by Steven R. Cooper, E.I.C.
October 2014 Central States Archaeological Journal
At a recent show, I set up my display next to Eddie Rassensfoss, a Kentucky collector whom I’ve known for about ten years. As I admired his display, he showed me a frame of eccentric points he has been collecting. There were quite a few, so I pulled out what I thought were some of the most exotic specimens (Fig. 1). There were many interesting shapes, and one could conjecture that they looked like trees, animals, lizards and more. Collectors have always been fascinated by eccentrics. Modern flint knappers have made “Thunderbirds” and all sorts of fantasy flints, which over the years have confused collectors. Some even believe eccentric points are all modern. However, I have several in my personal collection (Figs. 2a–2b) that I know are real because of whom I acquired them from. I find them interesting. They are difficult to come by, and seeing how many Eddie had made me realize he had been pursuing collecting them for quite some time.
He told me he had just acquired a few points from a collector (Rocky Hall) who had recently disposed of a large part of his collection. Rocky lived in the Jamestown area of north central Tennessee, and local hunters would bring him their finds often. It is an area rich in prehistoric artifacts.
Amongst those new collection additions was a very interesting eccentric (Fig. 3) center that he had acquired from Rocky. As we looked over his other eccentric points, I spotted two others that were quite similar. I made a note to myself to compare these odd points when I got home to an image I had seen before in an important Kentucky rockshelter (Fig. 4).
The most common thought amongst collectors is that eccentrics are mere doodles; a flint knapper having a moment of artistic creativity. Some look like trees, others like squirrels or fish, and the majority have no discernable image in them at all. They appear as if they were just made for fun.
But viewing them in this way can be deceiving. At the Springdale Show a few years ago, a collector called me over and shared with me a small eccentric (Fig. 5).
It only became something when he held it up to the light and said “Look.” At that point it was obvious this was no mere doodle. I was looking at a profile image of a Mississippian (Fig. 6).
It was small, but held a similar profile as the much larger Dover flint faces discovered near Waverly, Tennessee (Fig. 7).
I pulled out a book on rock art, and right on the cover was the image I had remembered. This same image was also pictured recently in the journal in the Kentucky 50th Anniversary Issue (CSAJ 58(4) page 253). I have included that picture with this article (Fig. 4), so that the reader can compare. It is painted in red at a place called Asphalt Rock in Edmonson County, Kentucky. The image portrayed on the rock wall and possibly on the eccentric points appears to be a horned creature. Maybe it is a shaman? Maybe a supernatural being?
Maybe these eccentric points served a purpose. Were they carried on a journey for protection, much like a St. Christopher medal is today? Were they part of a sacred bundle? Were they left in places to keep certain bad spirits away?
Collection of Rick Steed, Chidester, Arkansas.
Throughout the past in both the New and Old Worlds, mythological beings that had meanings to ancient peoples were portrayed in stone, flint, rock art, pottery designs and even carved in shell.
So are these mere flint doodles or something more? We can only guess. I suggest taking a second look at some of those weird artifacts in your collection. You might be surprised at what you find.
References
Coy, Fred Jr.
1978 Rock Art of Kentucky, University Press of Kentucky.