Introducing “The Warrick Point” by David L. Lutz, Newburgh, Indiana
Volume 64, Number 4, October 2017 Central States Archaeological Journal
A Suggested Late Paleoindian Projectile Point (8500–8000 B.C.)
In 1986 Robert Edler became the first to report on a newly identified projectile point type he called the “Warrick” in the July issue of the Central States Archaeological Journal. The name was taken from a county in southwestern Indiana where several had been found. At the time, there were but a handful of people who understood the morphology (shape) of this point to be something new and different. This announcement marked the first time the Warrick had been identified in the literature as a distinct type and to suggest its origins lie somewhere within the Early Archaic period. Bob was the perfect champion for the task for he had a long history of interest in Early Archaic point types and possessed a willful dedication to see that each was acknowledged in print. This was accomplished by his many articles to archaeological journals and in 1990 the publication of Early Archaic Indian Points and Knives.
The Warrick may never have been recognized had it not been for the numerous artifact shows that were beginning to spring up in the early 1950s. It was at these shows during the mid-seventies that I first began to suspect the Warrick to be a new point type that had somehow gone undetected. There was never a eureka moment when this observation became clear, but more a steady drumbeat of sightings occurring over several years. At these shows I should explain, there are row upon row of tables to be found, all filled with relics of various types, some representing collections found over a lifetime. For those of you, a first timer, uninitiated to this spirited, passionate world of relic collecting, the experience of attending one of these get-togethers might be described as nothing less than awe-inspiring — a life changing moment for some.
The unveiling of the Warrick point in 1986 by Bob could not have come at a better time. Artifact collecting was a growing hobby and field hunters were becoming increasingly sophisticated to the various artifact types to be found and wanted a better understanding of where each fit in time. Bob’s report would bring the Warrick point into focus for the collecting community and hopefully make some impression among academia as well.
Figure 1: L-R 1. Warrick County, Indiana. Found near Pelzer by Bennie Seaton, a co-worker at Amax Coal Company. Pelzer lies five miles south of Boonville in Boon Township. It was part of the author’s collection until it was passed on to Mr. Edler to highlight his Warrick point article in the July 1986 issue of the Central States Archaeological Journal. It was again illustrated in his book (1990:115[d]). 2. Pike County, Indiana. A classic example exhibiting collateral flaking (3 5/8”). It was found in a creek near Spurgeon, Pike County, Indiana, on June 3, 2013 by Ross Vogler of Evansville. 3. Orange County, Indiana.
It should be pointed out the Warrick may be one the rarest points to be found in the Midwest. What seems astonishing is how well it has managed to conceal itself, to have avoided detection for these many years, never having revealed itself within layered components nor accidentally discovered in an archaeologically excavated square. No, the discovery of these points has largely been by chance encounters with inspired humans walking some fallow field or lonely riverbank. They appear always as solitary finds without related materials present. I know of no one site where more than a single specimen has been found. Exact locations for many illustrated on these pages has been lost, traded hand to hand until their provenance lacks credibility. However, there was recently an exceptionally nice Warrick found lying in a creek near Spurgeon, Pike County, Indiana, Monroe Township (see cover of this issue). It is one of the finest examples this author has observed (also shown in Fig. 1 – No. 2). Pike lies adjacent to Warrick County and to its north. With field hunting of farmland on a downward trend since the 1980s due to changing farming techniques, creek and riverbank hunting remain almost the sole source of finding relics today.
The Magnet site in Perry County, Indiana may provide a possible clue to the age of the Warrick by its association with Late Paleoindian materials (Tomak 1980) (Smith 1995). Over eighty diagnostic projectile points from this group have been recovered, almost all on the surface by Donald Champion of Tell City and Edward (Buddy) Scheidegger (deceased) of Cannelton (Fig. 7). A Warrick was found here by Don in 1998 (Fig. 7), but much too late for its inclusion into the Smith report. Don at age 85 continues to actively hunt the site which lies on a low terrace approximately a quarter mile from the Ohio River. What is most impressive about the Magnet site are the dozen partial and complete Agate Basin points recovered here. With the Warrick having a similar heavy bi-convex form as the Agate Basin and often the familiar median ridge, it seems only reasonable to assume they could be related.
