Preston Corner-Notched
This type was defined on the basis of type specimens from the Preston
Rockshelter site in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin.
Other Possible Names or Related Points: Monona Stemmed, Merom
Expanding Stem, Trimble Side-Notched (Wabash Valley), Springly
(west-central Illinois).
Age: 3,500 B.P. Stoltman recognized this type as occurring
stratigraphically between the Raddatz and Durst levels at the Preston
Rockshelter site and the type definition includes Wittry's Monona
Stemmed forms from the Raddatz and Durst shelters.
Description: These are small corner-notched to expanding
stemmed forms. The blade is more triangular in shape than subsequent
Durst points, with a distinctly sharper shoulder. Because of their
relatively small size, these might be confused with arrow tips. However,
the average weight of Preston points is nearly 4 grams, while late
prehistoric arrow tips weigh on average only 1 gram. It is possible that
Preston Corner-Notched and equally small Durst Stemmed points (see next
entry) represent stone tips for detachable foreshafts of compound
spears.
Length: 2.5–4.5 cm/1–2 in. Width: 1.7–2.5 cm/.75–1 in.
Material: The points are made from local cherts, sometimes
heat-treated.
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