Point Type: BIG CREEK
Also See: Affinis Snyders, Bay de Noc Side Notched, Big Slough, Buck Creek Barbed, Burnt Bluff, Ellis, Ferry , Gibson, Grand , Hamilton Stemmed, Hopewell - Snyders , Kings, Lowe Flair Base, Manker Corner Notched, Marcos, Motley, North, Norton Corner Notched, Palmillas, Ross, Snyders, Williams

Location: Southeastern United States, especially northeast Arkansas

Associated Dates: 3500 - 2500 B.P. - Late Archaic
Morphology: Corner Notched

General Description: The Big Creek type is a small to medium sized, short, broad, ovoid corner notched point. The stem is short, wide, rounded or fan shaped, bulbous and has a convex basal edge. The distal tip is often times needle-like and can be quite distinctive on some examples. The needle tip seems to be a common feature which is found on several other point types that orginate in the Ozarks. The blade edges are excurvate and the shoulders are prominently barbed. The barbs usually project downwards and are formed by the corner notches which are angled upwards. On many specimens, the percussion and pressure flakes struck off the preform and blade were angled downward towards the basal end and form a chevron pattern. Some examples exhibit one expanded or pointed notch. The base may or may not be ground and if grinding is present it is usually very light. The type is associated with the latter part of the Late Archaic period.

The Big Creek is most often found in northeast Arkansas and in the eastern Arkansas Ozarks. A few examples have been found in southeastern Missouri, northeastern Oklahoma and in Illinois. The Big Creek point type appears to be localized in these areas. It appears that some points may have seen use as a knife or scraper based upon edge crushing and hinged chipping scars on blade edges.

Some examples of the Big Creek appear similar toSnyders or Affinis Snyders points however the narrow notch width of the Big Creek is the key to differentiation. Very small Big Slough points will be indistinguishable with this type.

The size of the Big Creek point can range from 30 mm to 65 mm in length. The width of the blade ranges between 19 mm and 47 mm. The basal width range is between 16 mm and 28 mm. The range of the stem length is between 9 mm and 20 mm. The thickness ranges beween 7 mm and 11 mm. Neck width at the notches ranges from 17mm to 25 mm. The Big Creek point type was named by Dan F. Morse in 1970 for examples which he found along the Big Creek in northeastern Arkansas.

About The Point Above: The average sized Big Creek point pictured at the top of this page was found in Randolph County, Arkansas. The point is 55 mm long, 44 mm wide, neck width at the notches is 20 mm and basal width is 26 mm. The stem length is 15 mm. Thickness is 7.5 mm at the neck of the stem. The point is made from a satin light tan chert material that banded with dark brown and dark tan veins of colored chert. The point is somewhat patinated. There appears to be no basal grinding on the stem. Catalog Number 154-21-D

References: Baker, Overstreet, Perino (1, 4), Waldorf

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