Figure 2: L-R Three classic Warrick points: 1. Gallatin County, Illinois. 2. Barren County, Kentucky. 3. Union County, Kentucky (3 1/4”).
Figure 3: (Top) L-R 1. Saline County, Illinois. 2. Warrick County, Indiana. Found by my father Howard Lutz during the 1960s (3 ¼”).
Figure 4: (Lower) L-R 1 & 2. Livingston County, Kentucky. 3. Gibson County, Indiana (Center point 2 7/8”).
Figure 5: The provenance of the four specimens in the top row is reported to be southern Indiana. (Lower row) L-R 5. Warrick County, Indiana. Mr. Edler featured this point in his Warrick introductory paper in 1986 and again in his book (1990:115). 6. Pike County, Indiana. Found north of Lynnville by A.J. Mason. Again, this is another point illustrated in Mr. Edler’s book (1990:99 & 114). The blade exhibits fine minute pressure flaking not normally found on other specimens of this type. (7) Southern Indiana. (8) Hardin County, Kentucky (Length of longest point 3 5/8”).
Figure 6: Don Champion (Left) and the author standing on top of the Paleoindian Magnet site located on the second terrace of the Ohio River which can be seen in the background approximately one quarter-mile distant. The site derives its name from the small nearby community of Magnet.
Figure 7: Artifacts recovered at the Magnet site. A majority of the points were found by Don Champion. A very nice Clovis and Agate Basin are among the relics recovered. A Warrick point can be seen in the bottom row of the frame and again in the inset at top right (Length of Warrick point 3”).
Figure 8: L-R 1. Warrick County, Indiana (2 ¾”). 2. Sullivan County, Indiana. 3. Hopkins County, Kentucky.
It is suggested that fewer than seventy-five “Warricks” are presently known, those being of unquestionable identity, and of these, all are believed to be in the hands of hobbyists. It is doubtful that a museum or university possess an example unless it has been stored away in some long-forgotten corner. Among the illustrations, it is apparent that a range of temporal and technical variation is at play, with some examples borderline. As stunning the news upon learning the Clovis horizon existed for only half a millennium, the brevity of the Warrick is undoubtedly much shorter, perhaps lasting only a few hundred years.
The scarcity of these points may be explained by the small geographic range in which Warrick groups roamed. It appears certain their tribal influence was confined to the lower Ohio River valley. A few Warrick’s have been found in southern Illinois, and one as far west as Bollinger County, Missouri, less than thirty miles from the Ohio River (CSAJ 1989:216). However, a far greater number have been reported from southern Indiana and northcentral Kentucky. I believe if a habitation site is ever to be discovered, it will be in the Green River drainage of Kentucky. Many of the points on these pages have come from that region and it is requested that you examine the two classic examples found on opposite sides of a creek in Grayson County, Kentucky (Fig. 13). It was in 1993 that I attended a small gathering of local collectors at the Legion Hall in Leitchfield, Kentucky where these pristine classic specimens were observed (CSAJ 1994:197). The Rough and Nolin Rivers and their tributaries are found in this area, both of which drain into the Green River. It will, indeed, be a charmed experience that special day a habitation site is stumbled upon.
The Warrick is of medium size and easily identified by its thick lenticular (bi-convex) cross section. Its most distinguishing feature is the low-slung comma-shaped notches set near the base. The basal edge is normally convex with straight examples less common. Grinding is often heavy on the basal edge but absent on the blade edges. The sides of the blade are excurvate with most specimens exhibiting random pressure flaking, but collateral flaking is popular, and even transverse parallel flaking appears present on some specimens. When re-sharpened, a noticeable dorsal ridge is created. Beveling is never present on the Warrick. Unfortunately, never having been found in a dated context, one can only speculate about its age. Citing the work of Greg Perino (1985), Bob suggested the Warrick to be contemporary to both the Scottsbluff and Hardin because of a similarity in blade features. These types are found in the Early Archaic period and date between 7500 and 6500 B.C. However, on that point I beg to differ, for I suggest the Warrick occur slightly earlier, perhaps closing out the Paleo period (8500–8000 B.C.). The Warrick shares little resemblance to the Hardin which is normally beveled and displays large flat percussion flake scars across the blade. While the Warrick’s bi-convex blade shape does share a similarity to the Scottsbluff, this type isn’t found in our region. What seems a more tenable explanation is to assume the Warrick evolved rather quickly following the Agate Basin which is common in our area and shares a similar thick lenticular bi-convex body style. Approximately twelve examples of the Agate Basin were found at the Magnet site. Noel Justice dates this Late Paleo type at 8500 B.C. (Justice 1987:33).
