Yesterday’s find- a Paleo year maker!

MAMucker

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Feb 2, 2019
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Late Paleo, (Northeastern) Hardaway-Dalton made of Sally Rock Rhyolite. Found surface hunting in SE New England. Did the best I could with the photos. This one gave me trouble.

My eye says Dalton all the way. But that’s just MO. The Basel sides are ground and the bottom is thin as a sheet of paper. I believe I see attempts made to flute both sides.

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Thanks UP. In our area, we don’t have an official dated Dalton Type. We have what the experts have collectively set aside as a group called Hardaway-Dalton. In New England, this group is currently undated. My point would be put in this category.

Boudreaux, in his New England Typology argues that these points do not resemble points of the Dalton tradition. I will argue that this Point looks nothing like a Hardaway, but falls well within the Dalton tradition and meets many of the Hardaway-Dalton type diagnostics from the Southern and Central regions of North America. If this point were found in (say) North Carolina, it certainly would be ‘typed’ a Dalton or Hardaway-Dalton.

The examples of our Hardaway-Dalton have Ears that hint of some Dalton intention. The base on this point has ‘ground’ parallel sides that are about 13mm long (1/2”)

Interesting for sure... different regions are difficult for me.. in my area, that would no doubt be put in the dalton family. As far as the “experts” go... well.. there in need of some experts..
 

As MaMucker points out, the New England style of Hardaway-Dalton does not much resemble that classic style from North Carolina. Boudreau and others informally assigned the name to these points. But, as Boudreau notes in his typology, these points will receive their own name if and when they are ever found in a datable context via controlled excavation of an undisturbed site. Can’t happen too soon, as far as I am concerned, since it can be confusing.

I think MaMucker’s point is a killer example. Typically erose, and looking more Daltonish than many other examples. Here are several on display at the Robbins Museum of the Massachusetts Archaeology Society, in Middleborough, Ma:

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This erose example is somewhat remindful of MaMucker’s find:
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As is this personal find erose quartz example from Rhode Island:

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The purplish point in the center is a closer to first stage example, from the Robbins Museum, and which Boudreau included in his New England typology:

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These are more typical Hardaway-Dalton points from NC:

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Another RI example:

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I dont see why all the resistance to the obvious fact that Dalton does exist out there. Some old archaeologist must have said no Dalton and there is a generation of his students are duty bound to defend that entrenched position. A very well known archaeologist once told me quote... "Every time an old archaeologist dies, science is advanced".
 

I dont see why all the resistance to the obvious fact that Dalton does exist out there. Some old archaeologist must have said no Dalton and there is a generation of his students are duty bound to defend that entrenched position. A very well known archaeologist once told me quote... "Every time an old archaeologist dies, science is advanced".

That’s the apparent elephant in the room. We know they are here. We’re long overdue for one to be found in a dated context. A Rose is a Rose, right?
But, a dated context will tell us when they were here. And at that time these points may acquire a new ID Name. Or will (as an example) NE Hardaway-Dalton or NE Dalton Variant suffice? IDK.

We are waiting for other types to be found in a dated context as well, including our own Eastern Agate Basin.
 

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