CAST #P-104

CAST #P-105

GOSHEN POINT
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

CAST ILLUSTRATED
CAST #P-105
GOSHEN POINT
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

This Goshen point is described by Frison and Bradley as a point that, "is different in shape from the rest of the points (that were found on the Mill iron site). It is nearly triangular with slightly convex sides and has the slightest suggestion of a basal indentation. We believe that it is very likely that this point resulted from the all-over reworking of a piece of a broken point." Originally, this point may have been larger and a new base was applied after it was broken so it could be used again. This point is made of purple colored Porcellanite measures 1 13/16 inches (4.7 cm) long.
Thirty-one projectile points were found on the Mill Iron site. Eleven were found in the camp area, twelve in the bone bed meat processing area and seven points were found on the surface. These points exhibit a fairly wide range of style and flaking technique. Some of the bases are almost straight, while others vary from slightly to fairly deeply concave. Also, some of the basal edges are concave but are straight at the base of the concavity, similar to some Folsom points. The sides are straight to slightly convex and one example appears to be slightly fish-tailed.

MILL IRON SITE

The Mill iron site is located in Carter County, Montana in the southeastern part of the state. It's now believed that it represents the Goshen Cultural Complex as it was described at the Hell Gap site in southeastern Wyoming. There are now five accelerator dates on the site that average over 11,000 years before present. It remains to be proven if Goshen is a Clovis variant or if it should be placed somewhere between Clovis and Folsom.
The Mill Iron site contains a single component and is buried under 1.5 to 1.8 meters of sterile deposits. One area is a camp site meat processing area and a short distance away is a bison bone bed that appears to be a deliberate piling of articulated and disarticulated bones and is not an actual kill area. Goshen projectile points demonstrate a wide range of variation, much of which results from reworking of broken specimens. (Frison, George C., 1991 pp 133-150)