Figure 9: L-R 1. Warrick County, Indiana. 2. Warrick County, Indiana. While not a classic style, nevertheless a very fine example. It can be found in Mr. Edler’s book (1990:99) (3 5/8”). 3. Spencer County, Indiana.
However, the most convincing evidence to bolster this engaging argument are the recent discoveries in Harrison County, Indiana, at what was known as the “Caesars Archaeological Project” (Stafford, Russell and Mark Cantin 2009:288–294). It was during the excavations approximately six miles downstream from the “Falls of the Ohio” in the Knob Creek bottoms, that important discoveries were made at the James Farnsley site. After many years of uncertainty regarding the age of the Dovetail and Thebes, these excavations revealed a much sought after dated and stratigraphic sequence of these types. Dovetails were recovered in a dated context at 9490 RCYBP (7490 B.C.). Slightly above this Dovetail component lie a Thebes lithic workshop where several points and drills were located but no datable materials were recovered. Above the Thebes lie a Kirk zone with numerous points similar to those found at the Swans Landing site with radiocarbon dates clustering at 8815 RCYBP (6815 B.C.). But most important, just below the Dovetail and Thebes stratified levels, was found an early side-notched component possessed a notching style similar to both the Dovetail and Warrick, principally deep, slanting diagonal notches set close to the base. Radiocarbon dates from several hearths where these points were found ranged from 10,370 to 9680 RCYBP. From this important evidence, it is suggested the Warrick to fill that void between the Agate Basin and Dovetail phases. Similarly, it suggests the Warrick predates and grades into the morphological range of the Dovetail. The Stillwell, also found primarily in the lower Ohio River valley, is similarly lenticular in cross-section and may be closely related.
Figure 10: L-R 1. Warrick County, Indiana. 2. Warrick County, Indiana. While not a classic style, nevertheless a very fine example. It can be found in Mr. Edler’s book (1990:99) (3 5/8”). 3. Spencer County, Indiana.
It was only by chance that I stumbled upon this interesting story. It was in 1973, after returning home to southern Indiana from New Mexico, that I first saw this unusually styled point among a small collection of relics found by my father (Fig. 3, No. 2). The low-slung notches and thick bi-convex blade appeared striking and I wondered if it had been recognized as something new by others? Perhaps it already had a name. Sometime later another of this type was spotted at an artifact show. I asked the finder if it was a personal find and did he know the type, just some basic questions, but he knew nothing. The point was purchased for a nominal price. Sometime later, another was acquired in this same manner. I remained inquisitive but no one appeared to know anything about this unidentified form whenever questioned. A search of the academic literature revealing nothing. At the time, it seemed I was chasing a ghost!
I first met Bob Edler at an artifact show in 1974. He was a retired tool design engineer for General Motors. We became friends and Bob always made it a point to visit our table to see what new relics our family had found. He soon learned that I lived in Newburgh and said that his son, Joe, lived there as well and worked at Alcoa. Bob and his wife, Thelma, were fairly regular visitors to their son’s home, especially now that he had found a friend living just a few short blocks away. On many of those occasions Bob and I would spend the day together surface hunting local fields, or visiting nearby collectors. Bob’s interest, for as long as I knew him, was always about Early Archaic point types and he had quite a personal collection of just that sort of relic, many of which were later featured in his book. He was thrilled with every visit to a Dovetail site that I had discovered several years earlier, first reported on in the Central States Archaeological Journal (Lutz 1982:32–33).
Figure 11: L-R 1. Harrison County, Indiana. 2. Spencer County, Indiana (2 5/8”). Found by Bennie Seaton of Boonville, Indiana. 3. Warrick County, Indiana. Found by John Sanders south of Chandler.
Figure 12: L-R 1. Vanderburgh County, Indiana. 2. Warrick County, Indiana. 3. Spencer County, Indiana (3 1/8”).
