, Ontario, Missouri, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arkansas,
Kentucky, Tennessee, etc.
RAW MATERIAL: In Illinois and Missouri where they originated
they were mostly made from Burliington and Crescent cherts and
because of these quality cherts they were consistently long.
AGE AND CULTURE: Waldorf places them in the late Early
Archaic to Middle Archaic with a date around 6,500 to 5,000 B.P.
They show the stayle of combination percussion and pressure similar
to that used on Hardin points.
REFERENCES: Bell, 1960, pp. 82, 83. Waldorf, 1987, pp.
75 - 81. Justice, 1995, pp. 55-58. Tully, 1998, p. 50. Overstreet,
2003, pp. 917-919