This finely crafted fluted point was discovered in 1980 along with nine other similar projectile points at a presumed kill site approximately 250 m west of the Vail Paleo-Indian encampment. This specimen (V.5581) was presumably lost during a hunt for caribou moving along the Magalloway River Valley, upwind of the Vail habitation site. Radiocarbon dates from the Vail site indicate that this hunt took place 10,500 to 11,000 years ago.
   Compared to other fluted projectile points found upon the Vail site, V.5581 has a relatively shallow basal concavity, although in all other respects it is typical of the Vail form of fluted point. The edges of the point are dulled by rubbing (grinding) as far as the termination of the shorter channel flake. Both the point of balance and the maximum width of the point lie just forward of the shorter channel flake. The longitudinal cross-section is regular with no suggestion that the point was resharpened. The raw material of V.5581 is yellow-brown chert, commonly termed "jasper". Its source is unknown, and it may have been transported from a considerable distance.

   by Pete Bostrom

   Debert "fluted" points were named by George F. McDonald in 1968 for examples found on the Debert site in central Nova Scotia. These deeply concave base points are found mainly in Nova Scotia and Maine. Many of the fluted points found on the Vail site are classic examples of Debert points. The bases with long delicate "ears" are similar to bases on many Dalton points.

 This Debert/Clovis point, number V.5581, measures 3 7/8 inches long.

CLICK ON PICTURES FOR LARGE IMAGE
Photos Courtesy Mike Gramly Ph.D.
VIEWS OF EXCAVATIONS ON THE VAIL SITE

   The Vail site is located in a high mountain river valley in Oxford County, Maine on the shore line (at times of low water Level) of Aziscohos Lake. The elevation of Aziscohos Lake is 1863 feet. The site was discovered by Mr. Francis Vail, Jr. while looking for fishing tackle lost on snags. The site was first reported to Dr. Richard M. Gramly of the Buffalo Museum of Science in Buffalo, New York. He eventually excavated the Paleo-Indian encampment and later discovered two possible kill sites near the campsite, one 820 feet away and another 820 yards away. (Gramly 1984:110)
   The discovery and excavation of the Vail site is of major importance to Paleo-Indian studies in the Northeast. It is the first Paleo-Indian site to be located and excavated in the state Maine. The Vail site is closely linked with the Debert site in Nova Scotia, both in artifact styles and adaptive patterns. (Funk 1962:12)
   Although no bones were found at Vail, it is suggested that caribou was the animal most hunted. Caribou remains found in association with fluted points at the Whipple (New Hampshire), Dutchess Quarry Cave (New York) and Bull Brook (Massachusetts) sites give strong support of this idea. (Gramly 1984:111)
   One of the most significant finds were the refitting of at least seven broken fluted points. Broken bases from the campsites were found to fit broken points from probable kill sites. (Gramly 1984:111)