He also took notice of the five or six Warrick points I had managed to accumulate up to that time. They soon became a fascination for him and he studied them endlessly with every visit. We discussed constantly their possible origin. Perhaps impressed by my Dovetail article, he encouraged me to write a report on this unnamed point, but no amount of urging would do, for by then my enthusiasm was consumed with the business of learning where the various bunnerton patterns fit in time. I was never sorry for that decision. Bob did a great job and his passion was evident throughout the article. He did not disappoint!
The interactions above occurred over several years. Bob passed away in 1999 and I miss him still. He was a dear friend and a good man. He left behind a remarkable record of dedication to the study of Early Archaic projectile point types. His efforts were never driven by ego, but by an earnest desire to understand and to share that understanding with others. I often reflect on those many conversations we shared while walking fields, studying points under a hand lens, or leaning over a table at some artifact show. Those were good days.
The Warrick point remains somewhat enigmatic. It has never been recovered from a controlled excavation with associated datable materials. Yet its consistent morphology and geographic concentration suggest it was not an anomaly nor a mere variation of another established type. Instead, it appears to represent a short-lived cultural expression confined largely to the lower Ohio River Valley. Its heavy lenticular cross section, low-slung comma-shaped notches, and absence of beveling distinguish it clearly from the Hardin, Scottsbluff, and Dovetail types with which it might otherwise be confused.
Perhaps one day a habitation site will be located where Warrick points are found in association with hearths, faunal remains, or other cultural materials that can provide radiocarbon dates. Until then, we rely on typological comparison and regional associations to place it tentatively at the close of the Paleoindian period, bridging the gap between Agate Basin and the earliest Archaic forms.
If I may close with a personal reflection, it has been a privilege to have known Bob Edler and to have shared in his enthusiasm for the study of Early Archaic projectile point types. His willingness to listen, to encourage, and to publish the work of others helped foster a spirit of collaboration within the collecting community. The Warrick point stands as one small example of that spirit — a type brought to light not through formal excavation, but through the careful observations of dedicated hobbyists.
When Bob first published his article in 1986, few could have predicted that the Warrick would spark continued discussion decades later. Yet here we are, still debating its age and cultural placement. That ongoing dialogue is perhaps the greatest testament to the vitality of our shared interest.
The Warrick may never be found in a sealed, datable context. It may remain a point known only from surface finds and creek recoveries. But its distinct morphology and consistent geographic pattern argue strongly for its legitimacy as a discrete type. Whether it ultimately proves to be terminal Paleoindian or transitional into the earliest Archaic, it represents an important piece of the cultural mosaic of the lower Ohio River Valley.
As new discoveries are made and new technologies applied, perhaps future generations will refine or even revise the conclusions offered here. That is the nature of archaeological inquiry. For now, the Warrick remains what it has always been — a fascinating and elusive expression of early Native American craftsmanship.
Figure 13: Two very fine Warrick points from Grayson County, Kentucky reported to have been found on opposite sides of a creek.
References
Edler, Robert W.
1986 The Warrick Point. Central States Archaeological Journal. Volume 33, No. 3.
1990 Early Archaic Indian Points and Knives. Collector Books, Paducah, Kentucky.
Justice, Noel D.
1987 Stone Age Spear and Arrow Points of the Midcontinental and Eastern United States. Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
Lutz, David L.
1982 A Dovetail Camp. Central States Archaeological Journal. Volume 29, No. 1.
1994 Warrick Points from the Lower Ohio River Valley. Central States Archaeological Journal. Volume 41, No. 4.
Perino, Gregory
1985 Selected Preforms, Points and Knives of the North American Indians, Vol. 1. Publication of Gregory Perino, Idabel, Oklahoma.
Smith, Edward E.
1995 The Magnet Site (12PE171): A Late Paleoindian Site in Perry County, Southern Indiana. Southeastern Archaeology. Volume 14, No. 2, pp. 158–181.
Stafford, Russell and Mark Cantin
2009 Archaic Period Chronology in the Hill Country of Southern Indiana. In Archaic Societies: Diversity and Complexity across the Midcontinent, edited by Thomas E. Emerson, Dale L. McElrath, and Andrew C. Fortier. State University of New York Press, Albany.
Tomak, Curtis I.
1980 Alton: A Paleo-Indian Site in Southern Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 89:84–90.