CAST #A-1
DALTON POINTS

   The term Dalton covers a wide range of concave based lanceolate forms which usually have a slightly flaring base. They are found throughout almost all of the eastern half of the United States. This is a very early point type that is found in many different styles. These points date to the Early Archaic period approximately 9,000 to 10,500 years ago. Dalton points have consistently been found in the lower levels of Archaic deposits in caves, rock shelters and open sites. The largest numbers of Dalton points seems to have been found in Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. These points can range in size from less than an inch to one famous example that was reported to have been 15 inches long.

CAST #A-1
DALTON POINT
OLIVE BRANCH SITE
Alexander County, Illinois
Murray Meadows Collection

   This Dalton point is part of a cache of 13 similar examples found several years ago in a cache on the Olive Branch site. It may be the best example that was found in this cache. The early Archaic craftsman that made it was very skilled at pressure flaking. The parallel pressure flaking he did on this point is extremely well done. For it's size and style, this point is the best example I have seen here at Lithic Casting Lab. All the points found in this cache were made of white Burlington chert. This Dalton point measures 5 1/4 inches long.
   Since 1986 archaeological excavations at the Olive Branch site at Thebes Gap on the bank of the Mississippi River in southern Illinois have laid bare an important stratified sequence of archaeological deposits of the tenth millennium B.P. In terms of sheer quantity of artifacts, the Dalton occupation at Olive Branch is most important. A single radiocarbon date on charcoal from the upper Dalton zone is 9,200-9,100 B.P (Richard Michael Gramly, PhD).

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THREE DALTON CACHES FROM OLIVE BRANCH

   These three Dalton caches were found several years ago on the Olive Branch site in southern Illinois. The top row shows the thirteen points from which the "June cast" was found in. The center cache is made of black Pitkin chert. Notice the different style.