Kirk Stemmed - LITHICS-Net

Picture of Kirk Corner Notched Point - 43mm - 419-18-HH (Shown Twice Size)

Point Type: KIRK CORNER NOTCHED
Also See: Amos Corner Notched, Barbee Corner Notched, Brewerton Corner Notched , Cave Spring, Charleston Corner Notched, Crawford Creek Notched, Cypress Creek, Kirk Stemmed , Palmer, Rice Concave Base, St. Albans, Stilwell

Location: Eastern Central, Eastern Seaboard, Southeastern States

Associated Dates: 9000 - 6000 B.P. - Early Archaic to Middle Archaic
Morphology: Corner Notched

General Description: The Kirk Corner Notched point type is a medium to large sized, triangular shaped blade (sometimes serrated) with a short straight base that is rarely ground but often is slightly smoothed . Serrations can oftentimes be missing due to heavy blade usage (probably as a knife in cutting and sawing activities). The shoulders terminate in sharp barbs that project towards the base. On some specimens the barbs are rounded. The robust serration common to these points often distorts the overall symmetry of the blade contour in the reworking process. The basal edge is thinned by removal of flakes from the bottom of the base. The blade usually exhibits early parallel flaking and is often asymmetrical . The blade edges are usually incurvate or recurvate and can be beveled and / or serrated.

The Kirk Corner Notched is found all over the entire Eastern United States and into Texas and Louisiana.

The typical dimensions of the Kirk Corner Notched are as follows. The length can range from 32mm to 120mm with the average being 70mm. The width can range from 21mm to 37mm with the average width being 29mm. The thickness ranges from 6mm to 12mm with the average being 8mm in thickness.

The Kirk Stemmed Point was named by Joffre L. Coe in 1964 for points found at the Hardaway site in North Carolina. Coe initially thought that the point type was two separate types: The Kirk Stemmed and the Kirk Serrated. These two types, are for the most part, only differentiated by the amount of reworking on the blade edges (serrations). Coe suggested that the original outline of the point was a long dagger-like blade profile with deep serrations and a broad stem.

Other Kirk Tradition types blend into this type including the Palmer Corner Notched, Charleston Corner Notched, Amos Corner Notched, Rice Concave Base, and the Kirk Stemmed / Serrated. The Stillwell type as described by Perino may be a variety. The Crawford Creek Notched, the Barbee Corner Notched all appear to be identical to the Kirk Corner Notched type.

About The Point Above (Left - Shown Twice Size): The medium sized Kirk Corner Notched and point pictured at the top left hand side of this page, was found in Putnam County, Tennessee. It is made from a glossy gray Hornstone material that has some light tan colored streaks. The blade surface has some very nice flaking and the blade is quite thin. The base is very slightly ground. The specimen measures 43 mm in length, 22 mm wide across the barbs, and is only 6.4 mm at its thickest point at mid blade. The base tapers down to 3.9 mm in thickness. The stem length is 10.9 mm and is 23 mm wide The point was formerly in the Will Burkett collection and the Rocky Hall collection. Catalog Number 419-18-HH

About The Point Above (Center - Shown Twice Size): The Kirk Corner Notched and point pictured at the top center of this page, was found along the Sycamore River in Knox County, Ohio. It is made from a dark blackish Coshocton Black Flint material that has a slight gloss and has some light gray streaks. The blade surface has some very nice flaking and the blade is quite thin. The base is not ground. The specimen measures 39 mm in length, 29.3 mm wide across the barbs, and is only 6.2 mm at its thickest point at mid blade. The base tapers down to 3.5 mm in thickness. The stem length is 8.1 mm and is 20.4 mm wide. Catalog Number 178-21-Y

About The Point Above (Right): The large Kirk Corner Notched and point pictured at the top right hand side of this page, was found in Lawrence County, Missouri and was once in the John R. Adams collection of Lawrenceville, IL. The blade is made from a dull matte finish cream colored chert material which could be Burlington Chert. There is very good patination on the blade surface and knapping scars. The blade surface has some very nice flaking and the blade is quite thin. There is an old ding on the left hand blade edge. The base is not ground. The specimen measures 90 mm in length, 49 mm wide across the barbs, and is only 8.2 mm at its thickest point just above the notches in mid blade. The base tapers down to 3.5 mm in thickness. The stem length is 11.7 mm and is 28.4 mm wide. Catalog Number 61-90-O

References: Coe, DeRegnaucourt, Dragoo, Hranicky (1), Henschel, Justice (1), Overstreet, Perino (1)

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