by Todd Walterspaugh, Galesburg, Michigan
Volume 57, Number 1, January 2010 Central States Archaeological Journal
Pictured above are seven Paleo points found in the state of Michigan. All are of local cherts, and three are of Bayport Chert. Of all the lithic materials utilized by Michigan’s Native Americans, it is perhaps the most beautiful and widely distributed. It is named for the Bayport Formation where it outcrops. It is primarily found in the Northeastern area of Southern Michigan. It is found as nodules or irregular blocks generally along the river banks. The main source for the material is in Saginaw Bay, near Bayport, in Huron County.
It has a waxy to chalky texture and is generally light brown to medium grey in color. The material is high in fossil content. It also includes quartz, which can appear as either white clouds or in a bulls-eye pattern. Other minerals present in the material include hematite, limonite and dolomite. Fossils present include sponge spicules, brachipods, bryozans and colony coral.
Bayport Chert was utilized by all prehistoric time periods from Paleo to Late Prehistoric. The dominant use was during the Early Archaic Period. It was also prominent in the Middle Woodland Period. Commonly seen in use for Thebes, Adena and Snyders style points. Bayport Chert was a largely distributed material. Native Americans used it in all of Michigan’s lower peninsula. Its use extended as far away as Central Indiana, northward into northwestern Ohio, and southwestern Ontario, Canada.”Used by Permission of the Author”