Riv. Bas. Sur. 

 Pap. No. 25] 



JOHN H. KERR RESERVOIR BASIN — ^MILLER 



101 



found at the Meserve bison quarry near Grand Island, Nebraska, in 1931 and 

 at the Gibson site near Abilene, Texas in 1940. 



Points resembling the "Meserve" or "Gibson" points with the ex- 

 ception of the beveling of the edges of the blade occur within the 

 limits of the reservoir and adjacent territories. These points are 

 shorter and stubbier than the Plainview, and the blade, as a rule, 

 takes up more than half of the total length of the point angling off 

 to the tip. The triangular tip rests upon a rectangular body, whose 

 sides are not always parallel but may contract but slightly to form 

 the base of the butt. All are very carefully chipped and most of them 

 have been retouched along the edges. The seven points of this type 

 in the collection have been carefully measured both in inches and in 

 millmietei-s, and the results are given in table 1. 



Table 1. — Measurements of seven Elys Ford points in inches and millimeters 



{see fig. 18) 



Total length (c-/) 



Width across shoulders 

 (d-e) 



Width across base (g-h)... 



Length of tip (6-c) 



Length of butt (6-/) 



Thickness 



25.0 

 25.0 



6.0 



It has been found that when the blade is resting upon its base 

 the angle (angle a of fig. 18) varies from the vertical as much as 16 

 to 20 degrees. This angle becomes more abrupt after either resharpen- 

 ing or repointing, around 31 to 32 degrees, creating a shorter and 

 blunter tip. 



Blade length {h-c) measured from a median line across the shoulder 

 to the tip of the blade varies from i%6 to 1 and %q inches. Base 

 height (b-f) varies from %(; to W^q of an inch, while base width (d-e) 

 varies from i%6 to 1 inch. 



Basal thinning, nearly always present, was accomplished by a crude 

 fluting whereby one or more pressure flakes were cast off from one or 

 both sides of the point from a prepared nipple or striking platform 

 in the slightly concave base, the remains of which can be determined 

 in a number of the specimens. Basal thinning in the thicker, straight- 

 based specimens does not occur. This same holds true for smoothing, 

 or rubbing, of the sides of the base. The sides of the concave-based 

 specimens are mostly smoothed, while those with straight, flat bases 

 are usually untouched. 



