Point Type: HILLSBOROUGH a.k.a.: Batwing
Also See: Alachua, Newnan, Marion

Location: Southern Southeastern United States

Associated Dates: 6000 - 5000 B.P. - Middle Archaic
Morphology: Contracting Stemmed

General Description: The Hillsborough is a medium to large sized, broad, triangular bladed point with a small contracting rounded to pointed trianguloid stem. The shoulders are broadly expanding, barbed or pointed and can extend backwards beyond the base. An acute junction between the stem and the barbs is characteristic. The blade edges are excurvate to straight. Basal grinding is typically not present. The point is usually made from a Florida chert or agatized coral. Some examples show evidence of heat treating. Workmanship is in general very fine on this point type.

The Hillsborough is a member of the Newnan cluster of inter-related point types (Also See: above) and a part of the Florida Archaic stemmed family. The Hillsborough is also known as the Batwing point to Florida collectors. The distribution of this point is primarily central and northern Florida however specimens have been found in Georgia and southeastern Alabama.

The average size of the Hillsborough point is 64 mm in length with the range being 49 - 110 mm. The average width is 37 mm wide across the barbs with the range being between 33 mm and 45 mm.

About The Point Above: The large Hillsborough blade pictured at the top of this page, was found near Cross City, Dixie County, Florida and is from the former John Adams collection. The point is made from a white Florida chert that has gray and pinkish inclusions. Part of the blade material is glossy while the material near the basal end is dull. The flaking style used in the manufacture of the blade is an oblique transverse (near the distal end) with a pronounced median ridge on the photographed side with the obverse side being flat or plano-convex. The blade edges show fine retouch. No basal grinding is evident on this specimen. Overall, the point measures 101 mm in length, is 43 mm wide across the shoulders, and is 10 mm thick in mid blade just above the shoulders on the median ridge. Typical blade thickness is 5 mm. The stem is 9 mm long and the base of the stem is 15 mm wide. The stem is 4.5 mm thick at mid point. Catalog Number 60-130-O

References: Overstreet, Powell, Puckett (1), Sowell & Nowak, Waldorf

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