NO. 4 A FOLSOM COMPLEX ROBERTS 1/ 



The various features that characterize the Folsom points may be 

 found singly or in different combinations on specimens originating in 

 several sections of the country, but unless all are present on each 

 individual artifact it cannot be considered as a true example of the 

 type. Failure to observe this fact has led to some confusion and mis- 

 understanding. Mere concavity of the base or leaflike shape does not 

 constitute a Folsom point. The groove is an essential feature. Whether 

 grooves on both faces should be insisted upon is a debatable question, 

 because in at least one of the specimens from the original site it was 

 present on only one face. This point, or rather portion of a point, was 

 picked up by Mr. Howard from the dump at Folsom during the 

 summer of 1934. Except for the absence of the fluting on one side, 

 it is in all respects characteristic of the type. It is the only example 

 from that location which was made from quartzite, and as that mate- 

 rial is so difficult to work, it is possible that the groove was omitted 

 for that reason. One example from the B group at Folsom, which 

 has been pictured a number of times, seemingly has a groove on but 

 one side.^ As a matter of fact the specimen in question shows that it 

 did have a groove on each face, though one was unusually short and 

 most of it was lost when the butt end was broken off. Just a trace of 

 the upper end of the channel is to be observed. That so short a flake 

 was removed was due, as the specimen clearly shows, to a flaw in the 

 stone. This caused the flake to turn out rather close to the base instead 

 of farther along the face. A number of fragmentary points from the 

 Lindenmeier site have the channel on only one side. Most of these 

 appear to be implements broken and discarded before completion, 

 however, and for that reason are not a good criterion. In view of the 

 evidence from Folsom, and despite the contradictory nature of such a 

 statement, it may be said that a true Folsom point should be fluted on 

 both sides, but an otherwise typical example may occasionally have 

 the feature on only one side. 



The rarity of perfect specimens has been commented upon in 

 various articles on the subject of Folsom points. A large majority con- 

 sists of broken examples. There was only one complete blade in the 

 group of 19 found at Folsom, and the proportion at other sites has 

 been even smaller. This may be attributed, as has frequently been 

 suggested, to the brittleness caused by the fluting. The removal of the 

 longitudinal flakes so thinned the points that they became extremely 

 fragile. The purpose of the grooves is not known. A number of 

 explanations have been made, and any or all may apply. Perhaps the 



Figgins, 1927, fig. 3. 



